Winter is time to stay indoors, relax by the fireplace under the blanket and munch on yummy homemade comfort food. As the festive season arrives you will naturally be having a lot of fat and sugar rich foods. The amount of meat consumption and finger food consumption during winter also takes a steep hike.
It is very difficult to do cardio exercises like jogging or swimming outside the home,which leads to a lot of weight gain during this season.
So, there are some foods which you should have in winters to lower calories and for good health as well.
1. Bajra
It is also known as pearl millet and it is gluten-free. It is rich in magnesium which helps in keeping the heart healthy. It is also a good source of potassium which helps to lower blood pressure. It is fibre rich millet so it gives good satiety value. Hence, helps in weight loss.
It is rich in many nutrients like protein, vitamin B6, niacin folate iron zinc known for contributing for healthy hair skin and nails. Regularly eating Bajra as part of your diet could help prevent deficiencies in these nutrients.
You can have Bajra instead of wheat as making chapati, you can have its khichdi which is very nutritious.
2. Gond katira
It is a gum naturally obtained from the extract of the various species of herb Astragalus.
It is jelly like, odorless,and tasteless. It is soluble in water and obtained from the root of the plant.
It has many health benefits and consuming it daily can help keep a lot of health issues at bay. It helps in maintaining a good digestive system, boosts immunity and recovery, helps regain strength post pregnancy and is beneficial for skin health.
3. Green leafy vegetables
They are packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre but are low in calories.
Eating a diet rich in leafy greens can offer numerous health benefits including reduced risk of obesity,heart disease,high blood pressure etc.
They help in weight loss too. If you are struggling with bloating caused by diet or gut infection or other reason,green vegetables could help.
They give natural glow to your skin. You can start your day with green smoothie. Green vegetables are excellent source of folate which helps your body produce mood regulating neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.
4. Sesame seeds
In winters ‘Til’ is used in chikki, laddoo with jaggery or in other forms. They keep body temperature warm naturally. Seasame seeds are one of the most popular food in winters. They are excellent source of copper, a very good source of manganese, a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, iron, zinc and selenium. These minerals help in many ways like giving relief in rheumotoid arthritis, vascular and respiratory health, prevents colon cancer, osteoporosis, migraine, is good for bone health. They are rich in fat too, so one should have them in limited amount.
5. Herbs and spices
As we all know herbs and spices have many medicinal properties. Cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, clove, chamomile,cardamom seeds, holy basil, fenugreek seeds,garlic – all these have anti-inflammatory properties.They are very helpful in boosting immunity, relieve chronic pain, reduce nausea and inflammation.
In winters ‘kadha’ (herbs boiled till concentrated in water) made from herbs and spices is very useful for keeping the body temperature warm and for good immunity as well.This kadha can be used instead of tea/coffee.
6. Jaggery
This naturally sweetening food has many health benefits. This helps in boosting immunity, regulating body temperature, enriching the skin, improving digestion and curing joint pain,anemia, etc.
This should be used instead of white refined sugar. It contains a number of proteins, vitamins and minerals.It acts as natural cleansing agent, especially for the liver. This helps in flushing out harmful toxins from the body. It helps in giving relief in constipation too.
7. Peanuts
Peanuts are packed with healthy fats and high quality protein. They are also high in calories. Peanuts are very filling and can be considered an effective component of a weight loss diet.As a source of many heart-healthy nutrients, peanut may have prevent heart disease.
8. Corn
This is one of the popular food in winters. This whole grain is as healthy as any cereal grain. It is rich in fibre, minerals and antioxidants. It helps reduce the risk of anemia, weight loss, lowers the blood sugar levels and cholesterol.It is used in making roti with sarsonka saag in winters. It provides higher amounts of antioxidants than many other cereal grains. It is especially rich in eye-healthy carotenoids.
Some tips to have food in winters
- Increase your daily vitamin C intake. It is a well known powerful antioxidant which is very vital for protecting against a lot of health issues.
- Add warming spices to your daily food intake like clove, cinnamon, ginger. These can be added to curries, soups,teas and coffee.
- Add honey or date syrup to your salads or beverages. They are naturally warm in nature.
- Ghee in limited quantity is also a winter essential that can be used to keep warm naturally.
- Eat non-veg like fish (shallow fry, roasted or steamed).
About The Author
Nitu Pal is a nutritionist. She runs her own clinic in Bhopal. She is an expert in kids’ nutrition, cardiac issues pregnancy, diabetes, thyroid, PCOS and liver issues. She..
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