If food travels thousands of kilometers and spends weeks in cold storage, it loses a surprising amount of nutrients. Scientists from the American USDA already measured in 2020 that vegetables can lose up to 55% of their vitamin C after 7-14 days in storage, while fruit can lose as much as 30-70% of its natural flavor during transport and ripening in containers. In 2024, the University of Bern repeated a similar study and found even more concerning results for fruit imported from tropical regions in winter.

That’s why it’s good to know which foods aren’t the best choice in winter and which natural, local, affordable alternatives can benefit our body more than expensive exotic snacks. From folk wisdom, science, and the experience of recent years, it’s easy to see that in winter, sometimes less is more.

1. Asparagus – a royal vegetable that's anything but royal in winter
   Asparagus in the spring is truly special. Fresh, firm, fragrant. But in winter? It’s a completely different story. Most winter asparagus comes from Peru or Mexico, meaning it travels more than 10,000 kilometers. Even our grandmothers used to say that vegetables which travel halfway around the world lose their soul. Science adds: they lose their nutrients, too.
   In winter, asparagus is woody, meaning its stem is hard and fibrous. "Woody" describes vegetables with too much fibrous tissue – like eating thin branches. Laboratory analyses from 2023 also showed that winter asparagus has 40% less vitamin B9 and nearly 70% fewer antioxidants compared to spring asparagus.
   Better choice: Brussels sprouts Brussels sprouts are one of the rare vegetables that actually benefit from the cold – after frost, they become sweeter. In 100g of Brussels sprouts, there is 89 mg of vitamin C, almost as much as in an orange. In folk medicine, they were used to strengthen the respiratory system, especially for chronic coughs.
   Even better, they are local, cheaper, and fresher in winter.
   
2. Peaches – a summer treasure that loses its magic in winter
   If you see peaches in the store during winter, you can almost always assume they came from Chile or Argentina. That means about 12,000 kilometers of travel – nearly three times more than our great-grandmothers walked in their entire lives.
   During transport, such peaches ripen in cold storage rooms – a process called artificial ripening, where fruit ripens without the sun. And without the sun, there’s neither real taste nor vitamins.
   A University of Sao Paulo study from 2021 showed that imported peaches in winter have 75% less beta-carotene and nearly three times less sugar, which gives fruit its natural aroma.
   Better choice: oranges and other citrus fruits Oranges are a natural vitamin bomb in winter. One medium orange contains 70 mg of vitamin C, a lemon about 45 mg, and a grapefruit even 80 mg. During the 2020 pandemic, retailers recorded a 32% rise in citrus sales because people used them as natural protection against seasonal viruses.
   In folk medicine, orange peels were boiled in tea to soothe the throat.
   
3. Fresh peas – a spring sweetness that loses its soul in winter
   Fresh peas in winter? Such food resembles small green balls without flavor rather than real peas. Because of the long journey, they lose most of their natural sugar. Scientists have measured that up to 30% of sugars are lost within 48 hours after harvesting peas.
   Better choice: frozen peas Frozen peas are harvested at the peak of the season and quick-frozen to -20 degrees Celsius. This preserves almost all the nutrients. Studies from 2022 show that as much as 95% of vitamin C remains intact.
   
4. Corn on the cob – the queen of summer that becomes a pale shadow of itself in winter
   Fresh corn on the cob is wonderful in summer. But in winter, it’s one of the most deceptive foods: bright, lovely, tempting – but actually rubbery, tasteless, and filled only with nostalgia for August. Winter corn is often 6-12 weeks old, meaning its natural sugars have long since turned into starch.
   Better choice: frozen corn Frozen sweet corn has almost the same lutein content as fresh. Lutein is a yellow plant pigment that helps the eyes. Research from 2020 confirmed that frozen corn is a 60% better choice than imported fresh corn during the winter months.
   
5. Strawberries – the most dangerous winter temptation
   Strawberries look nice in winter, but that’s usually all they have going for them. If they’ve survived the whole summer in cold storage, they’ve lost their flavor early on. A 2023 study showed that strawberries sold in winter have up to 90% fewer fragrant oils, responsible for the characteristic strawberry aroma. Folk wisdom says: a strawberry that doesn’t smell, isn’t a real strawberry.
   Better choice: frozen forest berries Forest berries are one of the healthiest choices in winter. They are picked at the peak of summer when they have the most antioxidants, and are frozen within 2 to 4 hours. A 2024 study from Helsinki claims that frozen blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries retain 94% of antioxidants – an excellent result.
   
6. Tomatoes – the king of summer that loses its power in winter
   Winter tomatoes are often hard, pale red, and almost tasteless. At the end of summer, tomatoes have the highest content of lycopene – a natural red pigment that protects cells from oxidation (damage caused by rust in the body). But in winter, its level falls by 50–80%, as confirmed by 2021 measurements at the University of Trieste.
   Better choice: homemade tomato sauce or quality canned tomatoes Canned tomatoes are often more nutritious than fresh ones in winter. They are preserved in season, so they have more vitamin C and lycopene than fresh winter ones. Our grandmothers swore by jarred tomatoes during winter, and cooked tomatoes are absorbed by the body up to 2.5 times better.
   
7. Blueberries – overpriced luxury without the benefits
   Winter blueberries can be extremely expensive. In the winter of 2024, their price per kilogram was even five times higher than in summer, while their vitamin C content was at its lowest all year. Research shows that imported blueberries in winter are 40% more likely to rot, because of their long journey from Chile or Peru.
   Better choice: frozen blueberries Frozen blueberries have almost the same amount of antioxidants as fresh ones – the difference is less than 5%, which is practically unnoticeable.

How to eat healthy, smart, and cheap in winter
In summary, during winter, stores offer us food that looks fresh but has, because of the long journey and storage, become a pale version of what it should be. That’s why a better choice is always:

• local vegetables,
  
• traditional winter dishes,
  
• frozen products (if without additives),
  
• citrus fruits,
  
• fermented products, such as sauerkraut.

A local, simple, and cheap solution that people still don’t use enough is the winter classic: sauerkraut. In 100g of sauerkraut, there’s more vitamin C than in some citrus fruits. Research from 2020–2024 even shows that cabbage boosts the gut, strengthens the immune system, and reduces inflammation. Folk wisdom says: In winter, eat what grows in the cold – and science agrees.
If you choose the right things in winter, you’ll get more health for less money.