Six foods to prepare and eat during the cold weather

Nothing beats a warm hearty meal when the temperatures drop.

To keep yourself warm during this cold season there are some foods you can prepare to regulate the body temperature.

Keep it simple because at the end of the day, no one wants to spend ages in the kitchen preparing a meal that will be consumed in less than an hour and the hunger pangs come knocking again.

Don’t be restricted to altering the recipes to your preference so long as they are healthy and jam packed with nutrients.

This is among the best food for cold weather you can get! Porridge takes a goodly while for the body to digest which means it releases its energy more slowly, keeping you feeling fuller for longer. You can make a bowl of wimbi porridge or oatmeal which helps lower the cholesterol level. Besides its nutritional value, porridge helps to warm the body and all it takes is about 15 minutes to prepare.

Taking foods like tomatoes, oranges and potatoes that are rich in vitamin C helps the immune system to stay up as well as keeping the energy levels up. These foods will also help regulate your body temperature while fighting off flus and colds during this season.

Soup is good due to its nutritious nature. You can try making vegetable soup, pumpkin soup with lots of garlic and ginger which are super foods to help fight diseases and regulate body temperature. To save time you can opt for packaged soups or boil some meat and bones to make a mouthwatering broth you can drink.

They are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium, potassium and some iron. Sweet potatoes are also good in fighting cancer. All you need to prepare is to boil, roast or fry depending on what you want. When ready they can be taken for breakfast with tea or hot chocolate which will help keep the body warm especially in the morning or for lunch alongside some rice and stew.

Ginger is known to be a super food that contains thermogenic properties that keep the body warm. It is said to improve circulation and dispel internal cold as it increases the Yang energy in the body while normalizing digestion and promoting blood flow. To prepare a steaming cup, boil water, ground ginger or ginger root together with milk and tea leaves which is optional then let it cool and enjoy. Alternatively you can boil water with ginger then once cool, add lemon and honey to taste.

Nothing beats a hearty chilli stew. All you have to do is put some of your favorite ingredients, stock and some chilli in a large pot and let it simmer for a few hours as you catch up on some Netflix. The peppers in the stew contain a compound called capsaicin which gives them their spicy kick. It's also thought to boost metabolism and fight the buildup of fat.