Winter weather affects our body and we experience changes in energy levels, metabolism, and even food preferences. During bitter cold, we even skip going to the gym and convince ourself that we deserve a calorie splurge to warm up and offset our discomfort.
But the major cold truth is that no weather warrants unhealthy eating habits as it just as we shouldn’t overdo cold drinks during the summer, we shouldn’t live on a steady healthy diet of hot chocolate and warm cookies during winter.
Here are five healthy foods you can add to your daily habit for a healthy lifestyle:
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is much more than just a convenient breakfast food as it also provides nutrients that are essential during winter. Oatmeal is high in zinc which is important for proper immune function and soluble fiber which is associated with a healthy heart. Although instant oatmeal is more convenient it is a bit more expensive.
Root vegetables
Local produce can be hard to find when cold weather inhibits crop growth but root vegetables like beets, carrots, and turnips can withstand the cold, so local farmers can provide fresh produce and you can reap the benefits. Roast carrots for a boost of beta-carotene, or boil turnips for vitamins C & A and much more.
Soup
Soup is winter’s perfect food as long as you hold the cream, salt, and other veggies. Look for soup recipes that call for vegetable broth or water as the base and include a lot of vegetables or non-veg can go for chicken broth. Pair your soup with a side of 100 percent whole-grain dose of grains for a healthy lifestyle.
Tuna
For a surprising alternative to typical comfort foods often loaded with fat and sugar try sushi. Choose rolls lined with tuna or salmon fish. Both are good sources of vitamin D and during the winter months, when you have limited exposure to the sun, food sources of the bone-healthy vitamin become even more essential. Vitamin D deficiency has a crucial role associated with impaired growth, weakening of the bones and even the risk of heart disease.
Broccoli & Cauliflower
These cruciferous vegetables may be your top defense against winter sicknesses like broccoli and cauliflower; both are high in vitamin C, which is associated with enhanced immune function. If you can’t find fresh versions, don’t worry even frozen broccoli and cauliflower are just as nutritious.
