7 Winter foods to include in our diet.

Winters are all about wearing our favorite clothes, enjoying the cold breezy morning and also enjoying all the winter specific meals and foods to keep protecting our body and add in the right nutrition to our body. 

We have often noticed that our food preferences are changed during winters, as we go more towards energy dense, warm and protecting food to support our body from inside because our body needs more energy to digest, to metabolize, to absorb and for the proper functioning of our whole body.

But don’t make these winters an excuse for overeating, binge eating, and not giving importance to physical activity. Winters are as important for your health as your summers and it’s important to include balanced nutritious meals and also very important to be physically active which not only helps your body to function but also protects your body and helps to fight virals by boosting your immunity.

Let’s know which Winter foods to include in our diet.

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1. Winter greens:- Our body loves seasonal vegetables as it helps to improve its digestion powers and green leafy vegetables like palak, sarso, methi, bathua etc as they are packed with nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, calcium, iron, folic acid, potassium which makes them a superfood in winters because they are anti inflammatories, low in calories, ideal for people with diabetes, good for bone health and also supports immunity.

2. Ginger:- Ginger is known for its polyphenol compounds like shargol and gingerol which have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. As the weather changes our body becomes more prone to infections like cold and flue because our immunity gets affected in the changing weather and ginger is one such food which protects your body from those infections and also supports digestion.

3. Amla:- Amla is a powerful antioxidant because it is the richest sources of Vitamin C which is known to boost immunity and support overall health. Every household in winters consume amla in different ways like pickles, juices, chutneys etc. Amla supports your immunity by making your body less prone to infections and supports your digestion, is ideal for people with dull and dry hair issues in winters and also supports your skin health by cleaning it on cellular level.

4. Bajra :- Bajra also known as Pearl millet is an essential part of the winter's foods as it helps our body to feel warm by raising its inner temperature because of the conversion of energy. It is rich in potassium, magnesium and also iron and folic acid which makes it ideal for pregnant women. It is low in calories, has a good amount of protein and fiber which makes you full for a longer period of time and helps in weight management too. You can include this super grain in your diet in the form of khichdi, Chapati, laddu, idli etc.

5. Gond Laddu :- Gond is a hindi name and also called edible gum in english. It is a natural gum derived from the sap of trees and it is mostly consumed in North India as gond laddu or Gond panjiri. It helps to keep our body warm because of the gum, ghee, nuts and seeds, jaggery we put together to make the gond laddu. It is ideal for Pregnant women, lactating mothers and for kids too as they are packed with nutrients which helps in milk production and also takes care of the kids' immunity. They can be used as energy bars also on days where you are feeling low or exhausted and also because of its fat content its helps to lubricate the joints. 

6. Sesame seeds:- Til or sesame seeds or til laddu is very much consumed in winters because of its high nutritional value and benefits for the health. The oil present in sesame seeds are made with a good blend of MUFA and PUFA which is beneficial for cardiovascular health as they take care of the health of our arteries and veins and helps reduce inflammation. It is also rich in zinc and calcium which helps to keep your bones strong and can be included daily in the diet of new mothers. Issues such as constipation, bloating are more seen in winters because of lack of activity and consuming food less in fiber but taking sesame seeds helps prevent constipation and bloating because they are high in fiber as well as lubricate our gut
7. Sweet Potato:- Sweet potato is a root vegetable which is consumed in almost every household in winters. They are not just amazing in taste but have numerous health benefits for our body. They are a rich source of Anti- oxidant as they have high amounts of Vitamin C and beta-carotene which helps to protect our body from the damage caused by free radicals, helps to keep our immunity strong and also is amazing for the health of our eyes and skin in winters. Sweet potato also has resistant starch which makes it ideal for taking care of our gut health in winters.

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