Winter Power Foods

Happy 2019 to all the brave and lucky ones! We are one more year closer towards wrapping up this decade. It has been quite a decade, I must say, especially for the health food industry. The highlight of this decade would definitely be ‘The comeback of FAT- from a villain to a hero’. Yes, the industry finally put a ‘healthy’ label on foods like coconut, nuts, avocados, ghee, peanuts, sesame, flax etc. Some other SIGNIFICANT changes include spreading awareness about GMO foods and changing the definition of ‘healthy foods’ across the globe. The topic of essential/ healthy fats is very close to my heart because I was born and brought up in the era of ‘cashews are high in cholesterol’ and ‘coconut oil leads to cardiac issues’. What amuses me the most is how the industry ‘plays’ with our heads- just like a puppet. Now that we all live in an age where we all know how good fats can be for our bodies, there is something we need to understand about them. Every time the health industry labels a certain food or food group ‘healthy’, we all basically pounce on it like starving animals. Without thinking twice, we simply want to load up on this new ‘healthy food’. Be it quinoa or kombucha or coconut oil. We go overboard with the novelty of it. Something similar happened with fats. First, it was coconut oil, coconut flour, coconut ‘bacon’, then the nuts.. slowly ghee, and, before we knew, there were hundreds of books written on coconut and keto diet! Ya, that's right!

Let us dive a little deeper into this topic and see what fats really do for us. No, I am not going to open a microbiology textbook here naming some scientific alpha - beta - gamma blubloid power nutrient! And I am definitely not going to talk about how this nutrient acts with our cells and brain and feet and fat. Some simple points though, that are obvious.

When we think of fats, the one thing that comes to our mind is greasy! Yes, greasy, moist, fluid, moisturizing, maybe hydrating. What is the opposite of that- dry, hoarse, rough, uneven? And that's exactly what winter is. It is dry, cold, rough. You know how often your lips get dry and you moisturize them with a chap-stick. Think of your insides, we need to keep them hydrated and moisturized too! Lots of water, warming foods, and healthy fats are your best friends in winter. For smooth glowing skin, luscious thick hair, and easy bowel movements it is important to include these good fats in our diet along with a lot of fluids.

In India, the winter festivals are often celebrated with treats made of sesame, coconut, peanuts and jaggery. Jaggery being a raw sugar from sugarcane, warming in nature, and high in iron, goes hand in hand with these fatty little things- for nutritional and gastronomical benefits. These treats are always finished with a pinch of saffron, cardamom and nutmeg for flavour. Saffron- Aphrodisiac, brightens up the skin, makes it glow. While cardamom and nutmeg ensure a controlled release of sugar and caffeine in the bloodstream. (So we don’t get a sudden ‘high’ from sugar and coffee or tea)

There has been a study on S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which pretty much links winter blues to our diet. Many people suffer from this ‘sadness’ post new year’s celebration, for several reasons. Lack of sunlight, missing the celebrations with near and dear ones, depriving self off proper foods because of the new ‘weight loss resolution’, or just going back to school or work! The scientists or the nutrition experts also mention the importance of carbs for the release of serotonin. These feel-good hormones may suffer due to limited sunshine, which is a norm in winter in NA. Some foods have been fortified with Vit D, while some fatty fish like salmon will help fight the deficiency. Maybe the supplements will help you too. However, eating a balanced diet, that includes a good proportion of carbs and healthy fats will help you overcome S.A.D. Remember the term ‘good proportion’. Cannot go crazy with something just ‘cause it's been labelled healthy! A good serving of veggies, lentils/legumes, rice, root veg, healthy fats and supporting spices n’ herbs will help you successfully sail through the season.

Below are some winter power recipes I made to keep myself ‘glowing’!

- Besan Ladoo (excellent prebiotic)

- Sesame Coconut Winter Power Bites

- Finger-Millet Winter Energy Balls (For a detailed talk on finger-millet, stay tuned)

From an Ayurvedic perspective, fats are greasy and oily (quite obvious). There, Vata body types definitely need the support of these during Fall and Winter. Pitta types already have the heat within them, so need not bulk up on the fats. However, it is a great time for them to enjoy these goodies (as opposed to summer, when they are best avoided). Kapha types can definitely benefit from warming foods and moderate use of fatty ingredients. They have abundant bodily fluids to keep their system hydrated from within. However, it is not a bad idea to include these healthy fats in their meals in limited quantities. Besides internal use, fats like coconut oil and ghee are excellent for external applications too. They can be used to massage the scalp, as a lip chap or inside the nostrils to prevent drying and/or nosebleeds. From bathing oils to massage oil to body lotions, coconut oil has found its way into the skin care and cosmetics’ industry too! For more information on coconut and coconut oil, follow here!

https://raajata.wixsite.com/raajata/food-sutra/coconut-a-fatty-sensation