By Marie-Antoinette Issa.
As the temperature drops and Winter sets in, your motivation to eat (and to be fair, access to) fresh healthy foods similarly follows.
However, with the season rampant with colds, flu and viruses, it’s actually more essential than ever to prioritise your health and wellbeing.
To help make it easy, Michaela Sparrow, a nutritionist, anti-ageing practitioner and Australia’s number 1 holistic longevity naturopath, shares her insights, expertise and healthy eating tips for Winter so you can enjoy a delicious and nutritious diet during the colder months.
Let’s get seasonal:
According to Michaela one of the best ways to support your immunity and overall health during Winter is by consuming plenty of vegetables and fruits: "Especially when it comes to vegetables, the more you can eat the better," she emphasises.
Michaela suggests focusing on in-season vegetables, which are not only fresher and cheaper but also packed with essential nutrients. Her favourites include broccoli, sweet potato, spinach and kale, which can be incorporated into a range of sides, salads and even smoothies!
Freeze the moment:
Next, Michaela recommends stocking up on frozen fruit and vegetables as they retain more nutrients compared to produce that has been sitting on shelves for weeks: "Frozen fruit and vegetables are often picked at their ripest and then flash frozen," she explains.
This not only ensures freshness but also offers a convenient way to add variety to your diet, regardless of the season. Frozen produce can be seamlessly incorporated into soups, stews, smoothies and superfood bowls to provide a nutrient-rich boost to your meals.
Although if you do want to whip up a batch of frozen blueberry muffins that’s also completely acceptable!
Fermented foods are your friend:
Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi are hailed by Michaela as excellent additions to Winter diets.
"These foods are rich in probiotics, which help maintain a healthy balance of gut bacteria, important for overall health and immunity, especially during the colder months," she notes.
Michaela recommends consuming 1-2 tablespoons of fermented food daily to reap the benefits, encouraging fussy eaters to experiment with the variety of flavourful options available, to find something to suit every palate.
Stews are the star of the season:
Michaela highlights the versatility of comforting casseroles and simmering stews as convenient ways to incorporate a plethora of vegetables into meals.
"These dishes are an easy way to pack heaps of vegetables into your meals," she says.
By utilising bone broth as a base and loading the dishes with onions, garlic, and seasonal vegetables, you can create nourishing meals that support gut health and boost immunity. Michaela also suggests preparing large batches of casseroles and stews for convenient meal prep throughout the week.
