Healthy Winter Foods

There is nothing like sipping Hot Cocoa on a chilly Winter evening. With the dropping temperature, our body adapts to the changes whilst needing us to change our eating habits and dietary nourishment. Our body needs a large dose of energy to keep up the body warm in the chilled surrounding. High-Calorie food and eating in abundance is what one can notice with the change in the weather. The weather with the chill, you feel like munching on snacks, sip hot beverages and liquids to comfort your body.

During winter, craving increases and this eventually leads to consumption of high-calorie foodstuff.
There are do’s and don’ts of diets that is to be followed to avoid excess weight gain with untimely cravings and comfort foods. Also, there is no calculation of Calorie intake for the winter season, The calorie intake for every different person varies depending on the weight of the person.

Here are our guidelines of Healthy Winter Foods, that to be included and excluded from the diet.

Include Iron in your Diet

Add Full grains, Leguminous plants, Green leafy vegetables, low-fat meat to your diet. These are sources of Iron, Vitamin B and E. Deficiency of Iron, Vitamin B and E causes tiredness and lethargy.
Cut down on Carbohydrates, avoid excess consumption of Rice and Potatoes.

 

Restrict amounts of the meal to Four per day this winter

It is necessary to cut down your meals into four parts. Having Four meals a day will keep the energy intact and create a balance of energy with the heat of the body.

 

Wholesome Breakfast should be crucial

 

It is crucial to have a heavier breakfast than usual to keep the energy level intact, as the body turns in starvation mode while you sleep. So it is important to fill the body needs by providing enough calories and energy, opt for healthy options like Idlis, Dosas, Rice or Rava Upma, Poha, Oatmeal, Pancakes or hotcakes or even Stuffed vegetable Paranthas with no or less ghee/ butter.

 

Prefer Vegetables that will strengthen the immunity

Include tomatoes, pepper, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, celery, oranges, grapefruit, melons, kiwi fruit, and Citrus fruits. This food increases one’s immunity and which provides Vitamin A, C and E.

 

Vitamin B for Depression and immunity

Dairy products, Poultry Meat, Fish, Beans, Grains, Sprouts, and Nuts are an excellent source of Vitamins which increase immunity levels and act as antidepressants.

 

Stay away from White stuff

Avoid excess Sugar and Salt, White Bread, Cakes and Cookies. Switch to Multigrain Bread or Wheat bread. This foodstuff if taken in excess amount increases the risk of fattening and lethargy increasing in nature.

 

Hot bowls of Soups are comfort foods

Simmering Bowl of soup acts as comfort food. If you like vegetables, add Broccoli, Cabbage, Pumpkin and other leafy vegetables. If you are non-vegetarian, Chicken soups with or without noodles serve as comfort food. Comfort food is consumed hot which heats up the body temperature making one feel good.

 

Drink Hot Cocoa Guilt-Free

If you love Hot chocolate, then you can enjoy having cups of them this winter. Chocolate gives natural warmth to the body, switch to Low-fat milk. Also If you love chocolates, prefer eating Dark unsweetened Chocolates instead of Milk Chocolates which invigorates happy hormones as well which makes you feel good.

 

Healthy Fruits and Vegetable that should be consumed in Winter

It is better and logical to consume seasonal fruits as they are appropriate for consumption with nutritional value. Fruits like Pomegranate, Kiwis, Oranges and Citrusy Fruits. Citrusy Fruits contain Vitamin C which builds up body immunity and prevents from catching a cold with frequently spent time in cold weather outside. It is also advisable to drink a glass full of Hot Milk with Saffron or Turmeric to it, If you love chocolate stick to Hot cocoa. Also, opt for Salads rather than munching on French Fries, Bhajjis, Pakoras which only increase bad cholesterol in the body. You can have salted Groundnuts or Peanuts, Dry Fruits, Popcorn, Puffed rice, Sprout Bhel, and Toasties instead of high fatty food.

If you like beverages, Green tea is rich in anti-oxidants which builds immunity and works as a comfort drink which also helps in speeding up the metabolism and losing weight.

These guidelines are easy to switch to without much fuss and helps to kill the winter blues, lethargy, craving and sleepiness. Do you follow any winter diet to combat chilliness in the atmosphere?