Food in focus: citrus fruits

Bright, bitter, sweet and zesty, citrus fruits offer tonnes of flavours as well as benefits to nutrition By Guilda Akopians

Happy New Year! Wow, 2022 is upon us and I for one, cannot wait to see what this year has in store for us. January and the New Year is a time for reflecting on the past, assessing the present and seeing what alterations need to be made for the future. It is a great time to make changes; small baby steps can be more successful and manageable than bigger ones which, after the initial excitement, can seem daunting and un-manageable. Whichever aspect of your life you want to change (health, lifestyle, career), there is no better time than to start NOW. As the popular saying goes, ‘If not now, then never’!

Most of us start the new year determined to ‘diet’ and ‘lose weight’ however, understanding why we want to make these is much more valuable in becoming healthier generally. Diets are short term. Making lifestyle changes are longer term — a way of life and more sustainable.

When we are equipped with the right resources and information, we will be in a position to make better decisions and choices when it comes to the foods we choose to enjoy, as well as becoming more confident to start cooking from scratch and trying new ingredients. We start to become more in control with the decisions we make and the foods we eat, leading to living healthier and happier than before.

January is a great time with focus on Veganuary and the introduction of more plant-based foods (whole foods as well as ready-made meals for those who want convenience). Cooking from scratch may seem quite daunting, however, with some organisation, support, the right tools and resources, you can get meal planning and prepping successfully in no time and work your way to being a confident cook in your own kitchen. For more ideas on this and to get the right support, get in touch with us at rootedvegankitchen.com. This way you can start off the year much more healthily as well as getting to grips with the nutritional aspects of different ingredients and the benefits it can have on you, your body and mind.

If you already follow a vegan diet, then January is a great time to tap into new resources as, at this time of year, they are plentiful. And if you are new to veganism, what better time to choose to try eating more plant-based than in January, when you are surrounded with delicious and inspiring, easy-to-make recipes, free resources and a wealth of useful information, hints and tips.

This month, I wanted to focus on citrus fruits as they are not only tasty, they are versatile and can be used in drinks, as fruits naturally in their own rights and in both sweet and savoury dishes.

Citrus fruits, commonly oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruits, are sweet, bright in colour and bring a burst of sunshine into our winter days. Not only are they pretty and colourful, they are flavourful, nutritious and good for you and have numerous health benefits.

Interestingly, a third of these fruits are used to make fresh juices. They can be found all year round and they are in peak season between December and April. They are mostly grown in Spain, Mexico, Brazil and the US (California) — where they need the heat to grow!

Their most common benefits are that they are all high in vitamin C which helps strengthen our immune system, needed especially during these colder

months, as well as keeping our skin smooth and elastic! Just one orange has all the vitamin C we need in a day.

Citrus fruits have good amounts of other essential vitamins and minerals needed by our body to function including B vitamins, potassium, fibre, magnesium and copper. They also have antiinflammatory properties and have antioxidant effects.

Here are some ways to use up these mouth-watering colourful fruits:

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Healthy snack in its own right. Cut an orange or grapefruit into segments and enjoy as a morning or afternoon snack to quench your thirst, to curb your sugar craving or just because...

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Keep the body hydrated by enjoying a glass of water (or indeed eight glasses per day, which is the daily recommended amount) by adding a few slices of your choice of citrus fruit with added fresh herbs (mint, rosemary and basil all work well).

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Add the juice of ½ a lemon/lime to a glass of warm water, with 1-inch grated ginger, ½ inch fresh turmeric root grated (or a pinch of turmeric powder) and 1 tbsp of maple syrup to sooth sore throats and help fight colds and flu. This is a great anti-inflammatory natural remedy and can be enjoyed daily for overall health.

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Juice any of these citrus fruits with celery, cucumber and spinach to make a nutritious fresh juice to kickstart your day.