Who doesn’t crave hot cocoa with whipped cream or a steaming plate of pasta and cheese on a cold winter’s day? Your body needs more calories to stay warm. Still, you don’t need to stray away from nutritional rules. Especially if you follow the Mediterranean diet.
Rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, the Mediterranean diet has been shown to reduce the risk of diseases like heart disease and diabetes and prolong lifespan. This is a year-round option because its key ingredients are frozen or fresh leafy greens, root vegetables, citrus fruits, salmon, beans, whole grains, berries, Greek yogurt, nuts and extra virgin olive oil that are always available. . Here are some healthy ways to include these foods in your diet this winter.
1. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens in winter? Frozen spinach and kale are just as good as fresh greens. They are an excellent source of Vitamin C. This strengthens immunity. It is rich in vitamins. Which helps in blood clotting. Vitamin A, which is important for vision. Of course you will eat them hot.
Menu Ideas: Stir-fries are natural vehicles for spinach, kale and arugula. You can also add your vegetables to smoothies.
2. Root vegetables
Root vegetables like beets, carrots and turnips are plentiful in the winter months and contain essential nutrients like beta-carotene and vitamins C and A. Which gives the necessary boost to your immune system to protect you from cold and flu.
Menu Ideas: Drizzle chopped root vegetables with olive oil and roast them slowly in a 350-degree oven until their natural sugars caramelize.
3. Citrus fruits
Vitamin C boosts both your immune system and mood. Traditional sources include citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits and lemons. Strawberry, mango and kiwi also contain high amounts of vitamin C.
Menu Ideas: Add vitamin C rich broccoli, cauliflower and capsicum to any dish. If you don’t get them fresh then buy them frozen.
4. Food items rich in Vitamin D
Food items rich in Vitamin D are very important during the winter months. Salmon, egg yolk, fortified cereals, milk, red meat and shiitake mushrooms are excellent sources of vitamin D.
Menu idea: Brush salmon fillets with a little olive oil and sprinkle with finely chopped ginger root before baking at 350 degrees.
5. Beans
Beans like chickpeas (known as garbanzo beans) are rich in protein and contain almost all the essential amino acids.
Menu Ideas: Add dried or canned beans to soups or salads or make your own hummus by mixing them with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, tahini and salt.
6. Low Sodium Soup
Soup is a great food item for winters. Provided it is homemade or low sodium. Low-sodium soups contain 140 mg or less of sodium per serving. “Reduced” sodium means that only 25% of the sodium has been removed from the soup. Stay away from recipes that call for cream, beef and salt, and stick to recipes that use chicken broth, vegetable broth or water as a base and contain lots of vegetables,
Menu Ideas: Add canned or dried beans or lentils to your soup for extra fat-free protein and fiber. Beans reduce your appetite by slowing digestion and controlling blood sugar, which can help control appetite and improve mood.
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7. Whole grains
Quinoa and other whole grains like oatmeal, farro, bulgur and buckwheat provide protein and fiber. Oatmeal is a good breakfast or snack for winters. It’s high in zinc, which your immune system needs to function properly, and soluble fiber, which strengthens heart health.
Menu Ideas: Add cooked whole grains to your salads to keep you full longer, and buy whole-grain breads, crackers and cereals. Adding cinnamon, cardamom or nutmeg to your oatmeal will enhance its flavor without adding calories, fat, sugar or salt.
Nuts like almonds, walnuts, cashews and pistachios are rich in antioxidants and trace minerals.
Disclaimer: Some of the information given in the news is based on media reports. Before implementing any suggestion, you must consult the concerned expert.
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