It is quite common to put aside many foods and meals when fall and winter arrive. For example, ice creams, seafood salpicón, pasta salads, salmorejo, vegetable creams, etc. But, is there an article in the Spanish Constitution that prevents us from continuing with these meals in other seasons of the year?
Winter is coming and with it the cold. This translates into the disappearance of ice cream or cold desserts, in the reduction of salads and cold vegetable creams, in gazpachos, etc. and the spoon dishes arrive. With the cold, chickpea stews, lentils, broad beans and kidney beans, beans, baked dishes, hot drinks, warm soups and broths, etc. come back.
But as we say, nobody forces us to make that change, what’s more, we can continue eating ice creams, since going barefoot, having desserts and cold drinks and sleeping uncovered or getting wet in the rain does not give us a cold. It has already been shown in a scientific study that what causes us to catch a cold and fall ill is our immune system . For a moment, it weakens, that protective barrier is broken, and that’s why we catch a cold.
The healthy, varied and balanced diet helps us equip ourselves with a strong immune system capable of saving us from almost any external agent. We say almost, because if we get salmonella, E. Coli or some serious bacteria, we will need medical help.
The diet in winter should vary
It is normal that in the middle of December or January we have more desire for a warm plate of lentils than for a cold asparagus cream, but our diet should not vary. Nor do we have to reduce the hydration of the diet in winter, but we have to continue drinking between 1.5 and 2 liters of water a day.
The water is a separate issue, since each person has hydration needs that should never be exceeded. An athlete is not the same as a pregnant woman. Nor, if we are adults or minors.
There is also another myth that says that the diet in winter has to be high in calories and the consumption of meat must also be increased. We are not bears that are going to hibernate for several months. The calories should be the same almost constantly , except that, for health issues, weight loss diets, to gain muscle or something similar, you have to make variations in the calories consumed per day.
With respect to the consumption of meat in the habitual diet, it is necessary to drastically reduce red meat , be it summer or winter. This type of meat has been directly related to the increase in cancer cases in our country, as well as cholesterol problems, hypertension and other serious diseases. It is better to reduce your meat consumption, or in any case, opt for lean meats and oily fish.
The only thing that varies in our diet because its age of maturity changes with the seasons, are fruits and vegetables. This is why mandarins, grapes, pears and custard apples are so common in winter, or pumpkins, chard, spinach, cabbages, leeks, etc.
Experts support increasing vitamin C , so we should eat oranges, tangerines, currants, blueberries, kiwis, peppers, broccoli, grapefruits, strawberries, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc.
