11 Nutritious Foods to keep you Winter Healthy

11 Nutritious Foods to keep you Winter Healthy – 11 Nutrient-Dense Foods to Keep You Healthy During Winter.

*Collaborative Post*

11 Nutrient-Dense Foods to Keep You Healthy During Winter

Although there are many reasons why people become miserable and moody during winter, one of the key reasons could be poor nutrition.

As well as losing a few hours of daylight during winter, fresh ingredients such as fruit, and vegetables that are common in spring and summer are harder to source.

Ingredients and food that are rich in nutrients can definitely elevate your moods and improve your sense of well-being.

With so many people staying at home during the recent lockdowns, it’s important to find alternative nutrient-rich ingredients and food that will not only boost your immune system but also keep you warm and happy.

Eat Some Kale

Many people are averse to kale, including my husband! But this seemingly boring vegetable can be transformed into a great meal – or as part of a meal- with a little creativity. 

For example, you could make shredded kale with eggs or Shirred Eggs over Kale and Garlic with Espelette for your breakfast.

Kale is very rich in potassium which is important for great heart health. Potassium is quite effective at lowering blood pressure and removing excess sodium from your body.

Therefore, if you have high blood pressure or a heart-related issue, a staple of kale could help you feel much better or even improve your medical condition.*

Also, if you’re looking to lose weight during the winter season and get in shape for the spring and summer, try some tasty low-calorie turkey and kale broth, or this delicious pumpkin kale and walnut galette.

*Always seek medical advice for any medical conditions

Add Apples to Your Meals

Apples are a rich source of vitamin C. Apples are also great at boosting your immune system, improving digestive health, and lowering bad cholesterol. It’s why probably why doctors recommend that you have at least one apple a day.

But that’s not all. If you would like some variety when eating your apples, there are several ways that you can thoroughly enjoy apples. You can make apple pies, apple scones, porridge, pancakes, and even soups using them.

Apples are so versatile, and can be used for just about any meal. You just need to be a bit creative about it, and you can then enjoy the health benefits of apples throughout the day.

Enjoy Brussels Sprouts

There’s a reason these vegetables are so popular during the winter season, as they are harvested then. Brussels sprouts are known for their high vitamin C and K content, as well as micronutrients like manganese, folate, and potassium among others. 

These are well-liked when made as a side dish or part of a meal for Christmas in particular, although there are sprouts haters!

If you’re feeling hungry at night and want to eat a tasty highly nutritious meal, try a nice dish of Brussels sprouts and cheese.

If you prefer a healthier snack, try dipping some of them in avocado oil, add some pepper and salt, and put them in the oven to roast for a bit. Then, you can either eat them like that or add them as a side dish.

Enjoy Tasty Salmon and Tuna Fish

Salmon and tuna are both rich in Omega-3s and are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties. This makes them good for your health and weight control. If you’re looking to lose weight or maintain your current weight, then these two protein sources should be a staple for you. 

They are also very delicious and easy to cook. You can either grill or smoke them, fry them, or boil them. For example, you could make hot smoked salmon and tuna within 15 minutes. There’s no shortage of ideas and recipes on the many ways to take advantage of these nutrient rich fish. 

Low in calories, great tasting, and filling, you’ll thoroughly enjoy every meal. Plus, you can experiment with them if you like trying things. So, try and eat more of this during the winter to improve your health –particularly your heart health.

Add a bit of Ginger

One of the best ways to fight off or recover from the many nasty cases of flu’ that occur during winter is by eating antioxidant-rich foods like ginger.

But instead of eating it raw, you could turn it into a key ingredient in your meals. The spicy and immune-boosting properties that this plant has can easily make your winter a flu-free one.

You can make ginger tea, add it to your meals like this. For example, this lovely garlic, ginger, and chicken noodle meal is a mere 200 calories. 

You can also blend it into a powder and mix it with water, drinks, black or green tea, mushroom coffee, or any other coffee. And if you can endure the spiciness, you can just chew it raw.

Chop Up and Enjoy Some Fennel

Fennel is in season between autumn and spring. This vegetable is a nutritional powerhouse with lots of nutrients like potassium, calcium, phosphorus, fiber, magnesium, iron, and manganese.

You can either add fennel to your meals or eat them raw and shredded in salads, if you like the licorice taste. They’re also great for soothing irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn. 

The best way to enjoy it though is by adding it to your casseroles and soups, as well as tray bakes and pasta dishes.

Enjoy Some Avocado Guacamole

Rich in omega-3, a lot of vitamin Bs, vitamins C, E, and K, this incredible near-perfect food source is popular for its super health benefits.

Avocados are heart-healthy, capable of fighting inflammation, low in calories, and serve as a source of healthy fat. 

Plus they can be eaten alone or as a side dish. You can also use avocados as a spread for bread –much healthier than butter or margarine. You can enjoy them as guacamole, have a delicious healthy avocado, eggs, and bacon breakfast. 

Roast, Fry, or Boil Sweet Potatoes

If you had to choose just one food group for its nutrition profile, potatoes would be it. Potatoes are rich in almost every nutrient. 

If for some reason, you decided to go on a potato diet for the rest of your life, you probably wouldn’t have any significant nutritional deficiencies! Apart from that, they are rich in cancer-fighting ingredients like beta-carotene. 

And, they are very versatile and easy to cook. You can either eat them as a separate standalone dish or add them as a side dish to your full meals, such as potato pies or in salads.

Potato chips/fries can also serve as a nice snack that you can eat on the go or snack on while watching TV on those cold winter nights.

Slice, Dice, or Blend Some Beetroot

Beetroots have an impressive nutrient profile that can help boost your immune system, fight off free radicals, lower inflammation, and improve heart health. This is possible due to nutrients like potassium, beta-carotene, and folate. 

While you can grill beetroots and add them as part of your salads, make soup or just blend them into a smoothie, they taste delicious.

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Olive oil is well-know on being heart-friendly and healthy. Plus, is good for stabilising your blood sugar –which is why they’re recommended for people dealing with insulin resistance- and reducing inflammation. 

So, instead of cooking with other oils, why not try using extra-virgin oil in your meals. It can also be used as salad dressing too if you’re seeking a healthy oil for your salads.

Nuts and Seeds as Snacks

Nuts and seeds are a great for healthy snacks. They are filling – high in fibre, vitamins, proteins, minerals, and healthy fats. They are great when added to porridge, cereals and granola for breakfast too.

If you have a handful of nuts as a snack, they help you stay fuller for longer, thus helping in weight loss. Most nuts and seeds can be eaten raw, but if you like, you can roast them too and add them to baking and cooking.

Some good examples of nuts and seeds include almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, if you’re not allergic to them, as well as hazelnuts, pistachios, chia seeds, flaxseed, and sesame seeds. Quinoa contains lots of essential amino acids too.