Winter Food That Can Make or Break Your Diet

The winter season is known to bring cold weather, but it’s also known as a time for amazing food whether that be seasonal fruits and vegetables, family traditions like pumpkin pie, or even spiced drinks like apple cider or pumpkin lattes. Although some of these foods are a healthy choice during the holiday season, there are many meals that are full of toxic ingredients that can lead to digestive issues, extra pounds and just feeling unhealthy.

As we know, the holiday season has many dietary temptations. We’ve gathered a few of our favorite healthy winter snacks and listed a few unhealthy items that may cause more harm than good.

List a few of your favorite holiday snacks. Now, how unhealthy were they? Everything is fine in moderation, but over the holidays, we tend to eat a bunch of junk food. From Halloween to New Year’s, our diets seem to go out with window. A few examples of foods that are a little unhealthy include:

  • Winter Food - EggnogEggnog. The holiday drink is full of eggs, sugar, cream, and sometimes even bourbon or brandy. One serving of these drinks contain more than 200 calories and they are high in saturated fat and sugars. A healthier alternative is tea. Drinking Tea has so many great benefits, it is also a healthier alternative to hot chocolate and sugary lattes. According to Captel, tea can enhance eye health, reduce the risk of stroke, sharpens your memory, improves digestion, reduces blood pressure, strengthens the immune system and even curbs stress and anxiety. Tea is perfect if you’re feeling a little bloated after the holiday treats, have stomach issues from overeating or are feeling a little anxious about the social gatherings and expectations of the holidays. If you’re looking for a new tea to test, try pHion’s Alkaline Tea Blend. This tea blend has nine highly alkaline herbal ingredients and helps soothe the digestive system.

 

  • Winter Food - Creamy SoupCreamy Soup. The cold season is here, which makes us crave a nice warm bowl of soup. Creamy soups can be convenient and a cost-effective way to feed a large crowd. However, a tiny cup of cream, which is often an ingredient in these soups, is more than 200 calories. A broth-based soup is a healthier alternative. The best and healthiest soups are homemade and contain fresh ingredients. Soups can be easy to make. You can throw a variety of ingredients into a slow cooker or instant pot to make a delicious meal for the evening. According to Livestrong, soups are a healthy option because of the vegetables, nutrients, and they are filling with fewer amounts of calories.

 

  • Winter Food - PomegranateAlthough we love candy canes, they are unfortunately, made of sugar and high fructose corn syrup and offer no nutritional value. So, basically, they are pure sugar. If you have a sweet tooth, we recommend staying with fruit. This might not stop the peppermint craving, but you can try soothing that with a cup of hot peppermint tea! One of our favorite fruits is Pomegranates. They are one of the most nutritious fruits and they are absolutely delicious! It’s a great snack to add to your diet when you’re craving something sweet. According to the Greatist, pomegranates have ruby-colored seeds that are packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that can help treat and prevent conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and heart disease. These fruits are in season October through January. There are multiple studies that show the benefits of pomegranates. Now, what’s the best way to eat this fruit? Some people like it by itself and others will put it into salads, fruit mixes, in sauces or even in guacamole.

 

  • Winter Food - Artichoke DipDips are popular appetizers during the holiday season, specifically artichoke dip. The spinach is the only healthy portion in the dish. Typically, this dip has more than 1,600 calories, 100 grams of fat, and 2,500 milligrams of sodium, according to WebMD. A healthier appetizer to leave out for guests are nuts. Nuts are a healthy and salty snack during the winter months. They are known to boost your intake of zinc and have many other healthy nutrients. During the winter months, the chances of coming into contact with a virus is exponentially higher, especially during holiday travels. It’s important that our immune system functions normally and zinc contributes to this, according to BT. Nuts also have a number of other benefits. They contain healthy fats and fiber, as well as a number of other vitamins and minerals. They are said to reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Winter Food - NutsAnd according to Healthline, people who eat nuts tend to live longer. If you are craving something sugary and sweet, try roasting them and adding a little cinnamon sugar for a healthier option compared to those holiday treats. No matter what you eat over the holidays, we are here to help you feel healthier and happier. Digestive issues are a common occurrence during these winter months. Check out our Alkaline Tea, Ionic Colon Cleanse, and Master Cleanse Lemonade Diet.