What diet people should take in winter to be fit and healthy?

With the mercury levels showing an all-time low, we are no longer in moods to enjoy and feel uncomfortable with our daily routines getting effected. But it is also the time for holidays, the time to get together with our families and friends. It is therefore very important that we boost our immune system in order to stay away from all the negative influences of the chilled cold weather. We all should know that a major part of staying healthy and immune is our diet, the food that we chose to eat.

Foods have a major effect on our body’s ability to fight cold. Winters also blesses us with its bounty of fresh produce. Once we know that we have plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables available, we can start incorporating them in our daily diets. With our diet been balanced and containing important nutrients and vitamins, our immune system gets healthier and stronger to fight the winter sicknesses. At the same time when we replace unhealthy processed and high calorie foods in our diet with fresh fruits and vegetables, we add nutritious and high fiber supply to the body that apart from keeping us healthy also aids in losing weight during the winter months.

Here are a few winter produce that we can add to our eating habits that will keep us staying healthy and fit during this winter.

• Sweet potatoes: rich in fiber and easy to prepare is a perfect winter food to keep us healthy.
• Winter squash: these have more nutrients than the ones found during summer. Rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, also helps prevent cancer, heart diseases and some eye problems.
• Red cabbage: it contains anthocyanin, a potent antioxidant that boosts memory and heart health. It is also rich in vitamin which is very good for bone health.
• Dark leafy greens: kale, chard and collards are found in bounty during the winter that are rich in vitamins A, C and K. Collards, mustard greens and escarole found during the winter season are also excellent sources of folate, which is important for women of childbearing age.
• Pomegranates: an excellent choice from the heart health prospective. Pomegranate juice is rich in antioxidants and more than other fruit juices. Studies show that drinking pomegranate juice improves blood flow to the heart for people suffering with myocardial ischemia, a serious medical conditions in which the heart’s oxygen supply is restricted because the arteries leading to it are blocked.
• Citrus fruits: loaded with vitamin C, citrus fruits are loaded with freshness and juices during the winters. Also rich in flavonoids, citrus fruits are great for health and cuts down on bad cholesterols.

Apart from taking care of your diet, following some healthy habits like washing hands before meals, is very essential during winters. Humidify your houses as dry air during the winters can be very irritable. Get enough sleep and exercise regularly to stay at your optimum health and fit.