The first victim of cold weather is your gym or fitness routine! A close second is your food choices. It is easy to grab a mug of steaming hot chocolate with extra cream instead of that spinach smoothie! You are not alone buddy! It;s true that the cold makes you want to fortify yourself with meats, fried and fatty foods. But a colder truth is that no weather should come in the way of healthy eating habits. Just as you shouldn’t overdo ice cream during the hot days of summer, you shouldn’t live on a diet of warm cookies and hot fries during winters.
‘Winterizing’ your diet can be easy and healthy, without compromising on taste and flavor. You may start with adding a few essential nutrient-rich foods:
1. Foods Containing Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are widely known for several health benefits, including possibly affecting your mood. According to a study done by the University of Pittsburgh, it was discovered that people having a high level of omega-3 fatty acids were less likely to experience mild symptoms of depression (1). Flax seeds, salmon and walnuts are some foods rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Foods Rich In Vitamin D
The lack of sunshine during the cold months makes more than the atmosphere gloomy and dull. We get dull and sluggish too. But vitamin D can help. Also known as the ‘sunshine vitamin’, can be made by our body by absorbing natural sunlight, and using cholesterol.
As little as ten minutes of sun exposure can boost your mood (2). This is one of the main reasons why light therapy is crucial. The fact that there is not enough sunshine does not mean your health goes into hibernation. The good thing is that your body can also get vitamin D through certain foods.
Milk, mushrooms, fish (the one with bones) and egg yolks are some foods rich in this vitamin. You may also fulfill your body’s vitamin D requirements by consuming natural food supplements. (2)
3. Citrus Fruits
See a lot of C! The vitamin, that is. Citrus fruits (lemons, limes, grapefruit and oranges) are in season. These sweet-sour and bright fruits may add sunshine to the gloomy weather, and boost your health and wellbeing. Not only do they have various health benefits, but are delicious and refreshing to eat. Citrus fruits, packed with various nutrients, are rich in Vitamin C. A medium-sized orange delivers more than 100 percent of your daily vitamin C dose! If you subscribe to our newsletter, you will have access to several recipes which use these juicy fruits as ingredients in main course dishes too! (3)(4).
Need a winter pick-me-up? Go grab some tangy fruits. Citrus fruits are also a good source of flavonoids, which are attributed to boosting HDL cholesterol (good) and lowering LDL cholesterol (bad) and triglycerides (5)
4. Winter Squashes
There are many kinds of winter squashes out there, including butternut, acorn, delicata and spaghetti squash – and all of these are great choices for the season. One cup of cooked winter squash has just about 80 calories, but is high in vitamin C (33 percent) and vitamin A (214 percent of daily recommended value), and they’re also excellent sources of vitamins B6 and K, folate and potassium. (6)
Most people think that the best thing about cold winters is the amount of binging forgiven during wintertime. We say if you love to eat as we do, why not choose healthy food that will do your body a world of good?
If you want to learn more about food suitable for health, or other hacks and tips that may help you become healthier and stay that way, sign up for our newsletter to be delivered to your inbox. Discover the perfect diet that will help you be healthy and fit. We at Super Easy Nutrition would love to work with you on your health and bring a positive change in your lifestyle.
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