It’s very well said that “Eat Local, Eat Seasonal, Eat Healthy” as during the season fruits and vegetables have the highest availability of nutrition. Nowadays, due to advancements in agriculture, we get almost all the fruit in any season but having fruits that are available in its own season is excellent and it’s cost-effective too. As per Ayurveda, seasonal fruits are free from added preservatives and are easy to digest. Seasonal fruits contain more prana or “life force” as compared to older food. To keep fruits fresh in offseason, farmers use a lot of preservatives that are harmful to our bodies and make it very hard for digestion. Eating food that is frozen, canned, packaged, or old, makes digestion sluggish. It often creates Ama, the by-product of incomplete digestion.

Fruits and vegetables available locally improve immunity levels as they prevent allergies because they are grown in the soil and climate where you live. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that helps fight infection and boosts immunity. Strong immunity is required to fight against any kind of cold and flu. But nowadays, because of the CoVID-19 pandemic, a question arises as to how we can help our community to prevent the spread of the virus. Apart from incorporating hygiene measures and social distancing, what one can do is to increase self immunity. People can include vitamin C rich fruits daily to boost their immunity as this virus does not affect those who have good levels of immunity as their body has the potential to fight against any kind of bacteria and virus attacking the body. One can opt for fresh and seasonally available fruits to increase the immunity to negate the threat of COVID-19.

Vitamin C  is one such nutrient that is safe and has the important function of fighting infections and boosting the immunity levels of the body.

Following is a list of seasonal fruits that are available now in India :

1. Amla: The Indian gooseberry which is the richest source of Vitamin C can be eaten raw during its season in winters or can be eaten as murabba, candies, Amalaki tablets. It’s said that Vitamin C content is too high in amla which doesn’t vanish off while preserving or cooking. But it’s good to have it in winter only during its season.
2. Oranges: Oranges are easily available in India and are full of Vitamin C, so this can be used to increase immunity by incorporating their juice or the fruit itself.
3. Mango: Mango is definitely considered as the King of all the fruits which has its peculiar taste and is full of vitamin C
4. Pineapple: Apart from vitamin C it also contains flavonoids and phenolic acids which are potent antioxidants and thus helps combat oxidative stress on the body.
5. Pomegranate: It has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
6. Apples: Powerful antioxidants available in apples shown to have anti-inflammatory properties and boosts immunity.
7. Plums: Vitamin C found in plums help the body create resistance against free radicals.
8. Grapes: Polyphenols present in grapes have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
9. Lemon: All-time availability increases its usage as lemon water concoction to increase immunity and helps in weight loss too.
10. Kiwi: Kiwis contain vitamin C, choline, lutein, and zeaxanthin — help remove free radicals from the body and help in fighting infections.

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