Eating well this winter
‘You are what you eat’: it is a common refrain. But eating a healthy, tasty and varied diet during the winter months can be a challenge. Here we offer a few essentials on eating well during the darker months, helping to keep both body and mind in balance.
Healthy eating: winter tips
Soup is warming, healthy and easy to digest. Autumn and winter mean an excuse for butternut squash, mushrooms and spinach. We are partial to lentil soup - and no blending needed! :)
To help keep mood on a level keel, think lashings of food rich in omega-3 fatty acids (otherwise known as alpha-linoleic acid or ALA) and vitamin B12. For vegetarians and vegans, this translates as: tofu, flaxseeds, chia seeds, soy beans and walnuts. Fish eaters might go for mackerel, salmon, herring and sardines.
Many of us are low in the mood-boosting mineral, selenium. Think brazil nuts, mushrooms, brown rice, sesame and sunflower seeds, broccoli and spinach.
To help boost energy levels, and so that we can sleep well, the body and brain need enough magnesium. So court plenty of leafy green vegetables and dark chocolate (horray!) or/and consider adding a magnesium supplement to your winter diet.
Keeping blood sugar levels steady is essential to stabilise mood and prevent us over-eating, or comfort eating. This means eating little and often. It's often good to snack, in moderation, as long as we snack on the right things, most of the time!
It's recently been found that many of us are deficient in vitamin D, especially during the winter. Vitamin D-rich foods include mushrooms, tofu, cheese, egg (yolks), tuna, mackerel and salmon. Some soya and almond milks and cereals are fortified with Vitamin D, though you may be more comfortable looking for a naturally arising source.
Keep meals light, as tempting as it might be to do the opposite! Feeling over-full leads to sluggishness and low mood.
Last but definitely not least: don’t forget crumble! Apples, blackberries, rhubarb… serve with a big dollop of coconut or soya yoghurt. Bring it on!
Lucia Cockcroft is co-founder of yoga and mindfulness studio Yoga at the Mill (currently 100% online) where enjoying balanced, wholesome meals are (almost!) always at the top of the agenda!