Winter Foods To Eat For Immunity & Strength

In the winters, our body is more prone to colds and illness. But that doesn't mean it's the season to stock up on medication. Instead, eating seasonal winter food can boost immunity as well as keep us warm and help you kick the winter blues. Fresh carrots, purple yams and sweet potatoes are readily available during this time. Eating them in season means that they're at their tastiest and healthiest. Carrots are high in vitamin A, B6 and K and are known to boost your eyesight. Now here's a really cool story about how carrots got their reputation for improving eyesight. During World War 2, the British would black out their cities to prevent airstrikes by the Germans. But even in the dark, the British pilots were able to find the German fighter jets. What the Germans didn't know is that the British had been using their new invention, radar. But to keep them in the proverbial dark, the Brits spread the rumour that their pilots were being fed a whole lot of carrots, which helped them see in the dark and the Germans fell for it. While carrots are great for your eyes, they definitely don't help you see in the dark. But they're really versatile. You can eat them in salads, dip them in some hummus, add them to pulavs or even eat a divine gajar ka halwa. Check out this video we featured a while ago for a not-too-sweet gajar halwa recipe. Purple yam is loaded with calcium, potassium and antioxidants that actually give it its signature purple colour. Slice it up, fry it or grill it or even add it to sabzi. Now, undhiyu is a popular recipe that uses purple yams among a whole host of other winter veggies. Check out this healthy version we made of the gujju classic a while ago. Sweet potatoes are highly nutritious tubers loaded with magnesium, beta-carotene and antimicrobial properties that actually help you fight off infections. Now, you can add it to soup, sabzi, mash it as a nice sweet potato mash or even buy some of the cold roasted sweet potatoes that are sold by hawkers across the country during the winters. Green veggies like spinach, mustard greens or sarso, fenugreek or methi and green peas are in full bloom in the winters. Spinach not only improves your immunity but also strengthens bones and boosts heart health. Add it to parathas, smoothies, munch on palak paneer or even make some crunchy bhajiyas. Now, methi may not be your favourite thing to eat but it is ridiculously healthy for you. It helps manage diabetes, controls cholesterol and promises to curb your appetite which is a great bonus. Now, it can be used in sabzis, parathas or theplas and for winter it's usually made into methi laddoos which if you can palate are a super super healthy thing to eat. Green peas are very versatile and can be added to anything from rice to sabzis to salads. Now, make sure you include at least one green leafy vegetable in your diet every other day to take advantage of what this awesome season has to offer. Jaggery is like winter's vitamin shot. Our ancestors have been eating more jaggery during the cold months for generations. This is because jaggery is a warming ingredient that is loaded with iron and other minerals that fortify you against the chills. It's great for people with high blood pressure and also helps digestion. Jaggery actually helps boost haemoglobin so it's excellent for women with anemia. Plus, if you're trying to eat healthy but like me are a huge sucker for desserts then a small piece of jaggery after your meal will help satisfy those sweet cravings. Add it to your dals, make laddoos or use it to replace your refined sugar completely for a boost of nutrients. Now, if you want an easy recipe for the perfect winter laddoo check out this awesome tilgur video that we've recently put out. Bajra, jawar, makkai and ragi are all amazing grains that you should eat more of during the winter. Actually, you should eat more of these grains all year round. All of these are actually winter millets and they're super rich in carbohydrates and provide energy to the body. Now, they can be consumed in a ton of different ways. Bajra khichdi is a Rajasthani household favourite during winters. Ragi dosa is a staple in South Indian homes and jawar rotlas are enjoyed across Gujarat this season. Now, they are also gluten free and can reduce inflammation and joint pain. Now, here's a super healthy paratha recipe that's packed with these wholesome grains and much more which will definitely be an awesome addition to your winter menu. Maize lowers blood sugar and is a rich source of vitamin B12. It energises the body during winters and keeps the skin healthy as well. So, enjoy some of your makkai ki roti with sarson ka saag this season for sure. Dates are an incredibly healthy ingredient and a great thing to add to your winter diet. They're super heart healthy because they have almost no cholesterol, very little fat and no sodium. They're a powerhouse of essential vitamins and contain a ton of vitamin C which keeps your hair and your skin healthy in the dry winters. You can eat them as is because they are delicious or drink them with some hot milk or even make these yummy date and nut ladoos that also contain mineral rich ghee. You could also try out some of these energy bites which not only contain dates but also have some fantastic seeds and nuts and healthy fats which are perfect to make for a winter snack. Plus, they'll keep good for about a month so you only need to make a big batch at the beginning of the month to enjoy some healthy snacks for weeks to come. Now, if you eat the right food at the right time your body does a much better job of coping with the stresses of the environment. I hope this video helps you be more thoughtful about what you eat and how it affects you. Thank you for watching and until next time, stay tuned and stay Glamrs!