#HealthBytes: These foods can help you keep warm in winter
The season of cozy blankets and fuzzy sweaters is finally here! However, it's not all fun because the cold weather brings many diseases as well as the "I don't want to get out of my blanket to work" syndrome. So, in order to warm up your bodies from the inside during winter, here are some foods that you should consume regularly.
Honey should be a big part of your winter diet. For beginners, you can start mixing honey with your morning tea or coffee. It is warm in nature, and thus its regular intake helps in elevating the body temperature. Moreover, it is great for your immune system and can keep you away from common winter illnesses such as cold, cough, and flu.
Just like honey, the consumption of jaggery helps in generating heat inside the body. But fun fact, both of these foods are the healthier alternative to sugar, so utilize this for your own benefit. Jaggery also contains nutrients like phosphorous, iron, magnesium, and potassium, which not only enable good health, but also serve important roles in remedies for cough, cold, migraine, fatigue, and indigestion.
The reason why sesame seeds are part of staple winter food, just like halwa, is that they are great for warming your body from the inside. Additionally, these seeds are packed with calcium and iron. To include this in your diet, you can start cooking with sesame seed oil. You can also make small balls of sesame seeds and jaggery and consume them regularly.
Who doesn't love to start their day by drinking a cup of hot ginger tea on a cold winter morning? Not only does this give you a cozy feeling, but it also keeps you warm from the inside. This heat generation happens because ginger can stimulate thermogenesis. Additionally, ginger is great for digestive health as well as metabolism and blood circulation.
