Don't Let Winters Bring You Down! Here is a List of Healthy Foods for Winters 2020

Most of us fall ill at the start of the winter. It often leaves us feeling a little unwell throughout winter. That's why it is so important to boost your immune system and fight against viruses during the winter months. Cutting down on the unhealthy food that would otherwise keep your stomach full is a major change we all need to do. We must also pay attention to our diet, keeping it balanced such that contains the nutrients required by our bodies to stay fit. We will now take you through some of the food you can have in winter for staying healthy.

We know that it is better not to have too much fatty food. But there are some healthy fats that you need in the winter months to provide the additional heat required by your body. You can have more of olive oil and seafood like salmon fish to increase the amount of healthy fats in your body. It can help you provide the excess fat that you can burn as energy. They also increase the ability of your immune system to strike back at pathogens that can attack your body. You must take food containing Omega-3 fatty acids that can help you with the additional warmth during this season.

It is necessary to continue to fill your tummy with healthy foods. You may not wish to come out of bed and gorge on unhealthy food, but it will affect your health. To avoid having unhealthy food, you must have a helping of plant-based foods that will be nutritious and can aid your immunity during the winter.

You can also cook soup that will include vegetables. It will be good for your throat, and you can also have some of the nutrition that your body badly needs. You can have ginger and garlic that can work against the common cold. It is also helpful if you catch the flu. The beets can also provide nutrition for you. Turmeric is another healthy option for you.

The winter is the season when you can easily catch a cold or the flu. It is essential to boost your immune system to fight against the viruses. The proteins are among the critical building blocks of antibodies in our body. You must have the requisite amount of protein in your diet every day.

Proteins can also help in repairing your body tissue. If you wish to have only plant-based proteins, you can opt for quinoa, amaranth and tofu that have complete proteins, including all the essential amino acids.

During the winter months, it is necessary to continue having nutritious food. Vitamin B helps to maintain the health of your body cells and keep us energized. While vitamins B1 and B2 improve your eyesight, vitamin B6 provides the additional energy you need during these months.

Vitamin B6 can be found in fish like tuna and salmon as well as in chicken. Vitamin E acts as an anti-oxidant and wards off harmful diseases and is found in spinach, nuts and seeds. Vitamin C is an excellent immune booster and is found in citrus fruits.

You must be knowing that as you grow older, your immune system also weakens. It is the reason you will find that senior people are more prone to diseases during winter. You can have food laden with anti-oxidants to enhance your immune system. You can have more oranges and apples that contain anti-oxidants in abundance. Tomatoes and onions are other options available in front of you. Are you aware that green tea contains flavonoids that are good for your health? It also keeps away harmful diseases and keeps you fit.

The best-quality cabbages are usually grown and harvested through the autumn and winter. It is ideal to be had raw as it preserves its nutrients. You may cut it into small pieces and add them to your burgers, rolls and sandwiches. Though cabbages are laden with nutrients, they do come cheap as well. Cabbages can go into all meals, and it can be had with non-vegetarian food like meat and fish as well. It can also be used in any vegetarian recipe.

Most of the vegetable is water, but it still has lots of Vitamins K and C along with calcium and potassium. It is also a storehouse of fibre, anti-oxidants, folate and glucosinolates that are anti-carcinogenic. It is suggested that instead of going past the mounds of cabbages, you must buy a few of them and have them as part of your favourite recipes.

During winter, most of us are inflicted with flu and the common cold. The ideal way to protect yourself is having lots of food containing vitamin C. It is one of the reasons that you are suggested to have lots of citrus fruits during the winter season. The fruits like lemons, oranges and grapefruits are all laden with vitamin C, along with phytochemicals and minerals. You may have them as fruit salads or as smoothies. You may have them raw as well.

Apart from aiding in curing your cold by reducing the duration and severity, it can also help you by boosting the health of your heart. It is also a great source of fibre. They are usually liked for their unique tangy taste, and they also have flavonoids and anti-oxidants. They can also act against chronic diseases like cancer. They are also known to work against other diseases like diabetes, Parkinson’s diseases, Alzheimer’s disease, etc.

The Brussels Sprouts are gaining in popularity as a superfood and is increasingly finding its way to the food tables of families across the country. The peak season is known to be from September through February. If you are worried about space in your refrigerator, you can take heart by knowing that they are much smaller in size than cabbages. They can also stay fresh outside the fridge for days together.

They are nutritious and are known to be rich in potassium, folate and manganese and vitamins B6, C and K.You can cook them quickly along with some olive oil, and it can be included in your mixed vegetable recipe too. It can be roasted also. They contain anti-oxidants that help in preventing cancer and protects your body from harmful materials.

Nuts and seeds can be had throughout the year, but nuts can help you tide over the winter months better. It is because nuts are known to be warm. And you can have them in winter. Peanuts are known to contain monounsaturated fatty acids and phytosterols. They also contain amino acids that can help in acting against blood sugar and cancerous tumours.

Walnuts contain ideal amounts of vitamins E and B that increase your memory and are also known to be helpful for your hair. It can moisturize your skin during the harsh winter. Almonds can work against the common cold and respiratory issues. They can also boost your immunity and keep you warm. The cashew nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids that can help in generating heat in your body through thermogenesis and help you to stay warm. Chestnuts also have an abundance of minerals, polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins.

Potatoes are grown throughout the year and need not occupy your refrigerator all the time. And so do sweet potatoes. They can be stored in a well-ventilated and cold place for several days. They are a staple food across the country, but little do we remember about how it can benefit our health. Sweet potatoes are the ideal food to be had during winter. They are a rich source of vitamin D that helps in having stronger bones and increases your immunity.

The sweet potatoes can also protect you from itchy and dry skin, that pretty sums up the season. The presence of carotenoids also helps to keep your skin youthful and soft. Root vegetables like sweet potatoes are known to keep the body warm during the cold months. It is also a source of vitamins A and C that help in digestion and improves your metabolism.

Ragi is a staple food in some parts of the country. It is also good to have it during winter as it can keep you warm during the cold months. The winters bring with it the harsh cold winds that lead to sore throats. Ragi can keep you healthier by keeping you warm inside. Ragi has loads of calcium and prevents osteoporosis. So, why have calcium supplements when you can easily include ragi in your daily intake?

Most of us gain weight in winter, and the ideal way to stop this is by having ragi. It contains tryptophan that reduces your appetite. It also contains a large amount of fibre that helps digestion. The cholesterol levels are also decreased in your liver.

Dates find its way into many recipes, including several delicious sweets. And, dates are also a great way to protect your heart as well. They have loads of vitamins, like B6, A and K, apart from C. It helps you to have younger skin and keeps the elasticity too. They also have healthy carbohydrates that will provide you with additional energy during the winter months.

You can have dates with your fruit salads, or it can go into chutneys too. Its healing powers are evident from Ayurveda as well. They are effective against the common cold, and you can have a few dates with boiling water along with cardamom powder and pepper. It can keep your body warm in winter due to the amount of calcium, iron and magnesium that it contains. Dates are also suitable for those with asthma, that is commonly faced during winter.

Some people find the winter a difficult season due to a sore throat and common cold. One of the ideal ways to treat this is by having honey. You can also have honey along with black tea that will soothe your throat. It is also known that the winter affects your skin, and it becomes dry, or the lips are chapped. This happens as your skin is exposed to the cold winter winds. It can also be mixed with coconut oil and applied to the scalp. This will provide hydrating and moisturizing effects.

Those with a lower immunity may get bogged down by ailments, but honey can keep respiratory problems away. It can also protect you against the flu. Honey also boosts the immune system, and you can have it with warm water along with some lemon juice.

Winter is also the time when you can have beetroot. It has too many nutrients, like magnesium, potassium, iron, and vitamins that can keep you fit during the winters. The winter dries up your skin due to the cold winds. Beetroot is known to contain vitamin C and is known to purify your blood. It ensures that the blemishes are removed, and you have glowing skin.

Beets also ensure that the oxygen flow in your body is improved that makes you feel energetic. It is needed in the winters as you may get lethargic due to the cold. It has lots of fibre that enhances your digestive capabilities and has anti-oxidants that provide the anti-inflammatory properties and also helps in detoxification. It also contains glycine that stimulates your liver to keep it healthier.

Winter is the time when we end up having lots of fried items along with the afternoon tea or coffee. Having desi ghee is the ideal option to have something nutritious, and that would be beneficial for your health. It works excellent with chapped lips. You can apply some ghee on your lips and leave it overnight.

The fat content in ghee can help you stay warm during the cold winter. You can have a spoon or two of ghee every day. It retains the vitamins and other nutrients and anti-oxidants. As it also contains fatty acids, it is also a great source of energy. Ghee can also enhance your immune system and act against the common cold. There is an Ayurveda treatment that involves pouring warm and pure cow ghee into the nostrils. You must always consult an Ayurvedic doctor before doing it.