5 Foods to Keep You Warm in Winters

 Winter is finally here with breezy weather and the lightness of Christmas celebrations. While you enjoy this much sought-after season of the year, here we are with a list of foods to keep you warm and disease-free this winter.

1. Honey

Honey is an excellent immune-booster. Its warming nature keeps you fortified in the cold weather and protects you against the usual cold and cough that come so frequently in winters. It is loaded with minerals like iron, potassium, magnesium, and calcium to make important additions to your nutritional profile. If you usually feel demotivated for workouts or face energy plunges and muscle fatigue, honey can be your ideal friend. A spoonful of pure honey with warm water or tea in the morning will keep you energized throughout the day. Not only is honey protective in nature, but it also has great antibacterial properties. Taking a spoonful with warm water and lemon juice can soothe a sore throat and help with other infections as well. Adding honey to your diet is also a great way to keep your hair and skin properly moisturized, which is no easy feat otherwise, especially in this drying weather.

2. Root Vegetables

Root vegetables are a great addition to your winter diet. Vegetables that grow below the surface, like carrots, radish, turnips, sweet potatoes, beets, are called root vegetables. Well, you may have heard about their countless health benefits, but what makes them particularly useful in winters is their digestion process. Root vegetables take longer to digest than other foods, which enables them to generate more heat in the system, thus keeping you warm.

3. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is undoubtedly one of the healthiest spices on earth, loaded with antioxidants and immune-boosting properties. It has a warming impact on the body and the digestive system, which is why too much of it is not advised in any weather. Just a pinch of it, and you are good to go. There are many ways to use cinnamon in your daily life. You can sprinkle a little of it on your breakfast cereal or add it to your coffee or tea. It also tastes great and adds an alluring, thick aroma to any food. Adding cinnamon to your tea is a great way to soothe a sore throat, fight cold and cough, sinus infections, headaches, and an upset stomach.

4. Salmon and Other Omega-3 Rich Foods

If you struggle with dry skin and hair in the winter season, omega-3 is your go-to nutrient in this season. These fatty acids are absolutely essential for the healthy functioning of the body as well as the mind. They boost immunity, improve brain function, and are a great way to improve the health of your skin and hair. They are also known to fight anxiety and depression, which many people feel getting worse in this season. Salmon is a highly rich source of these essential fatty acids and vitamin D – another important nutrient for winters. Other foods rich in omega-3 include flax seeds, soybeans, walnuts, and fatty fish (sardines, mackerel, herring).

5. Black Pepper

If there is one food you cannot go without in chilly weather – it’s undoubtedly the famed black pepper. It’s an all-in-one solution for every ailment that you come across in winter, be it sore throat, infections, cold, cough, congestion, runny nose, sinus headaches, excess mucus production, or digestion-related issues. Black pepper can help with all of them! It has a warming and stimulating effect on the body, which boosts your metabolism (and heat generation) and keeps you energized all day. In cases of excess mucus production, it helps in thinning and draining of mucus, while keeping it from drying.