Winter Food Fight and Health Recipe

During cold weather your body should be set at low temperatures and lack of sunshine and a way to help is through balanced diet that provides the calories and nutrients you need.

The diet was gratifying to us during the summer is no longer adequate in the winter because it is too light for the needs of our body. Fortunately, nature provides us with seasonal foods that have the properties we need to prevent and fight respiratory disease, so common at this time.

Thus we have higher-calorie foods such as legumes, potatoes or yams, which allow us to store energy to maintain body heat. It is also easy to find fruits and vegetables whose main characteristic is to have nutrients that improve our defenses.

What's more, foods in season are also convenient because its quality is higher, because they are freshest, not to mention they are usually cheaper and easier to get.

The battle of the plants
Cool-season vegetables have properties very useful against coughs and colds. For example, onion and garlic has antiseptic kills microorganisms and mucus expulsion favor that prevent or assist in the recovery of respiratory infections.

The sulfur-rich compounds found in these foods enter the blood after digestion, and almost immediately to the lungs. These substances are more abundant when products containing them are eaten raw or with little cooking time, and although they are responsible for acquiring the characteristic odor of breath, also strengthen the mucous membranes (moist soft tissue) and help fight ailments airways (sinusitis, bronchitis, pneumonia).

Our body also needs vitamin A to maintain good skin and mucous membranes including those that line the inside of the bronchi and reduce the risk of respiratory diseases. The carrot is the ideal food for beta-carotene antioxidant in the intestine is transformed into vitamin A, which can be found easily during this time and the taste is accepted by all.

Another good season is chard, spinach and endive, since they provide beta carotene, fiber helps regulate bowel movement and foliate, i.e. folic acid derivatives, among other things, assist in the formation of proteins and help in tissue regeneration.

The cabbage family is not far behind, as it provides numerous antioxidants molecules responsible for aging block, called free radicals that contribute to the smooth functioning of the defenses, such as vitamin C, beta carotene, and sulfur compounds.

But if it comes to vitamin C, it is time to talk about fruits such as citrus (orange, tangerine, lemon, lime and grapefruit), guava, kiwi and hawthorn, which are the primary source of this nutrient so necessary for tissue repair, remove free radicals and stimulate the immune system.

In addition, these products abound some types of soluble fiber (pectin and mucilage), at least in the case of citrus, concentrated in the white pulp covers, so that should not be discarded. Also, the typical color of orange, tangerine and grapefruit is due to its high concentration of beta carotene.

Indeed, the best use of the nutritional qualities of fruit is eaten raw in winter and not exceeding the time to take away the peel, since most vitamins is located just below the skin.

Soups!
Nutritionists rightly point out that during the winter there is increased risk of consuming more calories than necessary. The salads are not very tempting to seem colder and hot foods, which tend to gain more. However, the key to not gaining weight knows what foods to eat and take care a lot.

It is convenient to prepare soups without cream and opt for recipes that only use vegetables. Those who are prepared at home are less fattening, because they have less calories, for seasoning is better to use spices and rock salt (the flavoring cubes increases in sodium and fat).

Pasta is also a good option in winter, only to be taken some precautions. Should monitor the amount ingested for not exceeded (one serving equals ½ cup cooked pasta) and should be avoided accompanying spicy sauce, cream and meat. Also to moderate the amount of cheese that usually accompanies it.

As for soups and stews that include rice, lentils and beans, are advised not eat more than three times a week because they bring lots of energy. It is recommended to combine these foods with vegetables and meat or sausage, and sauces used in their preparation of tomato juice and homemade, as industrial products (canned) have more calories.