Winter means less daylight, colder temperatures, and more challenges to stay healthy through the season. With people spending more time indoors, immune health is top of mind for many during the cold months, and for good reason: most don’t make it through the winter without catching a cold at least once.
We are not powerless against the forces of nature, though. One way to thrive during the coldest season is to incorporate winter superfoods into your diet.
What are winter superfoods?
Winter superfoods are packed with nutrients to support immune health, stimulate energy, and promote overall well-being. During the winter, our bodies naturally crave warm, nourishing meals that fuel us through the chilly days, many of which can be found in popular winter superfoods.
Benefits of adding superfoods to your winter diet
Avoiding all human contact during the season in order to avoid getting sick is an option only for hermits living off the grid. For the rest of us, living a healthy lifestyle is our best bet, and that starts with the foods we eat.
Winter superfoods offer a variety of benefits:
Support a healthy immune system. Loading up on nutrient-rich foods can help combat seasonal illnesses, even if your family is racing from one crowded event to the next all season.
Boost mood. Can’t escape those winter blues? Foods high in omega-3s and magnesium, such as walnuts and spinach, can help alleviate the doldrums that accompany cold, gloomy weather.
Support skin health. Cold weather can take a toll on your skin, too. Winter superfoods rich in healthy fats and antioxidants help keep your skin hydrated and healthy.
Boost energy. Nutrient-dense foods are one of the best energy sources. Warm, seasonal favorites like oatmeal and sweet potatoes can help stabilize blood sugar levels and keep you energized.
Top winter superfoods to support immune health
Winter isn’t known for being the time of plenty, but there are actually a lot of seasonal foods that support immunity during the winter.
Immune-supporting superfoods for cold weather
Citrus fruits: Oranges and grapefruits are seemingly everywhere this time of year, so don’t let a grocery run pass you by without picking some up. Citrus fruits are loaded with vitamin C, which are essential for supporting immunity during the season you need immune support the most.
Still struggling to get the vitamin C you need? Try a supplement like Bio-C.
Pomegranates: Another popular winter fruit, pomegranates are high in antioxidants called polyphenols, which support heart health and have many other properties that help promote overall health. The pop of flavor makes it a fun snack or add-on to salads and desserts, too.
Root vegetables: You can’t go wrong with any vegetable, but carrots, sweet potatoes, and beets are especially beneficial during the winter. Each is rich in fiber, beta-carotene, and antioxidants.
Dark, leafy greens: Don’t forget your salad greens! Kale, spinach, and Swiss chard thrive during the winter and are packed with the vitamins and fiber you need to support your immune system.
Winter squash: Whether you prefer butternut, Hokkaido, or spaghetti squash, each winter squash variety comes with high amounts of vitamins A and B6, fiber, and other nutrients. Plus, they make good soups for those chilly days when you just need something warm and comforting.
Nuts and seeds: A handful of nuts a day is an easy way to support health during the winter. These crunchy snacks are high in omega-3s, fiber, and magnesium and are great for brain and immune health.
Garlic: A natural antibacterial and antiviral, garlic is a must-have for cold-weather cooking—and a must-have flavor boost to many foods, too.
Don’t forget: Iron and omega-3s
Iron and omega-3s help support a healthy immune system in response to winter viruses. So if you don’t eat a lot of oily fish or red meat, winter is a good time to increase your consumption of these foods to keep your iron and omega-3 levels up.
Not a fan of fishy flavors? Try Unicity’s Omega Life-3 Resolv.
Make winter superfoods a regular part of your menu
Winter superfoods are delicious, nutritious, and easy to incorporate into your regular routine. Whether it’s adding nuts to your salads, carrots and squash to your soups, pomegranates to your oatmeal, or enjoying these foods on their own as snacks and side dishes, there are a variety of ways to incorporate winter superfoods into the meals you already love. And your immune system will love them, too.
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