Eat with the Seasons: Winter

The darkest and coldest months of the year can feel the hardest when it comes to eating plenty of healthy foods and staying hydrated.

Winter is a time when our immune systems take a battering, we spend less time outside and more time indoors, and the cravings for comfort food whilst snuggling up in front of the TV come in hard and fast. The last thing on your mind is to quench your thirst with an ice-cold drink and tuck into a salad! In fact, in traditional Chinese medicine, it’s believed that eating cold, raw foods in winter can affect the digestive system as your body needs to warm up - making it bad for your chi!

Eating with the seasons is one way you can help keep your body, the planet, and even your wallet healthy.

Abundantly Clear

What does it mean to eat with the seasons? Essentially, it means eating produce that’s at its best in that particular season. Seasonal food has many advantages for your health, the planet, and even your bank balance.

1. Love Local

It enables you to eat fruit and vegetables when they’re at their best. Different foods thrive in different weather conditions and geographical locations, so opt for local produce.

2. Destination Unknown

By eating seasonally, the chances are your food won’t have had to travel so far. Next time you're at the supermarket, take a look at what’s in your trolley. If you pick up strawberries in January, you'll notice they’re considerably more expensive than those juicy British strawberries we get in summer. That's because they've travelled far and wide to get here.

3. In Abundance

Eating in season when the foods are at their optimum means you'll not only max out on flavour, but they'll be cheaper too because it’s in abundance.

Rooted

Winter is a great time for delicious root vegetables and greens. What better way to give our body a much-needed boost than by feeding it plenty of kale, cabbage, carrots and potatoes, all of which are ‘so’ in season right now! And one of the best ways to provide yourself with a shot of goodness is with a hearty soup. Soups are so simple to make, and you can use any vegetables that may not be quite as fresh as you’d like. Plus, it’s a great chance to raid the spice cupboard.

Here are some delicious winter recipes to help you in your journey to seasonal eating.

Carrot & Sweet Potato Soup with Ginger and Turmeric

A nourishing vegan bean stew that’s warming, inviting and packed full of goodness.

Read Recipe

Winter Bean Stew

When it comes to coughs and colds, spices such as ginger and turmeric are great for helping to keep your immune system fighting fit.

Read Recipe

Winter Warmers

Looking for something a bit sweeter? These delicious drinks will help you feel warm and cosy and get you through the coldest of months.

• For the perfect blend of spices with a delightful hint of our Superblends Turmeric tea, try this non-alcoholic mulled tea.

• Or how about this non-alcoholic mulled cider? A fruity and lightly spiced tea-spiked drink to warm you through.

• And for a decadent treat, why not try a London Fog? A deliciously frothy tea latte with just the right amount of sweetness.

Your journey to wellness starts with how you nourish yourself. Eat with the seasons and stay healthy this winter.

According to the NHS guidelines, our bodies should create enough vitamin D from sunlight between early April to late September; after that, you may need to supplement.

Look on the bright side and give yourself a natural boost by spending more time outdoors, eating plenty of foods rich in vitamin D and adding a supplement to your diet.