7 Anti-Inflammatory Foods You Should Be Eating This Winter

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, MS, RD

Key points

• Anti-inflammatory fruits and vegetables have bright colors rich in antioxidants.

• Winter produce at its peak includes beets, pears, leeks, broccoli and pomegranates.

• Enjoy roasted beets in a salad, leeks in a comforting soup, or juicy pears as a snack.

Shorter days, cooler temperatures, warm drinks and comfort foods are all things we commonly associate with winter, not colorful fresh produce. However, cooler weather means a new crop of fruits and vegetables is about to peak in flavor, nutrients and anti-inflammatory potential.

While some inflammation is normal, chronic inflammation can increase the risk of diseases such as cancer, dementia, diabetes and more. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet full of foods that fight inflammation can help keep you healthier in the long run.

While it’s easy to overindulge in inflammatory foods during the holiday season (think: sugar cookies, processed foods, and cocktails), you can also take steps to balance your diet by eating plenty of inflammation-fighting foods this winter. Here are the seven best anti-inflammatory winter foods.

1. Pomegranate

Don’t let the outer layer of the pomegranate intimidate you, as the tender seeds (also known as arils) and juice are both full of flavor and jam-packed with anti-inflammatory power. This is due to compounds such as ellagitannins, anthocyanins and flavonoids that act as antioxidants, calming inflammation caused by free radical damage and preventing future damage.

In fact, the antioxidant potential of pomegranate is considered higher than that of red wine and green tea. Arils are a great substitute for berries or citrus segments in a salad, and you can also add pomegranate juice to teas, smoothies or kombucha for a tart, fruity punch.

2. Broccoli

Although we can buy it year-round, broccoli is actually a winter vegetable due to its ability to thrive in cold weather. You probably know that eating several servings of vegetables each day is a key part of an anti-inflammatory diet, but did you know you can get additional anti-inflammatory benefits by choosing a cruciferous vegetable like broccoli?

Cruciferous vegetables contain bioactive sulfur compounds called glucosinolates that minimize the risk of disease by decreasing inflammation. If you’re not good at broccoli, incorporate other cool-weather cruciferous vegetables like Brussels sprouts, kale, collards, collards, and turnips.

3. Blood oranges

All citrus fruits are packed with immune-boosting antioxidant vitamin C, and most ripen to their sweetest flavor during the winter months—two things that make any citrus (including oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, tangelos, and other varieties) an excellent cold-weather addition to your diet.

If you’re looking for a boost of antioxidants, consider blood oranges. The vibrant red-orange color of their flesh comes from anthocyanins, the same compounds that make berries a top anti-inflammatory food. Blood oranges are delicious on their own, but they’re also great in a salad, incorporated into a pan sauce, or as a healthy dessert.

4. Leeks

Leeks are part of the allium family, which also includes onions, shallots, and chives. Allium vegetables and roots all contain quercetin, an anti-inflammatory compound that research suggests can lessen the inflammatory effects of harmful chemicals and compounds in the body.

Found predominantly in winter and early spring, leeks can be a great substitute for other alliums in recipes. If you’ve never cooked with them, think of them as a scallion with a larger root and wider leaves and a slightly more pungent (but still milder than onion) flavor. We love them in soup, baked in the oven or even folded into mashed potatoes for an extra veggie boost.

5. Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes top the list for anti-inflammatory starchy vegetables. This is partly because they serve as a source of low-glycemic carbohydrates and are a good source of vitamin C, but also because of their impressive carotenoid content. Carotenoids (such as beta-carotene) give spud its deep orange color, but they also act to protect cells from free radical damage that could create inflammation or exacerbate existing inflammation.

In addition, most carotenoids are converted to the active form of vitamin A (which is key in immune regulation and inflammation management) in the body. We love roasting sweet potatoes, stuffing them with our favorite toppings, and turning them into healthier fries.

6. Beetroot

Beets are an excellent source of potassium, folate, and vitamin C—all nutrients that play different roles in the immune system’s regulation of inflammation. But two other compounds in beets – betalains and nitrates – really make them stand out as an anti-inflammatory star. Betalains are lesser-known antioxidant-like compounds that research links to lowering inflammatory blood markers.

And nitrates that occur naturally (as opposed to those added to clean, processed foods that pose potential health risks) appear to have an anti-inflammatory effect that lowers blood pressure. Beets are delicious roasted, add a pop of color to hummus, or try adding some to a smoothie to start your day with an antioxidant boost.

7. Pears

Improving gut health is a key strategy for preventing and reducing inflammation, and research suggests that the best way to do this is to eat more probiotic-rich foods (such as yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetables) and to consume more prebiotics through high-fiber foods. Prebiotics are fibers that feed existing gut microbes, and pears are a great source of prebiotic fiber to help your good bacteria thrive. Pears are also one of the fruits with the most fiber (a medium pear contains about 6 grams of fiber). You can snack on a pear with some nut butter, put them in a salad, roast them, or turn them into a healthy dessert.

Our expert

Delicious, fresh and healthy fruits and vegetables are in season during the winter and boast several anti-inflammatory benefits. The bright green of broccoli, pears and leeks, the crimson red of beets, pomegranates and blood oranges, and the bright orange of sweet potatoes tell you that color is for winter, and those colors mean you’re getting a wealth of inflammation-fighting nutrients.

Read the original article on EatingWell