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6 ways to beat the winter blues with food

Winter is a common time to feel the blues, due to the lack of sunshine and the amount of illnesses going around.

Feeling a little down may cause you to turn to the sugary snacks like chocolate and sweets for a quick energy boost, but here are some top tips which may help you put a spring back into your step, in time for spring.

  1. Consume whole grain, high fibre versions of foods like brown rice or wholemeal bread as these products cause blood sugar to rise slowly (in comparison to simple carbohydrates like white bread which are broken down quickly and can cause blood sugar levels to spike).
  2. Did you know that consuming foods which contain fructose (a simple sugar which is naturally found in fruit) leads to lower blood sugar rise compared to foods containing sucrose or glucose? Swap those midday snacks like crisps, chocolate bars, biscuits or sweets for some fruit. Bananas, Oranges, Pineapple, Plums, Apples, Mangoes and Berries like Strawberries, Blueberries and Raspberries are all great choices.     
  3. Stick to regular mealtimes and make sure that you don’t skip breakfast. A great breakfast choice is porridge with a sprinkle of nuts – or oats topped with fruit.
  4. Winter is often a time when we feel under the weather due to the abundance of colds and flu which are going around. Vitamin C contributes to the normal functioning of the immune system and helps contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue. Good sources of vitamin C include kiwis, peppers, broccoli, mangoes, strawberries and citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits.
  5. Between the autumn and winter months, you need to get your Vitamin D from your food or supplementation due to the sunlight not being strong enough for the body to make its own Vitamin D. Some sources of Vitamin D include oily fish like salmon, mackerel, fresh tuna or foods fortified with Vitamin D like breakfast cereals. The Government also recommends taking a 10 mcg supplement of Vitamin D during the winter months to help keep healthy bones, teeth and muscles.
  6. Our last tip to combat those blues is exercise. Taking a break and going for a walk midday which will allow you to get some sunlight and may help put your mind at ease too.

Read the Morrisons guide to eating a balanced diet here >>

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