10 Vegetables to Make You Feel Good This Winter

They are on the stalls in the heart of winter, dressed in red, orange, green and white, mostly root vegetables. All in season and grown close to home, it is always good to repeat the health benefits of their important nutritional contributions.

They do not always look attractive, with their funny shape and their often thick skin. Yet, their weird appearance hides the nutrient treasures that are needed in the cold, dark days of winter.

Here is our list of 10 vegetables that will make you feel good this winter.

1. Beetroot: anti-aging and doping

Red, pink, but also yellow or white with stripe, the beet likes to vary the colors. It does wonders for dishes, especially accompanied by greens (mashed and grated raw beet or cooked, for example).

Uses:

Raw and cooked, hot or cold. Its juice is also a delight, which athletes use as a natural "doping" method thanks to its natural nitrates.

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• anti-oxidants (beta-carotene and other pigments),
• vitamins A, B9 and C,
• minerals (potassium),
• carbohydrates (beet is the sweetest vegetable).

2. Carrot: purifying, antioxidant

The Vegetable most consumed in France, it deserves its reputation as food for the good complexion!

Uses:

Raw and cooked, hot or cold. The juice is also delightful!

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• antioxidants (vitamin C, pigments: beta-carotene ++, lutein, zeaxanthin),
• vitamins B, and K,
• minerals (potassium),
• carbohydrates (almost as much as in the beet).

3. Celery root: invigorating

It is the underground brother of the celery branch. We consume only its whitish ball. But its leaves can give flavor to a soup.

Uses:

Raw and cooked, hot or cold. Be careful not to add salt to dishes with celery, it is naturally saltier than other vegetables.

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• vitamins B6, C and K,
• minerals (phosphorus).

4. Cauliflower: depurative

The cauliflower is adorned with a leaf crown encircling a white swirl-like texture contrasting in white and green.

Uses:

Raw cold, and cooked hot or cold. Fragile stomachs may blanch them before cooking. A cousin to the more digestible broccoli.

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• antioxidants (vitamin C),
• vitamins,
• minerals,
• sulfur compounds.

5. Endive: moisturizing, laxative

The white pearl of the North (it is more chic than the "chicory"!) Is very difficult to grow and requires a sharp know-how.

Uses:

Cold flood, and hot cooked

Nutritional contributions:

• water,
• fibers +,
• antioxidants (selenium, vitamin C),
• B3 vitamins, minerals (potassium, calcium, zinc, iron).

6. Spinach: diuretic, remineralizing

Always green, spinach is not the vegetable richest in iron, as is often thought. But it has other benefits, just as – if not more – interesting.

Uses:

Cold raw (with young shoots, but especially in spring), and cooked hot

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• antioxidants (vitamin C, beta-carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin),
• vitamins E, B9,
• minerals (calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium).

7. Turnip: remineralizing

The turnips colors vary between white, yellow and pink. It belongs to the cabbage family: it is the oldest vegetable we consume.

Uses:

Hot baked

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• antioxidants (pigments: lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamin C),
• sulfur compounds (anti-carcinogenic).

8. Onion: anti-carcinogenic, diuretic

It makes you cry before offering you tasty pleasure… It comes in many colors and the strength of its taste varies from from sweet to spicy: the yellow being the strongest, red and white being the sweetest.

Uses:

Raw and cooked, hot or cold

Nutritional contributions:

• minerals (potassium, sodium),
• antioxidants (vitamin C, provitamin A and others),
• vitamins B and E.

9. Parsnip: anti-carcinogenic

This strange vegetable, which can be confused with the white carrot, has its own identity. Long forgotten, it reappeared in popularity from the 2000s.

Uses:

Cooked hot. it has a taste between celery root and fennel.

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers,
• vitamin C,
• minerals (magnesium, potassium, sodium),
• carbohydrates (parsnips are sweet, but less than beets and carrots).

10. Leek: Regulator of the intestines

Leek has a beautiful stem, and the same colors as a cauliflower, but with 'hair' at its base. Nicknamed "the asparagus of the poor", it has a lot in common with the beautiful white spring onion. It is also one of the oldest vegetables we consume.

Uses:

Cooked hot or cold

Nutritional contributions:

• fibers ++,
• antioxidants (vitamin C),
• vitamins A, B and K,
• minerals (potassium, sodium),
• sulfur compounds.

Vary them! Play with the raw and cook as much as with their colors. You won't grow tired of them. And always think of what they can bring you in terms of nutritional benefits when you eat them.

For these benefits to be optimal, we suggest you buy them from local organic producers or sustainable agriculture.