3 Foods to Eat More of This Winter

Maintaining a nutritious diet throughout the winter can be a challenge for anyone. The selection of fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables becomes more limited. Salads and smoothies start to sound less appetizing. Instead, the cold weather often tempts us to opt for heavy comfort foods that have little in the way of nutritional value and don't leave us feeling our best. But if you want to combat cold and flu season, your best bet is to pump your diet full of nutrient-rich, immune boosting foods. Here are a few that top the list:

Dark leafy greens such as kale, chard, and collards thrive in the winter. In fact, frost can help take away the bitterness of kale. These greens are particularly rich in vitamins A, C and K. Collards, mustard greens and escarole are also excellent sources of folate.

Citrus fruits such as oranges and grapefruit are at peak freshness this time of year. Almost all citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, and their flavonoids help to combat free radicals and absorb iron from other foods,

High-fat foods such as nuts, seeds, and avocados can help your immune system by aiding the body's ability to absorb antioxidants and vitamins. Nuts and seeds are also a great source of Alpha-lipoic acid and Omega-3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation in the cells and regenerates antioxidants.