Winter is here in all its glory, and while most of us our thoroughly enjoying the nip in the air, there are people who are struggling with a slew of seasonal infections that often manifest in cold, cough and flu. It is tough to guage this weather, you think you are appropriately covered in multiple of layers woolen drinking chai, thinking you have defeated flu, but one can never be sure. Which is why it is always a good idea to make necessary tweaks to one's diet a well. There are many Indian dishes that could help boost your immunity this season, here are some of them.
(Also Read: COVID-19: 5 Diet Tips For Boosting Immunity)
1. Tomato Pepper Rasam
Tomato rasam is a very popular South Indian dish, which is often consumed with steamed rice. You can also consume it as soup. The main ingredients involved to make this recipe are tomato, tamarind, black pepper, turmeric, cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, garlic and ginger. This recipe has variety of spices that help in digestion. Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C and have a chemical compound-lycopene, garlic has allicin, ginger has gingerol, and turmeric has curcumin, which act as powerful antioxidants and also has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which can relieve coughs and colds.
(Also Read: Immunity: Make This Lemon-Ginger Rasam Recipe For A Soul-Satisfying Treat (Recipe Video Inside)
Tomato rasam is a popular South Idian dish
2. Sarson da Saag
“Sarson da saag'' is a popular North Indian dish, from Punjab, it is traditionally served with ‘makki (Corn) ki roti' and ‘makkhan' (home-made butter). The main ingredients required to make this healthy dish are mustard greens, spinach, radish leaves, ginger, garlic and chilies. It is prepared with seasonally grown fresh green leafy vegetables which are rich in vitamins and minerals like calcium, iron, vitamin A, C, K, folic acid etc., they are also a great source of antioxidants like carotenoids which helps in boosting immunity.
(Also Read: How To Make Punjabi Sarso Da Saag)
Sarso ka saag is a Punjabi speciality
3. Bajra Khichdi
Bajra Khichdi is famous one-pot dish from Rajasthan. It is also popular in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Gujarat, etc. You can have it stand-alone, or in combination with mung dal with a variety of local and seasonal vegetables to enhance the taste and nutrients. It is often served with curd or kadhi. Bajra which is the main ingredient of this dish, is rich in protein and other nutrients like iron, phosphorus, etc., it has good amount of insoluble fibre, which acts as prebiotic which helps in the growth of probiotics (good bacteria) which is often present in fermented foods like curd, yogurt, etc. the combination of both prebiotic and probiotic helps in boosting overall gut health.
(Also Read: Diabetes Diet: Bajre Ki Khichdi Benefits And Recipe To Regulate Blood Sugar)
bajra khichdi is good for diabetes management too
4. Undhiyu
Undhiyu is a delicacy of Gujarat made of a mixture of vegetables grown in winter. This dish is a combination of all types of vegetables whether it is green leafy, or the ones grown underground. The rich variety of vegetable used in the dish makes this dish rich in fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, which does wonders for your immunity.
(Also Read: Undhiyu: Gujarat's Signature Winter Dish, Cooked Especially on Makar Sankranti)
5. Saunth Makhana Laddu
These laddus are most often eaten in winter across the country. The main ingredients present in this laddu are foxnuts (makhana), dry ginger powder (Saunth), dry coconut, dry fruits and nuts, seeds, jaggery and ghee. All the ingredients when combined together, enhances its taste and a number of health benefits. Foxnuts are rich in protein, fibre, calcium, magnesium etc. Ginger powder has powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties which helps in fighting the infection and boosting the immune system. This laddu can be consumed with turmeric milk at bed time or eaten at any other time of the day; it is suitable for all age groups.
Ladoos are consumed in huge numbers in winter
About Author: Ms. Shilpa Singh is an Executive Nutritionist at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Vashi
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