Fermented cucumbers are used in winter as source of vitamine C all the way from river Oder to Kunming in China. As are other pickles like betrot. https://en.m.

Fermented cucumbers are used in winter as source of vitamine C all the way from river Oder to Kunming in China. As are other pickles like betrot. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickled_cucumber https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickled_cucumber In warmer climate like Mediteranian children were given wine in winter for that reason.