The warmer months, with their farmers market bounty, can make fresh produce especially enticing. But winter eating doesn’t need to default to a diet of calorie-dense comfort foods. Cold-weather produce offers a wide variety of nutrient-rich options that deliver concentrated phytonutrients and help support immune health.
“Nutrient-dense eating patterns can supply our bodies with vital antioxidants and phytochemicals that help reduce damage to our cells,” says Amy Bragagnini, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. “Consuming a balanced diet plays a crucial role in helping manage cancer treatment-related side effects, in addition to reducing the risk of cancer.”
While dietary interventions are never a replacement for conventional medicine — particularly anything prescribed by your healthcare team — these seven cold-weather veggies will give your body the nutrients it needs to help lower your odds for developing cancer.
Beets
If you’ve never cooked beets before, be prepared for the dark red juice to pool on your cutting board or countertops. But that can be minimized in certain preparations.
Sotiria Everett, EdD, RD, a clinical assistant professor at Stony Brook Medicine in New York, prefers to “roast them first and then peel them once they’re cool enough to handle,” she says. “They can also be juiced, shredded, or cooked in an Instant Pot in a little bit of water.”
Sweet Potatoes
“Both regular potatoes and sweet potatoes can be healthy additions to the diet, but the high amount of vitamin A in sweet potatoes may make them a slightly better choice,” says Bragagnini.
She encourages keeping on the skins, which are a good source of fiber. To prepare sweet potatoes, scrub the skin, then slice the roots in half. After cooking, you can remove the fleshy insides and utilize the skins in a variety of ways.
“The air fryer is my favorite device to make crispy and flavorful potato skins. You can season them with garlic powder or dill, and make them into chips or wedges, which are delicious and crispy snacks,” she says.
Brussels Sprouts
Bragagnini first chops them into quarters, then bakes them with olive oil and drizzles balsamic vinegar over the cooked sprouts.
Carrots
If you prefer them cooked, carrots are a versatile veggie that can be used in a variety of winter-friendly soups, stews, and sheet pan meals. “My personal favorite is baked carrots with honey and goat cheese,” says Bragagnini.
Dark Leafy Greens
If you’ve picked up beets with their greens still on, Dr. Everett says that you shouldn’t throw them out. “Rinse off the greens, chop off the stems, and sauté them,” she says. You can prepare them with garlic and serve the dish with a balsamic reduction. “It’s another leafy green that provides protective nutrients and reduces food waste.”
Cabbage
“I prefer to use red cabbage more than green, given that red cabbage is higher in vitamin A and vitamin C, and has a flavor profile that I enjoy,” says Bragagnini. “But both red and green cabbage can help you achieve better blood glucose levels, assist with enhancing your microbiome, and help lower the risk of disease.”
If you can’t make up your mind on which color to choose, you don’t have to: Chop up both and sauté them with shredded tofu and other veggies to make an excellent tofu scrambled hash, she says.
Turnips
In addition to anti-cancer properties, they may also provide protection against developing diabetes.
Turnips add subtle flavor to soup, but they can also be prepared in the oven. “Turnips can be rough, so I think roasting them is the best bet,” says Everett.
The Takeaway
- Winter produce is a powerful — and sometimes overlooked — source of immune-supporting and cancer-protective nutrients.
- Eating winter vegetables can reduce cellular damage and lower cancer risk, though they are not a substitute for medical care.
- Beets, sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots, dark leafy greens, cabbage, and turnips contain a variety of protective compounds, including betalains, carotenoids, glucosinolates, and anthocyanins, which not only help reduce the risk for developing cancer but also support overall health throughout the colder months.
Reyna Franco, RDN
Medical Reviewer
Reyna Franco, RDN, is a New York City–based dietitian-nutritionist, certified specialist in sports dietetics, and certified personal trainer. She is a diplomate of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine and has a master's degree in nutrition and exercise physiology from Columbia University.
In her private practice, she provides medical nutrition therapy for weight management, sports nutrition, diabetes, cardiac disease, renal disease, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, food allergies, eating disorders, and childhood nutrition. To serve her diverse patients, she demonstrates cultural sensitivity and knowledge of customary food practices. She applies the tenets of lifestyle medicine to reduce the risk of chronic disease and improve health outcomes for her patients.
Franco is also a corporate wellness consultant who conducts wellness counseling and seminars for organizations of every size. She taught sports nutrition to medical students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, taught life cycle nutrition and nutrition counseling to undergraduate students at LaGuardia Community College, and precepts nutrition students and interns. She created the sports nutrition rotation for the New York Distance Dietetic Internship program.
She is the chair of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine's Registered Dietitian-Nutritionist Member Interest Group. She is also the treasurer and secretary of the New York State Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, having previously served in many other leadership roles for the organization, including as past president, awards committee chair, and grant committee chair, among others. She is active in the local Greater New York Dietetic Association and Long Island Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, too.
