Did you know that for every 10-degree decrease in temperature we should increase our caloric intake by 5%? This means that if we compare our summer diet to our winter diet, the latter should provide between 5% and 10% more calories.
In fact, if you listen to your body, you’ll notice that it’s crying out for these extra calories. During the winter, we’re sure that you prefer stews to salads, or a hearty bowl of legumes rather than a fish fillet with vegetables.
Read on to learn about the best foods to consume in winter while still sticking to a healthy diet.
Lentils, chickpeas, beans… include them in your diet at least 4 times per week (twice as a main course and twice as an accompaniment).
Carbohydrates are essential during the winter, as they provide us with extra energy and heat. Our suggestion is to combine them with seasonal vegetables like broccoli, artichokes and peas.
Read meat is an excellent source of protein, iron, vitamin B and zinc, which is ideal at this time of the year, but we don’t recommend that you eat it every day as this may elevate fat and cholesterol levels.
The ideal starter during the winter months. Pasta soups, vegetable creams, consommés… warm broths help to maintain body temperature while providing essential nutrients. Add some eggs, chicken or chopped vegetables and they can become a balanced lunch or dinner.
As you probably already know, nuts are packed with calories and B vitamins which reduce the sensation of cold. So don’t forget to add a handful of walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, or any other nut of your choice to your diet.
Along with nuts, in winter it is also a good idea to increase your intake of milk-based products as they are extremely nutritious and very rich in both vitamins B and D.
Your body will probably yearn for chocolate on the coldest days, so go ahead and have some! If you don’t eat too much, it can be a great source of energy. And if you have it in a warm mug of hot chocolate, all the better!
If you visit CALDEA this winter, don’t leave without trying the rice in lobster broth or the risotto at our restaurants. Two quintessentially Mediterranean dishes that will be a treat for your taste buds while also helping you to combat the cold over the coming months.
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