Eat healthily in winter

People are generally more inclined to eat comfort food during the winter months, but there are ways to maintain healthy eating habits. Here’s how...

When the weather gets cold, you become more tempted to stay indoors and eat heartier meals, which often leads to weight gain due to a decrease in exercise and an increased calorie intake, says dietician Susan Morris.

She recommends the following tips for staying healthy:

• Don’t neglect your five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Be sure to up your intake of seasonal produce such as citrus fruit, grapes, cranberries and root vegetables.
• Increasing your vitamin C intake helps stave off colds and flu. Eat foods such as citrus fruit, spinach, sweet potato, pumpkin and broccoli.
• Supplement your diet with a quality multivitamin and probiotics.
• You are more prone to crave carbohydrates in cold weather. Opt for quality carbs such as whole-grains and high-fibre vegetables such as squashes and sweet potatoes.
• Cook hearty, healthy meals that will sustain energy levels and warm you up. Soups and stews with plenty of vegetables, lentils and legumes are a tasty and easy option. Steer clear of canned or frozen vegetables; opt for fresh produce instead.
• Instead of filling yourself up on unhealthy snacks, opt for fruit, nuts, herbal teas, dried fruit, celery and carrots.
• Exercise at least four times a week. Try activities that are more conducive to colder weather such as indoor yoga, Pilates or aerobics classes.
• Decrease your red meat intake and opt for fish instead (at least twice a week). Fish, such as salmon, sardines and anchovies, are high in omega-3 fatty acids and help prevent colds and flu.
• Foods that are high in zinc, such as chicken, fish, eggs and milk, also helps to build a strong immune system and fight off infection.