Beat The Winter Blues With These 15 Healthy And Warm Foods And Drinks
When you cannot rely on the temperature to stay warm, you can incorporate these foods and drinks into your diet to keep your body healthy throughout the winter season.
Warming: Baked Fruits and Vegetables
Even if you love fruits and vegetables raw, a warm alternative is baking them in the oven. Add simple spices and bake for about 30 minutes.
Cinnamon Apples
Looking for a warm dessert that won't hurt your waistline? Bake apples sprinkled with cinnamon and you will have a crispy, warm, and delicious treat.
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potatoes are rich in vitamin A, fiber, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and iron. Season with rosemary, salt, and pepper and you will not miss your McDonald's fries.
Warming: Hot Drinks
Even holding a warm cup of tea or a hot cup of coffee can instantly make you feel cozy. Remember to watch out for hidden sugars in sweetened coffee drinks and hot chocolate.
Coffee
Not only does coffee give you the burst of energy you need first thing in the morning, but it can make you feel less tired overall. The caffeine is perfect before a workout because it stimulates the nervous system, which causes it to send signals to the fat cells to break down body fat.
Ginger Tea
Green Tea
Loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, green tea provides incredible benefits for the body. These benefits include lowering the risk of cancer and protecting the brain from diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Warming: Soup
Choosing a warm soup for dinner will keep you hydrated and warm your body with every spoonful. Choose a hearty soup with protein such as beans, lentils, or chicken to keep you fuller longer.
Black Bean Soup
Black beans are a healthy source of iron and copper, which provides more oxygen to your muscles and boosts your immune system. Sipping this soup during cold and flu season will keep you protected from the germs.
Pumpkin Soup
Using seasonal produce is always recommended because it is the most fresh and nutrient-dense it will ever be! Pumpkin provides vitamin A to the body, which is necessary for healthy vision. Pumpkin is also known for beta-carotene, which has cancer-fighting powers.
Chili
For the heartiest of all soups, chili contains peppers, beans, and sometimes meat for added protein. The tomato base is rich in lycopene, a chemical pigment found in red fruits and vegetables and known for lowering the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Warming: Spices and Herbs
Despite the fact that you may think hot peppers have the power to warm you up, they actually cause you to perspire, which then cools you down. Instead, seasoning your foods with ground spices and herbs could help keep your body warm.
Black Pepper
Black pepper is similar to other spices in the sense that it has antioxidant and antiseptic properties, which improve circulation and keep the warmth flowing throughout your body.
Cardamom
Cardamom gives your metabolism a boost. When your metabolism speeds up, processes in the body also speed up, making the body warmer. Sprinkle this in your tea or even on your roasted vegetables.
Cayenne Pepper
You only need a sprinkle of this spicy, red hot spice. Cayenne is rich in vitamin C, which provides relief for coughs, chills, and congestion. You can even sprinkle this in your socks to keep your feet warm!
Cinnamon
Cinnamon has the power to dry dampness in the body and provide warmth for people that are experiencing poor circulation. Not to mention that cinnamon improves your digestion, keeping you feeling good during the winter months!
Garlic
Some know garlic for its intense taste and smell, but garlic also helps the body resist infection and improve circulation overall.
Warming: Whole Grains
A warm bowl of oatmeal or a quinoa salad is a perfect way to stay warm and get your dose of whole grains. Whole grains are complex carbohydrates, which take longer to break down in the body. This way, there are more chemical reactions taking place in the body, keeping you warmer longer.
Brown Rice
You can still enjoy your favorite sushi, but brown rice will provide your body with magnesium and selenium, which help increase enzyme activity and energy production.
Oatmeal
Skip out on the boxed oatmeal and try making your own breakfast masterpiece with rolled oats. Combine oats with hot water and add chia seeds, goji berries, cacao nibs, and fresh fruit to keep it sweet and satisfying.
If You Are Still Cold
When you eat soup for dinner every night and have drank your body weight in tea, but still don't feel warm, there are other ways you can try to beat the cold.
Tip #1 Layer Up
In all seriousness, dressing warmly is important. If your temperature changes throughout the day, the best thing you can do is wear layers. This way you can prevent your body from losing heat and suffering from wind chill.
Tip #2 Reduce the Alcohol
A cup of mulled wine or a hot toddy may sound like a way to create a "liquor blanket," but alcohol actually drops your core body temperature. Warm drinks are beneficial, but adding alcohol can reduce how warm you feel.
Tip #3 Stay Active
Sitting at your desk all day can reduce blood flow throughout your body. Get up and walk around at least every 30 minutes to promote circulation and keep your body warm.
Tip #4 Light Candles
Not only are candles therapeutic, but they produce a decent amount of heat and can provide a sense of warmth and comfort in your home.