The festive period is upon us, and it's one that is famously filled with food, drink and general merriment. If you'd like to add some seasonal ingredients into the mix this December, take a look below at what's available at this time of year.
Horseradish
What would Boxing Day be without roast beef? And what would roast beef be without horseradish?! A root vegetable known for its hot, fleshy root, horseradish is most famously made into a sauce. It's also a fantastic source of fibre, vitamin C and folate, and is low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol.
Turnips
Available in over 30 different varieties, turnips are a root vegetable that can be eaten raw in salads, cooked whole, mashed or used in stews. An excellent source of vitamin C, B6, folate, calcium and potassium, turnips are also used in place of pumpkins during Halloween festivals in Ireland and Scotland.
Cranberries
Cranberry sauce is a traditional dish on your Christmas dinner table, but it's a relatively new ingredient having only been cultivated around 100 years ago. Packed full of vitamins and minerals, cranberries have also been accredited with providing relief from urinary tract infections, respiratory disorders and kidney stones.
Satsumas
You might find one of these plumptuous, orange beauties in the bottom of your Christmas stocking and with good reason! Packed full of vitamin C, they are great for helping to boost your immune system against seasonal colds. Eat as they are, or incorporate into a plethora of delicious desserts and salads.
Chestnut
The complex carbohydrates of chestnuts will help you to stay energised for longer, and they are also a great source of copper which helps to form red blood cells. Although usually seen as a traditional festive treat, chestnuts have actually been in cultivation for around 4000 years and the world's oldest chestnut tree is still growing on Mount Etna in Sicily, where it is believed to be somewhere between 2000-4000 years old.
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