Winter Nutrition: The Best Foods to Boost Energy and Mood on Dark Days

Fighting mood swings and colds

The lack of light and the altered melatonin-serotonin metabolism dampen the mood, colds are circulating, and many people are also much less active in sports.

With a colorful, varied diet, you can support your immune system, energy metabolism, and also your psyche. The need for comfort food should not be neglected - by cleverly and well combining, you can also incorporate many micronutrients into your daily meal plan in winter - let yourself be inspired and motivated by cookbooks, food blogs, and seasonal offerings at fruit and vegetable markets.

Fruits and vegetables: 5 a day works in winter too

To ensure you are optimally supplied with the antioxidants vitamin A, C, and E, as well as numerous secondary plant substances even in winter, all kinds of cabbage should be on the menu as often as possible: white cabbage, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Root vegetables such as parsnips, beetroots, and sweet potatoes may not be as visually appealing as summer vegetables, but they are true micronutrient wonders that can be prepared as oven-roasted vegetables and hot soups. For example, beetroot is rich in iron, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, and folic acid. You can especially rely on citrus fruits in organic quality in winter: Oranges, grapefruits, and lemons provide plenty of vitamin C, all of which support the immune system.

For the preservation of these micronutrient bombs the preparation plays a big role: Those who have little desire for raw food and salads in winter should switch to steaming or simmering vegetables - however, long cooking destroys most of the micronutrients contained. Additionally, if fresh seasonal vegetables are not available, prefer frozen vegetables and canned fruit products.

If you don't like biting into fruit in winter, you can also occasionally help yourself with (unsulfured) dried fruits: While vitamin C unfortunately does not remain preserved through the drying process, there are still plenty of minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, iron, and fiber.

Small Antioxidant Bombs: Spices

Ginger and turmeric roots are full of minerals and secondary plant compounds with anti-inflammatory effects and can be best utilized in hot beverages such as tea variations, prepared as "golden milk," or even chewed raw as small pieces to unleash their power. In combination with green tea and honey you can brew yourself a winter elixir daily. According to researchers, green tea is said to have an antioxidant effect due to the polyphenols it contains.

Many spices are little secret weapons when it comes to creating warmth and mood, for example. Chili, cinnamon, and nutmegA cup of hot chocolate with real cocoa and chili not only provides moments of well-being, but also magnesium, tryptophan, and the anti-inflammatory, warming capsaicin.

Secondary plant substances concentrated in herbs and sprouts

An excellent source of micronutrients even in winter is homegrown herbs and sprouts - and for the production of these superfoods, neither a garden nor a balcony is necessary. Sprouts are not only rich in minerals but also in secondary plant compounds, which give them their color and intense flavor, and are believed to have a positive impact on health.

Even without much sun: Well supplied with vitamin D

The vitamin D storage in Germany, which is located between the 47th and 55th latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, cannot be adequately replenished from October to March due to the low angle of sunlight. Therefore, special attention should be paid to this. Foods containing vitamin D are fatty sea fish (mackerel, eel, salmon, and herring) and other animal products such as liver and eggs are recommended. For plant-based foods, mushrooms and porcini mushrooms are suitable - but only if they have been able to absorb enough sunlight themselves, which is usually not the case with mushrooms from the supermarket. If enough vitamin D cannot be obtained through food and sufficient sun exposure, the DGE recommends supplementation.

But even if the weather is not very inviting - going outside in winter may require some effort, but both mood, concentration, and the immune system benefit from daylight and fresh air. Even on cloudy days, the light spectrum in natural daylight is many times higher than artificial light.

Dietary fiber: Avoid blood sugar and mood swings

In winter, we particularly crave cookies, biscuits, bratwurst, and other "sinful" foods. Unfortunately, simple carbohydrates cause blood sugar levels to rise and fall quickly, and the short-term mood boost from serotonin doesn't last long, leading the body to quickly crave more. Other, more sustainable soul-warming options are better suited, such as a bowl of warm oatmeal porridge in the morning or fresh whole grain sourdough bread, packed with. Dietary fiber, Vitamin B1, B6, Vitamin E, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Iron.

B-vitamins for healthy skin and mucous membranes: lentils, beans, and more

Especially in winter, we need to pay more attention to our skin health due to the cold and dry indoor heating air. Besides external care, nutrition also plays a crucial role in this regard. B-vitamins such as biotin (B7), niacin (B3), and B2 are involved in maintaining healthy skin and mucous membranes, the skin also benefits from good supply of zinc and iodine. Ideal sources for B vitamins are legumes, nuts, whole grain products, and fatty fish. So, lentil stews, hot minestrone soup, or even whole grain nut gingerbread are perfect for the winter season.

Choose fats wisely: Omega-3 fatty acids

Some vitamins are fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E, and K), so they can be better absorbed by the body in combination with fat. In addition to fatty fish, certain high-quality cold-pressed plant oils such as olive oil, walnut oil, and flaxseed oil are a good choice and they also provide you with plenty of omega-3 fatty acids - the rule here is: always add them cold at the end to soups, main dishes or salads, as omega-3 fatty acids are destroyed when heated or even converted into harmful trans fats.

Good sources are also nuts and seeds. Walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are ideal snack alternatives. It is important for the body that the ratio between pro-inflammatory omega-6 fatty acids (found mainly in lard, meat, egg yolk, sunflower, and safflower oil) and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids is around 3:1.¹

Probiotic Foods: The Gut Likes Fermented Foods

Scientific findings² on the gut-brain axis is steadily increasing. The food we consume has a direct impact on the composition of the gut flora and on our psyche and immune system. Dietary fiber, bitter substances, and probiotic foods are therefore particularly important for maintaining the gut microbiome: kefir, yogurt, lacto-fermented vegetables, kimchi, miso paste, sauerkraut, sourdough bread, and kombucha. To support digestion in general, you can include more often bitter substances like winter salads (chicory, endive, and artichokes) in the meal plan.

Tip: Fermented white cabbage, sauerkraut, is only an excellent source of vitamin C and lactic acid bacteria if it is not cooked, but only briefly warmed at most. When buying, make sure to choose unpasteurized fresh sauerkraut - pasteurization causes the cabbage to lose its valuable probiotic properties.

Get out of the motivation slump!

Many people find it easier to eat healthily and balanced in the summer than in the winter - lack of motivation, bad weather, and the numerous holidays often make good intentions quickly disappear under piles of sweets. But in winter, a well-stocked micronutrient balance is just as important as in the other seasons.