There is a general awareness among people that in winter we suffer from a general lack of vitamins and minerals. And it is quite logical – in our climate zone it is cold and trees do not bear seasonal fruit. In the days of our grandparents it was much worse, because oranges and bananas were not imported. Today, it is no problem to buy any fruit at any time of the year. Supermarkets and hypermarkets offer everything you can think of. The vitamin C contained in citrus fruits is undoubtedly one of the most important antioxidants. Apart from citrus fruits, it can also be found in:
- Black and red currants
- Aronia and rosehips
- Kiwi
An effective cold fighter
Because it is one of the antioxidants, it helps the body with defence against free oxygen radicals. It provides protection to the body cells and thus slows down the aging and wear and tear processes of the body. At the same time, it has a very supportive effect on the immune system. That’s why many of us head to the store in winter and arm ourselves with tangerines, grapefruits, oranges and lemons. One glass of orange juice for breakfast. One tangerine a day for snack. Do you recognize yourself in that?
But they can also do harm
You probably don’t want to talk yourself out of eating citrus fruits. It is commendable if one wants to keep oneself in shape and tries to strengthen one’s body as much as possible in the season of colds and winter slushes. However, there are also opinions that say that eating citrus fruits in the winter can be harmful. It is important to remember that citrus fruits grow in subtropical to tropical climates. These fruits have a cooling effect on the body and will therefore help us with summer refreshment.
In winter, however, cooling the body is totally undesirable. A person with a fragile immunity can harm himself. When temperatures drop below freezing, we need to warm our bodies. Not only with warm clothes, but also with food and drink. Therefore, in winter it is recommended to consume foods that speed up the metabolism and thus warm the body. The best are hot soups and strong broths, dishes with hot spices, chili, ginger, cinnamon and hot teas.