A Healthy eating is essential for good health, and, in winter, is the basis of an immune system prepared to deal with the viruses that are going to visit us.
The diet must be balanced all year round, but sometimes, in winter, we can neglect and fall into some mistakes. In summer and spring there are many varied and sweet fruits. They also crave more raw vegetable salads and gazpachos. Therefore, regarding winter feeding We must pay special attention to these elements not missing in the diet, the need for vitamins and fiber remains.
The good winter stews
When it is cold, what comforts and warms up is a good plate of spoon. You should not miss on the table potajes and soups in all its varieties, including in them hydrates such as pasta or legumes of all kinds. In the stews, in addition, we can include proteins of animal origin always trying not to be very fatty: fish, chicken, cooked eggs and occasionally red meats, being especially careful with pork and sausages.
The legume It gives us vitamins, minerals, fiber, hydrates and proteins of quality, well soaked and spiced does not have to be especially flatulent and is a very versatile resource that combines perfectly with vegetables, fish and meat, so it would be basic in the winter diet .
Before, in the winter stewsIt almost always included a piece of bacon, salted rib, spine, sausages and black pudding. Of course they give them a rich flavor if we like them, but we must bear in mind that these recipes come from a time when there was normally no other meat available and there was also a lot of outdoor body work. It is not necessary to recharge our fat stews, we just have to adapt them to these times making them as healthy as possible.
In winter stews Vegetables are essential: onion, garlic, potatoes and carrots, but it also has many advantages to use cabbage, cauliflower, red cabbage, chard and spinach that will provide important nutrients.
Therefore, just as in summer we are going to fancy the refreshing dishes, in winter we will have more appetite for energy expenditure and the body, very wise, will ask us consistent, hot and warm dishes. That said, again it is necessary to call prudence and not confuse the potage with a caloric pump.
Vitamins and minerals, which are not lacking
It is not that vitamins cure us, nor that they will make us resistant to all infections, but they are the fundamental matter with which our body works to repair and keep the immune system functioning perfectly. That is why we must take care that they are well represented in the winter diet. Taking fruits and vegetables does not kill viruses, but it will make the immune system ready to fight them.
The vitamin C It is one of the nutrients most involved in immune function and is found in fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C is essential for the development and maintenance of the body, protects connective tissue, facilitates the absorption of other vitamins and minerals and acts as an antioxidant. Its role is the biochemistry of several enzymes.
In winter we will find it in citrus fruits, kiwis, spinach and peppers.
The Vitamin A or retinol is a fat-soluble vitamin; It helps in the formation and maintenance of teeth and soft and bone tissues, mucous membranes and skin. We will find it in pumpkin, carrots, grapefruit, broccoli and spinach, as well as in the liver (also in foie gras) and in eggs.
The vitamin D It helps maintain the right amount of calcium and phosphorus in the blood. Foods rich in vitamin D are dairy, blue fish, butter, some vegetables such as chard, lettuce, spinach and cabbage, it is also essential to assess that exposure to sunlight is very important for its synthesis in quantities adequate, so a deficiency of this vitamin is being detected in some children. Vitamin D has the peculiarity that it is synthesized in the skin cells, with the help of exposure to sunlight, so in addition to monitoring the diet, consult with the pediatrician in case of doubt, it is essential that children enjoy outdoor activities and sunbathe even in winter.
The minerals They will be present in the winter diet without problems, provided that we include legumes, vegetables and nuts, within a balanced diet, because meat is one of the best sources of iron.
A winter day
In addition to maintaining a balanced diet it is important to consider the way in which we will distribute meals throughout the day, especially when the child goes to school.
He full breakfast, which includes hydrates, proteins and vegetables is essential. Milk, cereals and fruit are normally recommended, but it would be equally valid to eat a plate of lentils with vegetables and rice, a sandwich of whole wheat bread with cheese and tomatoes or a tray of assorted fruits with yogurt, oat flakes and nuts. Or a steak with bread and salad, which is my son's favorite breakfast when a hard day awaits him. The question is to start the winter day with energy and design a daily menu that is complete.
Throughout the day we must plan your menu so that it includes all the nutrients, avoiding to the maximum the pastries, the sweeteners, the goodies and the sausages very fatty or of bad quality. Children should be free to eat and drink when they need it, but if that is not possible because of the routine of their school, it is a good idea to give them healthy and energetic snacks that they can take in their spare time.
Health goes through nutrition, we all know that, and in winter, with the cold, the days without light and the exhaustion of the routine it is especially important not to neglect it. We hope these tips on infant feeding in winter help you that these months your children are full of energy and joy to grow and play.
