Winter eating is not always so easy. Many people tend not to eat so much of the fresh cold salads and fruit and would rather hit the stodgy comforting foods that may not be so packed with all the goodness of our summer days. So with a little more thought and effort of what is good for you in our winter wonderland, let’s top up on the goodness and benefits.
Let’s start with one avocado which provides a third of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamin E, protecting your skin from age related damage. If you want that glowing skin, then you better tuck in to some guacamole!
Sauces made with tomatoes like salsa, ketchup and pasta sauces offer the cancer fighting antioxidant lycopene so remember to include on a regular basis.
A good, hot and fiery curry, homemade, without all the bad fats but made with all those hot spices of tandoori, tikka or madras that has capsaicin – a chemical found in spicy foods, will help the calories to be converted to heat, rather than being just stored as fat. It is said to also help the symptoms against colds and flu.
Cocoa solids of at least 65% provides a good source of magnesium which relaxes the muscles and nerves, alleviating pain and cramps, nature’s tranquilizer. A good excuse for some good quality chocolate, especially if you have the healthy made, which is now sugar free and can even be bought without milk source for those with an allergy to dairy.
If you’re feeling grumpy and sad, try eating some chicken – it’s a good source of tryptophan, the amino acid that helps create serotonin, a neurotransmitter that can help you from gloom to zoom in no time. Serotonin needs to pass from your blood to your brains so it needs insulin which is produced when you eat carbohydrates, so make sure you combine with some bread or potato for results.
Still feeling sad, then add some salmon in your weekly eating regime for Omega 3. This works well for depressive mood.
Top it up with some kiwi fruit for your dessert. It has twice the amount of vitamin C than oranges and helps to stop the release of the stress hormone cortisol.
Constant stress can deplete your nutrient levels which can leave you run down and prone to illness. Don’t eat right and you can also end up nutrient deficient.
Eat well to be healthy and happy.
Love and sparkles,
Samsara x
