Nutrition and winter: the foods to favor
When winter arrives, our body feels special needs. It’s not about eating more and richer, as we might assume. We currently have all the necessary comfort to face the winter, without spending more energy and calories , thanks to the heating or our clothes. To cope with temperature changes, it is important to maintain a balanced diet, thus helping to strengthen the immune system .
Maintaining a balanced diet
In order to stay in shape and in good health, it is essential to ensure the observance of a balanced and varied diet. Remember to eat your meals at regular times.
Each of your meals should consist of a serving of starches. They allow a sufficient supply of energy, necessary throughout the day. Know that it is preferable to consume foods made from whole grains. Rich in fiber, they also allow you to be satiated in a sustainable way. In this category you will find, in particular, brown rice, bulgur, quinoa, or even semi-complete pasta. Remember to include essential legumes, such as lentils, beans or white beans, in your diet.
A source of protein is essential for a good nutritional balance, and contributes to the proper functioning of the body , in particular, the muscles. Add a serving of protein, preferably at each meal. It is therefore advisable to consume meat, fish, poultry and eggs.
Vitamins and minerals are essential to cope with the cold throughout the winter. You will find them in fruits and vegetables, which are all the more rich in fiber and antioxidants. Choose seasonal fruits and vegetables, whether fresh or frozen. As a reminder, eat at least 5 fruits and vegetables a day (1) .
Fruits and vegetables for the winter season
Fruits: in winter, the fruits consumed are citrus fruits, as well as kiwis mainly . Very rich in vitamins, you will find on the markets oranges, lemons, clementines or mandarins. You can add a fruit to your breakfast, which will bring you a vitamin intake from the start of the day.
Vegetables: think cabbage! Without going to the extreme of the cabbage soup diet , they come in many varieties and have a certain advantage, they can be eaten both cooked and raw (red, Chinese, broccoli, curly, cauliflower, etc. ). Cabbages are endowed with excellent nutritional quality, with a rich content of vitamins C and E. They also provide many minerals such as calcium and magnesium as well as sulfur compounds, known for their actions in the fight against cancer.
Don’t forget the salads. Very present in winter, you will find on the stalls, endives, lamb’s lettuce and watercress. Their particularity is their richness in water. They therefore contain very few calories, and provide the vitamins and minerals essential to the proper functioning of the body, mainly magnesium, calcium, potassium, as well as vitamins C, B9 and provitamins A, such as beta-carotene. .
There are various vegetables that will enhance your dishes: carrots, turnips…
You are now able to face the cold and the winter, while maintaining a balanced diet . However, don’t forget to have fun!
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.