Winter is the season of festivals and celebrations and also a season for green winter veggies. As the climate in India varies, it offers us a multitude of seasonal veggies and fruits that we mustn’t miss at all. Dietician Himani Gupta says “seasonal eating is a healthier bet!!”
We recommend to through this list of 10 best green veggies and herbs that are easily available as the climate of India turns colder in the months from November to February.
Spinach - It’s counted among the world’s healthiest veggies, thanks to its nutrient richness. Vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and a host of flavonoids that offer antioxidant protection to us. Whether you choose to eat ‘palak paneer’, ‘dal palak’ or have a spinach and cheese roll, make sure you don’t miss this one!
Sarson or Mustard Leaves - A winter crop, the mustard plant leaves are highly nutritious. These are flavorful and very popular in the state of Punjab where people are crazy about the now world famous ‘sarson ka saag aur makki ki roti’. Fresh mustard greens are an excellent source of several vital antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and carotenes. Include the goodness of these leaves in your diet this winter season.
Peas - Add them to your ‘pulav’ or make some yummy ‘muttar panner’. Peas, with their sweet taste and starchy texture come loaded with phytonutrients that provide us with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits. Further, recent research shows that these legumes can help prevent stomach cancer too.
Methi or fenugreek - Loaded with vitamins, minerals, fibre and phytonutrients. It can lower cholesterol, help keep your diabetes under check and more. Make those lovely ‘methi parathas’ on a sunny winter afternoon and relish them with some pickle and butter.
Broccoli - Is rich in Vitamin K and calcium and is important for bone health and osteoporosis, a common complaint of most elderly in the winters. It’s especially good for men as it increases testosterone levels. Make some healthy broccoli, mushroom and baby corn soup to slurp on a cold wintery night.
Cabbage - Cabbage is very healthy and also extremely versatile, as it can be prepared in many ways. The leaves can be filled with a rice and meat mixture and baked to create a popular dish called cabbage rolls and if you are a vegetarian, fresh coleslaw can be made from raw shredded cabbage. Cabbage is high in antioxidants, Vitamin A, and Vitamin C. Dietician Himani Gupta tells diet conscious people, “have a bowl of chopped raw cabbage twice or thrice in a day to reduce weight”.
Capsicum - Although varieties of capsicum are available almost throughout the year, make sure you eat the capsicum available in abundance when the climatic in India turns icy cold, i.e. during the winters. These are rich in carotenoids and Vitamin A and C. It provides our body with the strength to fight infections. It helps in bringing down the blood pressure. Eating capsicum also results in increased metabolic rate thus burns extra calories. And all these above mentioned problems are felt more during the winter months.
‘Karela’ or Bitter Gourd - Now eating ‘karela’ in the winters and having cauliflower in summers is not surprising anymore! ‘Karela’ and its bitter taste is best for fighting diabetes and increased sugar levels due to over eating in the winter festivals. It is also rich in iron, phosphorous, zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium and manganese. The juice of the bitter gourd helps with battling skin diseases and keeps the body in shape.
Amla or Indian Gooseberry - What gold is to minerals, Amla is to herbs. Amla is extremely bitter in taste but is the highest source of Vitamin C that helps boost our immunity and guards us from the easily spread flu in the crisp winter. Amla also helps in keeping UTI (urinary tract infections) at bay. If you don’t want to have this sour herb in its raw form, make some amla chutney with jaggery or gud or have prepare simple homemade amla pickle.
Dhaniya and Pudina - A dish is incomplete if you don’t garnish it with some coriander and mint. Make some simple ‘moong daal’ at home, add a teaspoon of ghee for taste and garnish with some beautiful green dhaniya leaves. On the other hand if you love salads, add some mint leaves for their fresh flavor. Green dhaniya and Pudina chutney is the simplest and the healthiest thing to prepare at home which is best had with some hot steamy pakodas.
The climate of India is therefore best enjoyed in the months of winter when there is abundance of nutritious green veggies that will keep you healthy and fit.
