Winter Nutrition Guide

Written by Gloria Tsang, RD of HealthCastle.com
Published in December 2007

(HealthCastle.com) When winter days are cold, and you want to warm up fast, a bowl of cream soup or stew can certainly be appealing. But there is no excuse to throw all your healthy eating habits out the window just because it's dark and cold outside!

Winter Nutrition Guide: 4 Foolproof Steps

1. Eat high-quality carbs
   Listen to your cravings - there is a reason for them! In the winter, with fewer sunny hours, your stored serotonin (the "feel-good" brain chemical) starts to decline. Your cravings for carbohydrate-loaded comfort foods are your body's cries for more serotonin. But be careful when choosing carbohydrates to boost serotonin! Opt for nutritious whole grains and choose high-quality carbs such as sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and squashes.
   
   
2. Love seasonal produce
   Winter produce may not be as exciting and colorful as summer berries, but there are still many healthy choices available. Work seasonal produce such as pomegranates, cranberries, citrus fruits, purple grapes, and orange root vegetables into your meals. You'll not only add color to your plate, you'll pack in some serious nutrition punch.
   
   
3. Consider Vitamin D supplements
   If you live in the northern hemisphere or wear sunscreen all the time, consider taking Vitamin D supplements. Numerous studies have shown that oral intake of 1000 IU Vitamin D can reduce the risk of colon, breast, and ovarian cancers by as much as 50 percent. Vitamin D can be found in fortified dairy products, fatty fish, and egg yolks. But reaching the recommended level through food alone is rather difficult. Therefore, the Canadian Cancer Society recommends that all adults take Vitamin D supplements every day during the fall and winter seasons. Be sure to speak to your doctor before starting any supplementation.
   
   
4. Nourish your cold
   Despite numerous claims you may have heard, no diet remedy or supplement has scientifically proved effective at preventing cold and flu. However, studies have shown that 1,000 mg of Vitamin C supplements may make your cold milder and shorten it by half a day. In addition, there's a promising perk for yogurt lovers! A German study found that probiotics (as found in yogurt with active culture) may shorten your cold episode by almost two days. So keep on eating those "friendly" bugs!