Try a hot pot stew with meat and vegetables stewed in a rich gravy for a wholesome meal on a cold day.
If there’s one thing winter brings, aside from a bout of moody weather and an excuse to stop shaving, it’s an inherent want to seek out illicit comfort foods.
Currently 38 per cent of Australian women and 53 per cent of men are expected to gain up to five kilograms over winter, according to a NSW survey, and nine out of ten believe they naturally eat more take-away in the colder months.
It’s no secret then, that for those of us trying to follow a healthy path, winter can feel like a weight war zone – with carby, salty, hot foods, our number one enemy.
So what exactly causes us to crave the not-so-good stuff and more importantly, how can we best avoid temptation and stick to our health goals?
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According to research, it’s often more a case of psychology than of cravings. The chemical argument from the University of New South Wales that found when rats were fed a high-fat/ high-sugar diet it could have the same mood-altering effect as antidepressants.
That’s not to say though we should go running to the middle aisle of the supermarket for a late night binge. Quite the opposite, a Health Psychology study found no one particular food has the power to alter our mood more so than any another. Meaning those carbs have no more happy power over you than a bland piece of fruit.
Scott Gooding, a Sydney-based PT, health coach and author of the Clean Living cookbook series says we needn’t condemn ourselves to a season of miserable salads – instead it’s about tooling ourselves with the right recipes and mindset.
“Comfort food doesn’t HAVE to be unhealthy. It’s about shifting the lens on what we consider comfort food. I gravitate towards slow cooked meats full of healthy gelatin and flavour – in my eyes you’ve definitely got yourself a tasty bowl of comfort food right there,” says Gooding.
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“While it’s natural to crave warm foods in winter, I’m not convinced we crave more carbs. If your diet is high in fat you won’t be craving carbs but if your diet consists of sugars and carbs then it’s no surprise that you stay on that macro cycle wanting more of it.”
APPROVED FOODS TO EAT:
1. Curry, stews and casseroles
“Warm foods like stews, casseroles, soups and curries are not only hearty, but you can add plenty of vegetables which will boost the immune system and increase antioxidants, beneficial for overall health,” says Simone Austin, accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia.
To add an extra boost, McGrice recommends peppering dishes with the following spices:
– Turmeric – it reduces inflammation, boosts the immune systemand can assist with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic arthritis and dementia.
– Cinnamon – it’s an anti-inflammatory that helps improve insulin sensitively and blood lipid levels.
– Garlic – it helps blood pressure, lipid levels and mental health. Plus it’s anti-bacterial so it’ll catch and reduce nasty cold and flus.
– Ginger – it’s loaded with anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties, helps chronic joint pain and will relieve stomach troubles.
– Chilli – it regulates appetite and thermogenesis (the amount of energy burnt and released as heat) as well as assisting with inflammation, circulation, cancer growth, pain sensitivity and mental health.
2. Fruit and vegetables
“Load up on winter fruits and vegies packed with vitamin C – like oranges, kiwifruit, mandarins, capsicum and broccoli. Not just great for overall immune system function, they also protect cells from damage caused by virus or bacteria,” says Austin.
To keep things interesting, McGrice recommends stewed fruit – “it makes a delicious and nourishing snack that’s a great source of both fibre and antioxidants and will keep the bugs at bay.”
3. Seafood, red meat and nuts
“The number one thing these all have in common is zinc. Zinc is essential for keeping the immune system functioning and assisting with cell regulation. Try oysters and red meat and for a small dose, add in wholegrains or nuts too,” says Austin.
4. Red wine, tea and herbs
“Packed with antioxidants, these foods all contain flavonoids – a compound associated with reducing inflammation and helping the immune system,” says Austin. “While popularly discussed in red wine, flavonoids also naturally occur in plants, so alternatively, sip green tea, fill your plate with vegetables or add herbs to a bowl of soup for a natural flavonoid boost.”
5. Porridge
“It’s a winter favourite that’s both warm and comforting. Nutritionally it’s a healthy breakfast that will fill you up, lower cholesterol levels and provide sustained energy release,” says McGrice.
6. Vege soup
“A winter soup using cannellini beans or chickpeas will give you a great source of protein and provide a good range of vitamins and minerals. Plus soup gives you extra fluid which is a bonus as we often get more dehydrated in winter,” says McGrice.
THE STEER-CLEAR LIST:
1. Macaroni and cheese
“It doesn’t provide a lot of nutrition – only excess carbohydrates, salt and fat. If you must, turn it into a pasta bake by adding tuna and vegetables,” says McGrice.
2. Cup a soup
“They may seem like an easy solution but processed soups are notoriously high in salt and don’t provide any energy source (from carbohydrates, protein or fats) so they leave you hungry and low in energy again quite quickly. Instead prepare a homemade soup ahead of time,” says McGrice.
3. Mashed or fried potatoes
New research from BMJ journal has found just four servings of mashed or fried potatoes a week can drastically increase hypertension and risk of heart disease. Couple this with the fact hot chips are high in saturated fat and salt which leads to weight gain and really, they’re best avoided. If you must, McGrice suggests having a jacket potato instead.
4. Junk food
It’s an obvious one but saturated fat, salt and sugar found in grab-and-go convenience foods are not just unhealthy for us, they are also linked to causing as much damage to the kidneys as diabetes, a new study released in Experimental Physiology journal has found.
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