We keep hearing that it is great to eat fruits and vegetables year-round, regardless of the season. And in winter, to eat a lot of citrus fruits, which will provide us with the indispensable vitamin C for protection against viruses. However, what do researches show, and are fruits and vegetables really that healthy if they're out of the season or out of their region?

In recent years, we got used to eating fresh vegetables year-round. I leave aside the fact that in many cases, besides being grown in greenhouses, the content of valuable substances in them has been minimized, and for their transportation, they may have been treated with various chemicals to ensure greater durability and a better appearance. It is no secret that in order for strawberries to ripen faster and give a good harvest of big fruits, they are fed with chemicals. A 2013 USDA study found methyl bromide, chloropicrin, and thelon in strawberries (1,3-D). These substances, called fumigants, have been linked to cancer, hormone disruption and developmental problems in children. (1)

Unfortunately, a much more recent publication - from 2019 - indicates the same. For this reason, out-of-season strawberries are not a good choice as a source of vitamin C.

Но не само заради това следва да се замислите дали предоставяте на тялото си повече ценни или повече опасни вещества, когато купувате плодове и зеленчуци извън сезона. Да, свикнали сме, когато през зимата кажем „витамин С“ веднага да се сетим за портокали и цитруси изобщо.

It may sound strange to you, but according to traditional Chinese medicine, every food has certain properties - warming and cooling, for example. Citrus fruits, which we associate with the presence of vitamin C, will not actually help you against the cold in the winter, and it is possible that they will slow down your body further. This is because, on the one hand, they have so-called body-cooling properties, and on the other hand, all conducted studies prove that vitamin C only slightly shortens the duration of the cold viral disease, and does not save you from it, nor relieve the severity of the symptoms. Yes, vitamin C is important for the body. However, in the winter, you can get it from other sources - such as sauerkraut, cooked broccoli, and even baked potatoes contain vitamin C - one medium potato contains 17 milligrams of vitamin C, which equals 28 percent of the recommended daily intake.

In conclusion – when having a cold or flu, do not rely on citrus fruits and increased intake of vitamin C. Turn to the good grandmother's chicken soup and herbal teas - elderflower, thyme, linden. They will warm up your body and help it to get rid of the virus faster.