Winters are fast approaching and I can already feel the chill in the air. In fact I have started wearing sweater in the evening. We all know that our food habits play an important role when it comes to dealing with the seasons so my experimentation with food has helped me narrow down on the following foods to keep warm during winters. And.. here’re my favourites :
Saffron 
A magical ingredient formerly used by the kings and queens to keep their skin in prime, saffron is one of the most important food items that you can include in your winter diet. Boil a cup of milk with almonds and saffron to drink during bedtime.
Dry Fruits and nuts
Add dry fruits and nuts to your breakfast that will surely help you in bearing the temperature dip by keeping your body warm. If you’re on a diet, eat more of almonds, walnuts and pistachios while avoiding cashewnuts.
Tulsi Ginger Tea
Nothing beats the cold winter afternoon like a hot cup of tulsi and ginger tea. All you need to do is add grated ginger and fresh tulsi leaves while preparing the tea. You can also consume one or two tulsi leaves in the morning to beat the winter chill!
Turmeric
It is counted amongst the best warming herbs because of its incredible properties. It is also a healing herb. Apart from using it in the vegetables, you can mix it in the hot milk and consume it during the night. You can also make haldi laddoo. It will keep the body pain that happens during the winters at bay! Just to make things clear, I am talking about the ‘fresh haldi’ and not the powdered packet haldi.
Root vegetables and greens
Green vegetables like spinach, methi, green onion and saag are the must-have during the winters. Even the root vegetables like carrot plays an important role in keeping the body warm. So, you should include more root vegetables and greens in your winter diet!
Whole Grain Cereals
Bajra (Pearl Millet), Jowar (Millet), Makkai (Maize), Jau(Barley) and Ragi(Finger Millet) are amongst the five main whole grain cereals that have incredible warming properties. Include them in your diet and you’ll know the difference at once! You can make khichdi with mix whole grains, although I prefer chapatti with a mix of grounded flours.
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