Six types of winter foods that are a mandate in your kitchen

Our body and digestion becomes sluggish during winter as the temperature around us starts dropping. In such a scenario we have to opt for seasonal fruits or vegetables or foods that take a little longer to digest and that can automatically help raise our body temperature to make us feel warm and cozy. Medically, this process is known as thermogenesis, where our body keeps on producing heat because of the metabolising of food that we eat. During winter, our body uses more energy to preserve the warmth of the body. That’s why, consuming proper food is important to improve its function and digestion.

Vegetables that you get, especially in winters, like carrots, knolkhol, green peas, turnip, etc are highly nutritious and also protect our body from a cold, cough and flu because of their antioxidants properties. They are a great source of vitamins and nutrients Like Vitamin B, C, D, E and K and minerals like folates, iron, copper and potassium. All of which helps us in building the immune system.

Bajra is a whole grain that is loaded with insoluble fibre that adds bulk to our motions and keeps constipation at bay. The latter is commonly experienced during winter due to sluggish digestion. Bajra is also rich in minerals like calcium, potassium and magnesium, which helps keep the bone and heart-healthy, plus improves nerve function and dilates the blood vessels to improve the blood flow, keeping a close check on BP.

Let’s not forget gond or gum tree. We all have eaten methi and gond ladoo during winter and it helps boost stamina, health, as well as the immune system. This prevents us from falling sick due to a cold or cough, both of which are quite common during winter. It does have anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory and anti- bacterial properties. It’s rich in calcium and boosts metabolism that in turn helps in keeping our bone health and digestion in check during winter. It’s a galactogogue (foods that promote the flow of mother’s milk) too.

Green leafy veggies like spinach, sarson (mustard leaves), methi (fenugreek leaves) and amaranth leaves are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, K and many other important minerals like potassium, calcium, iron etc that is beneficial for our health. Green vegetables are also rich in calcium which supports the bones, keeping them dense and healthy, especially during the winters, when we need to take extra care of our bones. The chlorophyll content in them helps in cleaning the colon easily, so constipation issues are kept under control.

Fruits such as custard apple, guava, orange, grapes, strawberries and pomegranate contain a variety of vitamins and minerals that nourish our skin and make it look healthy. These fibre-rich fruits helps in reducing cholesterol as well as increasing metabolic activity. They are a good source of antioxidants that controls oxidative stress in our body.

Dates, jaggery and sesame seeds are warm in nature and are highly recommended in winters. They are a good source of fibre, iron, magnesium, calcium, copper and Vitamins (C and B3), plus a good source of energy as well. These foods will keep your body warm and improve metabolism, plus treat iron deficiency anemia.

Our body is made of 80 per cent of water, and regardless of any season, we have to drink a good amount of it to keep our organs hydrated and to ensure all functions run smoothly. Water is really important during winter, because we don’t sweat and don’t feel thirsty often. Body functions are still going on and we do get dehydrated but the symptoms aren’t visible, so we may tend to forget drinking water. This too, makes digestion and metabolism sluggish. Try and improve your water intake to stay healthy during winters.

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