Winter is officially here, and the Christmas festivities are now in full swing. Everyone deserves to indulge in those mince pies, mulled wine and advent chocolates at this time of year, but this is not an excuse to let your healthy lifestyle slip altogether! Here are our six top winter foods that are not only delicious, but help to prevent those nasty winter colds, enable your hair, skin, nails and eyes to radiate a healthy, beautiful glow, and get you looking and feeling the best you can possibly be!

Pomegranates

Packed with antioxidants, this fantastic little festive fruit has anti-cancerous properties, prevents free radicals from oxidising ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol, and promotes a healthy heart. Have a glass of pomegranate juice a day to encourage glowing, blemish-free skin, glossy hair and bright glistening eyes, or funk up your festive salads with a sprinkling of these sweet, immune-strengthening powerhouses. Who doesn’t want to look and feel fabulous at Christmas?

Dark Leafy Greens

Cue our greeny friends: kale, chard and collards. Did you know that these superfoods thrive in the chill of winter when the rest of the produce section looks bleak? What’s more, frost can even take away the bitterness, ensuring that your regular, cold-pressed green juice is even tastier! Gobble on these gorgeous greens and reap the skin-smoothing, nail-strengthening benefits of the vitamin A, C, K and folate.

Clementines

Everyone loves a clementine in their stockings! As well as the perfect snack to satisfy that sweet tooth, these clever citrus fruits are crammed with vitamin C to strengthen that immune system and boast anti-inflammatory qualities to help to settle an upset stomach. Make the clementine one of your five a day at Christmas, to guarantee that you will feel clean, comforted and cleansed, regardless of those other yummy indulgences!

Dates

These fab dried fruits are a great source of calcium, iron and zinc to promote strong hair, nails and bones, as well as a strong circulatory system. Being abundant in fibre, constipation will be a thing of the past – and we all know that regular bowel function and good gut health has a positive effect on our mental states! Be happy, look gorgeous, feel strong and seize the season with this healthy, energy-dense super-fruit!

Winter Squash

Did you know that this squash is a great source of potassium? With higher levels than a banana, who would have thought that this super carbohydrate could be the ideal hangover cure!? Enjoy as a warming soup, add to your winter salad, or use as the perfect roast potato substitute to give your inner and outer self a lick of beautifying TLC. These slow release, low-glycaemic level squashes will help you feel fuller for longer, reduce your sugar cravings, and boost your organ health with their abundance in essential vitamins, minerals and omega 3’s!

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are an outstanding source of glucosinolates and sulphur-containing nutrients which help aid the body’s natural detoxifying process. Being a rich source of fiber as well, don’t skip this super-sprout when enjoying your Christmas dinner. Set yourself back on track for a fit and fab boxing day by consuming an ample serving of these anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory veggies!

words by Olivia Murphy