Food ingredients to include in winter diet that keep you warm & help to maintain your weight
By – Ms Kanchan Naikawadi, Preventive Healthcare Specialist, Indus Health Plus
As winter arrives, people start enjoying the nippy weather and warm mittens. But the sudden fall in the temperature also brings along various health issues including common cold and flu. Therefore, experts suggest including certain food elements to boost immunity and overall nourishment to help fight the cold weather and its complications. Certain foods items can help us keep warm the body naturally. So, people should customize their diet and include winter-friendly foods ingredients in it for the season. This food will not only help cope up with temperature dip but also help in boosting immunity in people having a weak immune system. These items are everyday food that adds every nutrient that our body needs in this season.
Here are ingredients everyday food options that are great alternatives to refined sugar and keep you warm:
- Honey: It is a healthy sugar alternative loaded with minerals, vitamins, and several other essential nutrients. It helps in promoting metabolism and digestion other than keeping your body warm. In winters, you may start your day by taking one glass of warm water with honey.
- Jaggery: One more alternative for sugar is Jaggery (commonly called: Gud) is synonymous with winter indulgence. It’s not only aromatic and delicious but also loaded with iron and several other minerals that make an important addition to your everyday diet. You can have it as is or add it to your dessert, Jaggery is a wholesome food in every way.
- Dates: Dates are rich in nutrients like fibre, iron, calcium, vitamins and magnesium that make it a perfect choice to keep the body warm in the winter season. It is recommended to be consumed daily during winters to keep the body warm and protect it from all types of infections.
Some other ingredients everyday food options that keep you warm and healthy:
- Ghee: It is a healthy fat that includes several essential nutrients and is considered beneficial for overall well-being. Ghee is a part of traditional medical practice and is very helpful in cold and flu. You may add ghee to rice, roti, dal and enjoy its flavour and goodness every day.
- Spices: Indian spices and their goodness is not unknown to anyone. Cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, ginger, Haldi, etc have been a part of treatment in Ayurveda for ages and are consumed in several ways. You can add cinnamon in boiling water and have the drink or add it in your masala chai- these spices help you keep warm during the season.
- Dry Fruits: Dry fruits are rightly considered superfoods. Almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, anjeer, etc are rich in every essential nutrient and can be a great addition to your winter diet. Dried fruits and nuts can be eaten as is or you can add them to your milk, sweets, halwa, etc.
Besides food ingredients, it is very important to go for a preventive regular health check-up to keep you safe and away from the grasp of cold and flu.