As the weather gets colder, our bodies need more support. Our bodies essentially have to work “overtime” in the cold weather to keep our core temperature at 98.6 degrees. If the core temperature of our body gets too low, organs cannot function properly leading to hypothermia and eventually death. Do you ever wonder why we shiver when we are cold? It’s our bodies own way of trying to warm ourselves up! As soon as the surface of our skin gets too cold, skin receptors send signals to the brain and our body starts doing things to get warmer. The body is a perfectly and wonderfully made machine. Because of the way God designed us, our bodies have methods of survival that keep us alive everyday. The more we help our bodies in all the daily processes, the better our bodies will function!
Winter time calls for warming foods as summer time calls for cooling foods. But what’s the difference? Warming foods have a warming effect in our bodies, meaning that they keep our temperature up rather than bring it down. Cooling foods have the opposite effect. It would only make sense that during winter we would eat warming foods, right? Because who wants to eat a large cold salad and watermelon when it’s snowing outside? Not me!
So, the first step to eating right for the winter season is to know what foods are classified as warming to our bodies.
Warming Foods:
- Oats
Quinoa
Wild rice
Coconut
Walnuts
Dates
Miso
Vinegar
Apple
Kale
Collard greens
Mustard greens
Brussels sprouts
Winter squash (all varieties)
Fennel
Onion
Leeks
Chili peppers
Dill
Basil
Scallion
Garlic
Ginger
Cinnamon
Thyme
Turmeric
Clove
Nutmeg
Tea
The next step is to focus on incorporating warming foods into your diet this winter season. You will notice a big difference in your body if you eat mostly warming foods compared to cooling foods. If you do not want to eat all warming foods try at least adding one warming food to your plate. For example, if you want a banana (which is cooling) top it with cinnamon to then have a neutral effect on the body. Adding coconut oil to your morning oatmeal is a wonderful way to incorporate two warming foods into one dish! Have fun with warming foods, try new recipes, and keep warm this winter season.
Head on over to my recipes page to find more dishes with warming foods!
