Ghee To Jaggery: 7 Everyday Foods That Help You Stay Warm

The saying "Food is medicine" applies perfectly here. During any change in season, you need to make changes and adapt to the coming season to stay healthy and fit. Diet plays a big role in this, especially during the seasonal shift when you are more prone to catching colds and illnesses.

Read more: 6 Root Vegetables And Herbs To Try This Winter Season

The body during this time has to work harder to keep you warm and fight allergens and everyday infection-causing germs. The food you eat plays an important part, as having foods that help keep you warm is a great way to combat the seasonal shift.

Jaggery

A great and healthier alternative to your table sugar. Gur is a wonderful treat that you can enjoy in any season with treats and dishes like gur halwa, gur chana, and more. It is aromatic, delicious, and simply loaded with nutrients.

Its nutritional profile makes it a great addition to your diet and you can simply replace it with sugar in your desserts and beverages like tea. 

Ghee

Ghee or clarified butter, is loaded with healthy fats and whoever said ghee fattens you doesn't understand human bodies well. Not only that, ghee

It is also easy to incorporate ghee into your regular diet. Simply put ghee on your roti, rice, dal, or any food that pairs well with ghee. It will enhance its texture and flavour to a great extent.

Honey

Another great alternative to your table sugar that also helps keep you warm. Honey is packed with many minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients. It is also believed to boost metabolism, enhance your digestive system, and warm up your body.

The best way to consume honey is to enjoy it in the morning with a glass of warm water.

Nuts And Dry Fruits

Nuts and dry fruits have rightly gained the reputation of being called superfoods. Their nutritional profile, along with their impeccable flavour, gives you the best of both worlds while also keeping you warm and providing healthy fats. Load up on nuts and dry fruits like cashews, almonds, walnuts, pistachios, raisins, figs, and dates.

You can use these small treats in many desserts as a topping, such as halwa, kheer, kalakand, rasmalai, and more, or you can  enjoy them as they are.

Cereals

Cereals are a great way to start your day, especially when the season is changing. But make sure the cereals are made with oats, whole wheat, barley, etc. in order to get the benefits. Avoid store-bought cereals since they are highly processed and are packed with sugar.

The idea behind having cereals to keep your body warm is that carbohydrates digest quickly. They are also filling and satisfying so it's a no-brainer to add cereals to your morning routine.

Spices

India is also known as the 'Land of Spices.' The kitchens in India are incomplete without the wide use of different spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, chillies, turmeric, and more. Not just that, these ingredients have been a part of Ayurveda as well, just like ghee.

These spices are used extensively in Indian cuisine and apart from giving dishes their signature flavour, they also help keep the body warm.

The best way to enjoy these spices is to have them in a churan or by making a masala chai to get the benefits and warmth of these spices.

Hot Beverages

Another great and delicious way to keep your body warm during this time is to indulge in hot beverages such as coffee, tea, and the winter favourite, hot chocolate. These drinks help keep your body warm from within but make sure you don't overconsume coffee (it's recommended to not consume more than 2 cups a day) since it has a lot of caffeine and the same goes with tea. Although it doesn't have the same amount of caffeine, it is still advised to consume it in moderation.

You can indulge in your favourite hot chocolate to enjoy the any season, especially winter, in the best way possible while also keeping yourself warm. If you are concerned about the sugar, you can simply have a hot glass of milk.