Winter Superfoods: Ghee, Peanuts And Other Foods You Can Have Guilt-Free, Without Gaining Weight

Winter superfoods: Ghee is rich in essential fatty acids that can help in assimilation of Vitamin D

Weight loss: Some parts of North India may already be experiencing winter chills. While in others, the temperature is slightly dipping down with every succeeding day. With the COVID-19 pandemic still with us, it is important that we make relevant changes in our diet in order to make our immunity stronger and be disease-free for longer. Work from home for months has invariably contributed to long hours of sitting, back pain, knee pain, neck pain and body stiffness. In one of her recent IGTVs, celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar talks about winter superfoods that have been widely consumed this time of the year.

Winter superfoods that can help boost immunity

According to Diwekar, here are a few Indian superfoods, that can be good for your health and immunity during winter:

1. Ghee: Use it as cooking oil for dals and sabzis, or add a dollop of over them once they are ready to it. Fats in ghee not only help you be warm, they also help in assimilation of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K. What's more, it acts as a tast enhancer of food!

Also read: 10 Reasons Why Ghee Is The Liquid Gold We All Must Have Daily

2. Peanuts: These protein-rich legumes can make for a healthy snacking option. You can have them boiled or roasted, or have them as is. You can also grind them into a chutney or use them for seasoning your salads and sabzis. Peanuts are a healthy source of vegetarian protein and can also provide you Vitamin B, amino acids and polyphenols. Peanuts are also good for heart health, informs Diwekar.

Peanuts are protein-rich healthy snacks that can aid weight loss
Photo Credit: iStock

3. Goond: Have it in the form of goond laddoo or as goond pani, roasted in ghee and sprinkled with sugar. It can help in boosting libido and is a good digestive aid. It is also great for the health of your bones.

4. Seasonal fruit: Eating one seasonal fruit like apple, sitaphal, khurmani or peru, every day, can help you have a strong immunity. Eat them ripe, fresh and whole, after washing them properly, recommends Diwekar. Eat them as a snack, in between meals. They can provide you with fibre and micronutrients that can keep your skin hydrated and prevent dry skin during cold winter months.

Also read: Heres How You Should Cook Your Seasonal Food For The Maximum Health Benefits

5. White butter: This should preferably be homemade. Put a dollop of it on your rotis and paranthas. You can also add it to saag (made with a variety of leafy greens) and dals in winters. It helps in improving joint lubrication and also keeps your skin hydrated. It can reduce incidence of gas and is critical for load on neck and spine induced by work from home.

6. Green vegetables: Palak, methi, sarso, pudina, green garlic and spinach are a few of the many green vegetables that are in season in winter. Including them in your diet as regularly as possible. They will provide you with multiple nutrients, reduce inflammation and burning in hand and feet because of change in weather.

Include a variety of green veggies in your winter diet
Photo Credit: iStock

7. Bajra: This whole grain can be consumed as roti or laddoo. It can also be added to khichdis or thalipeeth. It helps in promoting muscle gain, boosts hair growth and is rich in B vitamins.

8. Root vegetables: Carrots, beetroots, radish, turnips, onions must all be part of your diet in winter. They provide you with gut-friendly prebiotic and can also aid weight loss. They can improve digestion and helps in better assimilation of nutrients.

9. Kulith (horsegram dal):This lentil is a must-have during the chilli winter months. You can prepare the dal traditionally or have its parantha or consume it in the form of soup. It can help in preventing kidney stones and keeps bloating at bay. Kulith provides you with good quality protein, fibre and micronutrients.

Also read: Legumes (Pulses) For Heart Health: Here Are The Different Kinds Of Legumes You Must Eat For A Healthy Heart

10. Til: Sesame seeds can be consumed in the form of chikki or laddoo. You can use them as seasoning or grind them to form a chutney. Sesame seeds provide It is rich in essential fatty acids and Vitamin E. The lentil is great for bones, skin and hair health.

Essential fatty acids are of supreme importance during winter. They help in keeping you warm and also prevent digestion issues or weak bones-related issues like back pain, knee pain etc. This winter, stay healthy with these Indian superfoods that you can have daily, guilt-free!

(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.