It’s cold outside and the veggies inside your local grocery store might look as bleak as the frozen stalks in your garden. However, you don’t have to settle for wilted leafy produce. You can still find fresh root vegetables and other types of greens that remain nutritious to keep you healthy. Don’t forget that sunshine in warmer regions continues to produce fruits that offer important vitamins all year round. That's why Land Rover Cary recommends you check out some of these nutritious foods this winter.

Choose dark, leafy greens

Swiss chard, kale, collards, mustard greens and escarole are green leafy superstars in your produce department that flourish during winter. Rich in vitamins A, C, and K, these greens can be added to salads and soups or cooked as a side dish veggie. Once you start trying these dark, leafy greens, you’ll see why so many people make them a part of their nutritious and well-balanced diet.

Eat more root veggies

Sweet potatoes are richer in vitamin A and fiber than white potatoes and are also high in potassium. Ever wonder why purple potatoes cost so much? They contain anthocyanins that are powerful antioxidants with links to impressive health benefits. And don’t forget carrots, parsnips, leeks, rutabagas, and celery root. When you learn how to prepare colorful and tasty root veggies and incorporate them into your weekly menus, you’ll have no problem staying nutritious.

Experiment with winter squash

The next time you’re at the market, look for squash—you’ll be amazed at all the varieties just waiting for your next recipe experiment. One cup of cooked winter squash, such as acorn, butternut, or spaghetti, is low in calories but high in vitamin A and C. It’s also a good source for vitamins B6, K, folate, and potassium.

Squeeze sunshine into a glass

Why buy vitamin C tablets when you can get 100 percent of your daily requirement just by drinking the juice from one medium-sized orange? Citrus fruits contain flavonoids that are believed to boost healthy HDL cholesterol while at the same time reducing “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Help prevent colds this winter by squeezing more fresh juice from lemons or limes and eating grapefruit sections for added fiber content.

Try a super fruit

The craze for pomegranate juice goes beyond just adding its pretty red color to beverages or its curious seeds to a salad. Pomegranates are a super fruit when it comes to antioxidants (more than other fruits) with just one cup daily recommended to prevent free radicals from oxidizing into unhealthy LDL cholesterol. Regular consumption has been shown to improve blood flow for people suffering from myocardial ischemia and might also help to prevent prostate cancer.

Winter is often a time when people hibernate and don’t get as much exercise as other times of the year. Maybe you aren’t as active, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy plenty of out-of-season winter food ideas to keep you healthy.