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Expert Diet Guide
Follow our latest diet guide to help you look and feel fabulous!
Your Winter survival guide!
With its cold days, dark nights and seasonal sniffles, winter can sometimes get you down. But it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom. Here’s how to eat your way to a healthier, happier you this season…
Winter woe: Succumbing to colds and flu
Seasonal solution: Antioxidant rich fruit and vegetables could increase your defence against winter sniffles and sneezes – so aim for at least 5 portions per day of all types but particularly colourful ones. Some studies have shown that carotenoids – in orange/ yellow veg such as carrots, peppers and mangoes - can help immune function, and allicin in garlic is said to have antiviral properties. It’s also important to consume enough zinc from lean red meat, dark poultry meat, wholegrain cereals, dairy products and nuts. A recent study found that eating breakfast may help fight off colds and flu. The researchers at Cardiff University found that skipping the first meal of the day - which may be a sign that you are stressed - was linked to susceptibility to illness. Porridge made with semi-skimmed milk makes a warming winter breakfast, and you could add low calorie sweetness by sprinkling with Canderel and fruit. Team with a pot of probiotic drink too, as some of the friendly bacteria these beverages contain could help improve the immune system and may reduce the length or severity of a cold if you do get one.
Winter woe: The winter blues
Seasonal solution: Eating little and often can help deal with the dip in mood that affects many of us when it’s dark and gloomy outside. According to the NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) seasonal affective disorder or SAD affects around 7% of people in the UK, but a milder dose of the blues may affect millions more. Symptoms are worse if you don’t keep blood sugar levels even, which is why regular small meals are of benefit. Choosing foods that boost serotonin – a “feel good” chemical in the brain - may also help. These include starchy carbohydrates such as wholegrain bread and cereals, porridge, brown rice, wholewheat pasta as well as protein-rich foods like chicken, fish and lean red meat which supply the raw material tryptophan used to make serotonin. You may crave more sugary foods as a result of the winter blues, but succumbing to the temptation too often isn’t a good idea as these foods can destabilise blood sugar levels, making matters worse. When you do have sweet treats, have them sweetened with Canderel instead of sugar, as this doesn’t affect your blood glucose levels.
Winter woe: Comfort eating that leads to weight gain
Seasonal solution: Go for clever choices that won’t break the calorie bank, but are still great comfort foods. Low fat sausages with oven chips for example, or low fat custard with chopped banana. Soup is another healthy winter warmer, or why not opt for a comforting fish finger sandwich instead of a standard chicken or tuna one? When you’re making your comfort food choice, look for foods that have fewer than 150 calories per 100g and you can’t go too far wrong. And if you have a sweet tooth, indulge more healthily (but still in moderation) with foods sweetened with Canderel. For perfect results, just replace sugar spoon for spoon with Canderel in your favourite cake or pud recipe, or divide the weight (g) of sugar by 10 to get the weight of Canderel that you need to use. You’ll find plenty of low calorie, sweet recipe suggestions inside the Canderel Kitchen!
Foods to keep you warm this winter
* Soups – choose those which contain vegetables to boost your daily intake or why not make your own?!
* Protein foods – these produce the most heat when they’re digested, so don’t skimp on them.
* Low calorie hot chocolate - you can also wrap your fingers round the mug!
* Porridge – start the day off with a heart warmer.
* Stews – a hearty meal that can be low calorie if you skip the dumplings!
* Spices like chilli, ginger and cinnamon can also keep you warm.
