In the middle of winter, particularly in the midst of a cold snap, many of us want to do whatever we can to keep warm, and superfood suppliers are on hand to give you ingredients to put a fire in your stomach and a spring in your step.
Thankfully, there are plenty of ingredients that provide a little bit of both, primarily through sweet and spicy flavour profiles as well as extra nutrients, minerals and vitamins that make them quite special.
Here are some ideal choices for superfoods that can help perk you up on winter mornings and keep you warm during those long, cold nights.
- Jaggery
On the one hand, jaggery is basically distilled sugar and has both the positive and negative aspects of sugar. On the other hand, it is sugar that contains selenium, iron and zinc, which gives it an antioxidant property not commonly associated with the sweetener.
A small dash of jaggery can enhance the flavour of many meals, both sweet and savoury, so it is worth having a small block around.
- Ginger
A perfect winter warmup spice, fresh ginger contains potassium and protein, can help with cold and nausea symptoms and has a long reputation for helping soothe the digestive system.
Most people have enjoyed ginger biscuits or food containing ginger, and the comforting spicy warmth has provided comfort to people for many years.
- Honey
Whilst also a delicious natural sweetener, honey has historically been used as a form of medicine and to treat burns, and much like ginger has a history of being used to help treat the flu during the winter because of the nutrients contained within it, which vary depending on the honey’s origins.
- Saffron
Another popular spice that is commonly used alongside turmeric to brighten up savoury dishes, saffron helps our skin, has antioxidant compounds and has a reputation for helping to boost people’s moods.