The Best Foods In Winter : You Should Eat Now

In the cold months, the supply of fresh fruit and vegetables is rare - exactly when infections are booming.But how do you get through the winter time healthy? We introduce you to the best foods in winter.

A varied diet of plant and animal foods plus five servings of vegetables and fruit daily: This is a solid basis for supplying the body with all the important nutrients. You can learn how to do this with the nutritional coaching provided by Techniker Rankings. The program is tailored to your personal needs and teaches you how to create a balanced diet. A balanced diet also provides you with all the important building blocks for a strong immune system.

But what should you eat in winter - especially if the selection of fresh fruit and vegetables is not too big? Find out in the Live Smarter blog which foods are in season in winter and which winter foods are particularly good!

Lamb's Lettuce 

From October to March, the vegetables are available fresh from the field from local cultivation. The smaller the leaves, the more aromatic lamb's lettuce tastes, which is particularly rich in folate, vitamin C and iron. Our organism needs the trace element for blood formation and oxygen transport. What is less well known is that it is also important for fighting off infections (1). If we lack iron, we not only feel tired and listless, but can also get sick more easily.

Swedes

The swede, also called swede in the north, is native, undemanding and temperatures down to minus eight degrees Celsius cannot harm it. As a result, it was the most important winter food for a large part of the German population in times of need - especially during the First World War of 1916/17. However, the tuber was also an unpopular emergency nail, not least because it stood for war, need and misery. In the meantime, many people have rediscovered its qualities: it tastes good as a vegetable side dish, in stews, soups and casseroles or can be processed into delicious rösti. In addition, the root vegetable offers plenty of potassium, vitamin C and beta-carotene. The body can convert the latter into vitamin A, which keeps the mucous membranes and skin healthy. Both, in turn, are important barriers that make it difficult for pathogens to enter the organism.

Skrei

The noble fish is only caught in the winter months - for this reason it is also called winter cod. It grows up in the icy Barents Sea and when it reaches sexual maturity it is drawn to the warmer waters of northern Norway, to the Lofoten Islands. By the time it gets there, the skrei will have traveled several hundred kilometers. The long journey ensures its firm, low-fat meat and, like all sea creatures, it has plenty of iodine. The trace element is often neglected in this country. But our thyroid needs it to form two vital hormones that regulate energy metabolism, heartbeat and blood pressure, among other things. It also provides plenty of high-quality, easily digestible protein. Our body not only needs the nutrient to maintain and build muscles, but also to mobilize antibodies against bacteria and viruses.

Orange

The low-sugar fruit is also called orange, which means "apple from China". These fruits were already cultivated there 3000 years ago. Nowadays, the orange is grown in all warm countries of the world and, like other citrus fruits and cabbage vegetables, it has a high value as a supplier of vitamin C in winter. The micronutrient intercepts free radicals that are caused by smoking, stress, illness or poor nutrition. This protects cells and tissues and strengthens the immune system.Do you find it difficult to balance your diet? With the interactive TK nutrition coaching you will learn to plan more fruit and vegetable meals. At the same time, the program is tailored to your personal needs. You can select delicious recipes and add your own recipes to the nutrition plan.

Kale

From November to January it waits in our fields, ready to be harvested: the kale. He's so tough that temperatures of minus 15 degrees Celsius don't bother him. The peak of the season is December and the vegetables even need frost to develop their full aroma. In addition, the winter food scores with omega-3 fatty acids, secondary plant substances, minerals and vitamins - vitamin C is at the forefront: a 200 gram portion already more than doubles the daily vitamin C requirement.

Oatmeal

When it's freezing outside, a warming oatmeal porridge is the perfect breakfast. At the same time, the grain shines with its inner values, because it is rich in iron, protein and zinc. The latter promotes the formation of antibodies, which our immune system uses to neutralize pathogens. In addition, oatmeal provides plenty of dietary fiber, which serves as food for our beneficial intestinal bacteria. A well-nourished microbiome, in turn, supports the body's own defences.

Ginger

The inconspicuous tuber scores with gingerols and shogaols. These pungent substances reduce inflammation, clear the airways and stimulate blood circulation, which helps germs get out of the body faster. No wonder that ginger is very popular during the cold season - but you can save yourself the money for ginger shots from the supermarket: the small bottles are overpriced, even though they usually contain apple juice as the main ingredient. It is better to prepare ginger shots yourself. This is not only cheaper, but also saves packaging waste.

Salsify

The vegetables are in season from October to the end of March and are therefore a typical winter food. When peeling, a milky juice escapes that stains heavily - so it is best to wear gloves when processing. The inside is white and without the shell, the spears are reminiscent of asparagus, which gave the root its second name, winter asparagus. Its taste is also reminiscent of the original, but is much stronger and at the same time tart and sour. Black salsify is usually prepared like asparagus and tastes good in a white risotto, as black salsify flatbread or in a papaya salad with Gorgonzola dressing. In addition to their culinary diversity, they can also convince with their inner values: Compared to other types of vegetables, they have a high content of vitamin E, B1, iron and fiber. Our useful lodgers in the large intestine are most happy about the latter.

Knowledge To Take Away

 A varied diet of plant and animal foods with five daily portions of vegetables and fruit provides the body with everything it needs. The TK nutritional coaching supports you in this - especially in the cold months, the body police need a number of nutrients so that they can work properly, including protein, vitamin C, iron, zinc, secondary plant substances and fiber.

But what should you eat in winter? Typical winter foods are kale, lamb's lettuce, turnips and black salsify. In addition to citrus fruits such as oranges, cabbage is an important source of vitamin C, while lamb's lettuce is particularly rich in iron. Swedes provide beta-carotene, which ensures healthy skin and mucous membranes, and salsify shines with fiber, which supports the intestinal flora and immune system in equal measure.

Oatmeal also scores with plenty of fiber and also offers iron, protein and zinc. This trace element promotes the formation of antibodies. They also taste great as porridge, which warms you up wonderfully from the inside on cold days. Ginger and skrei are also among the foods that do you good in winter: the pungent substances from ginger help with infections and the saltwater fish provides plenty of high-quality, easily digestible protein and iodine. The trace element is in short supply in this country.