A stew is heart-warming and delicious in this weather
As we grow older our bodies react differently to the cold and the winter months can be a worry for many. The statistics reflect this, showing that as many as 25,000 older people could die needlessly because of the cold this winter (that’s around 200 preventable deaths a day).
One simple way which can help to combat the cold is to think about what we eat; following a diet rich in vitamins and nutrients can make a huge difference in helping to boost our immune system and stocking up on cupboard staples like soup and frozen vegetables is an easy and affordable way to help keep warm.
Below is a selection of top tips on how the food we eat can help keep us warmer and healthier during the winter months:
- Hot food helps keep you warm, so eat at least one hot meal each day and have hot drinks throughout. Consider having a hot drink before bed and keeping one in a flask by your bedside.
- During winter, our skin can’t make vitamin D from the weak sunlight so it’s important to incorporate it in your diet. Taking a vitamin D supplement or eating foods rich in vitamin D like tinned sardines on toast make a quick nutritious snack and helps raise levels of this bone-boosting vitamin.
- Starchy foods such as bread, pasta and potatoes should make up a third of our diet and wholegrain or wholemeal options contain more fibre which helps us feel full for longer and prevent constipation. Starchy foods are a good source of energy, calcium, iron and B vitamins and we should aim to have a serving with every meal. An easy hot breakfast idea is porridge which also helps keep you warm.
- Incorporating probiotic yoghurt into your daily diet can help reduce the risk of gut infections as well as easing the symptoms of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome. They’re ideal to ease any discomfort from the richer foods many of us ate at Christmas.
- Try to get your 5 a day - frozen fruit and vegetables are as good as fresh and a great store cupboard staple to have when it’s hard to get out and about.
- A stew is a great winter staple. It’s simple to cook, uses cheaper cuts of meat to save money and if you bulk it out with vegetables and beans or barley it’s even more nutritious. Don’t forget to portion up leftovers and store in the fridge or freezer for easy meals in the future.
Tagged in Diet Healthy eating Diet tips