The 8 Best Fruit to Eat During the Winter
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The 8 Best Winter Fruits to Help Keep You Healthy

You might not find yourself instinctively reaching for fruit this time of year, but doing so could bolster your immune system and help support a healthy weight.
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Updated on February 18, 2025
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8 Best Winter Fruits To Help You Keep Healthy

You might find yourself gravitating toward squash and other hearty vegetables when winter hits.

 But don’t forget about fruit. “We still in the winter have a tremendous variety of fruit available to us,” says Marie Ruggles, RD, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Floral Park, New York, and author of Optimize Your Immune System: Create Health and Resilience With a Kitchen Pharmacy. Most notably, winter is prime time for citrus fruits in North America.

And it’s important to make room for them in your diet because the nutrients in these fruits support the immune system and overall health, Ruggles says, not to mention a healthy weight. Vitamin C can also be beneficial for fighting winter colds and illnesses — and citrus fruits are replete with it.

 The most recent research suggests choosing whole foods with vitamin C, rather than vitamin C (ascorbic acid) supplements.

Vitamin C helps the body produce white blood cells, which Ruggles describes as the “warrior cells” in the immune system.

 “Those cells attack foreign invaders like viruses and bacteria,” she says. Vitamin C–rich citrus fruits may be a highlight in the winter, but they’re not the only nutritious fruits the season has to offer in North America. Here, explore eight of the best fruits to eat during the winter.
1

Pears for Their Ample Fiber Content

Pears in wooden bowl on kitchen counter
One pear provides 5.58 grams (g) of fiber, making it a good source of the nutrient.

 Ruggles says fiber is important for the immune system because it encourages good bacteria to flourish. “The more fiber you take in, you’re going to [indirectly] increase the population of immune cells,” she says. What’s more, fibrous foods, including pears, can independently help support a healthy weight.

 Fiber also promotes satiety, which can prevent overeating.

 For a winter spin on pears, Ruggles suggests cooking up a warm, comforting recipe with spices like cinnamon. (Try the one from Running on Real Food.)
2

Pineapple for Its Disease-Fighting Properties

Sliced pineapple on a cutting board on kitchen counter
Pineapple, like citrus fruits, is an excellent source of vitamin C, with 78.9 milligrams (mg) in 1 cup.

 The tropical fruit has other health perks too, including disease-fighting anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, as well as benefits for the nervous system and digestive system.

3

Cranberries for Their Power to Protect the Heart

Fresh cranberries in a bowl on kitchen counter
The holiday dinner staple isn’t just festive — it’s nutritious too. Dried or fresh cranberries (without added sugar) may improve your total cholesterol-to-high-density-lipoprotein ratio, and they’re a good source of vitamin C, with 14 mg in 1 cup of whole, raw cranberries.

 A sprinkle of cranberries is a great way to jazz up your salads, Ruggles says.
4

Persimmons for Their Immune-Bolstering Vitamin A

Persimmon on a plate on kitchen counter
This Asian fruit is a good source of vitamin A with 138 micrograms (mcg) in one fruit.

 Vitamin A can enhance immune function and help protect the body against infectious diseases.

 It does this by helping with mucus secretion, forming a barrier against pathogens.

5

Oranges for Their High Doses of Vitamin C

Oranges in a wooden bowl on kitchen counter
One orange contains nearly 82 mg of vitamin C, making it an excellent source of the vitamin. But steer clear of subbing in fruit juice for the real thing; Ruggles says eating the whole fruit is preferred, since juicing it strips out key nutrients like fiber. An orange is a good source of fiber with 3.7 g, so you won’t want to miss out on that.

6

Grapefruit for Its Possible Cancer-Fighting Abilities

Grapefruit in bowl on kitchen counter
Grapefruit is another excellent source of vitamin C — half of a raw Florida grapefruit contains 43.7 mg.

 Grapefruit also contains lycopene, which has antioxidant properties and may play a role in helping to reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, most notably prostate cancer.

7

Pomegranates for Their Bone-Strengthening Vitamin K

Pomegranates on kitchen counter
One cup of this festive red fruit is an excellent source of fiber (7 g) and a good source of vitamin C (17.8 mg).

 Plus, pomegranate is rich in vitamin K with 28.7 mcg in one cup. Vitamin K contributes to blood clotting and promotes healthy bones in the body.

 It’s also prized for its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, which may promote good gut bacteria and skin health.

8

Kiwi for a Surprising Source of Vitamin C

Kiwi fruit in a wooden bowl on kitchen counter
One kiwi fruit contains 56 mg of vitamin C, which makes it an excellent source of the vitamin.

 Ruggles recommends enjoying a kiwi with breakfast. “It’s a great way to jump-start your vitamin C and start fueling your immunity right from the start of the day,” she says. Kiwi is also an excellent source of vitamin K, with 30.2 mcg in one fruit. Fun fact: You can enjoy this fruit with the skin on, contrary to popular belief. And you may want to in order to increase the health perks even more: The skin boosts its fiber content by a whopping 50 percent.

The Takeaway

  • Plenty of fruit, which is important for overall health, is available during the winter.
  • Fruit contains properties that may help fight diseases, boost immunity, strengthen bones, and more.
  • Some of the best fruits to eat during the winter include pineapples, persimmons, and grapefruits.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
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  11. Li X et al. The Effects of Cranberry Consumption on Glycemic and Lipid Profiles in Humans: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients. March 9, 2024.
  12. Cranberries, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. October 31, 2024.
  13. Persimmon, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. October 30, 2020.
  14. Gürbüz M et al. Understanding the Role of Vitamin A and Its Precursors in the Immune System. Nutrition Clinique et Métabolisme. May 2022.
  15. Mucosa. Cleveland Clinic. July 24, 2022.
  16. Orange, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. October 30, 2020.
  17. Grapefruit, Raw, White, Florida. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  18. Kapała A et al. The Anti-Cancer Activity of Lycopene: A Systematic Review of Human and Animal Studies. Nutrients. December 3, 2022.
  19. Pomegranate, Raw. U.S. Department of Agriculture. October 30, 2020.
  20. Vitamin K. National Institutes of Health. March 22, 2021.
  21. Sivamani RK et al. Prospective Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of a Standardized Oral Pomegranate Extract on the Gut Microbiome and Short-Chain Fatty Acids. Foods. December 19, 2023.
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Reyna Franco, RDN

Medical Reviewer
Member of American College of Lifestyle Medicine

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.

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Moira Lawler is a journalist who has spent more than a decade covering a range of health and lifestyle topics, including women's health, nutrition, fitness, mental health, and travel. She received a bachelor's degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young children, and a giant brown labradoodle.
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