Why We Want to Eat More in Winter

Winter is a time of holidays, presents, and family gatherings. We might also feel extra hungry during this season. While loads of seductive holiday treats can whet the appetite, there are other reasons why our food cravings suddenly get intensified. 5-Minute Crafts is about to tell you about them.

1. You might feel cold.

When your internal temperature drops, your body tries to keep itself warm, therefore, using up more calories. To compensate for this, you can crave something warm and high in carbs and fats to feel more comfortable and satisfied. Also, such foods can naturally warm your body up.

🍲 To be sure you make healthier food choices, add enough protein and fiber to your dishes. Also, you can replace plain carbs with whole grains.

2. You tend to stay inside more.

Bad weather can be the reason why you want to stay indoors during your free days. You might be less active than usual and skip workouts, preferring to curl up cozily in your bed. As a result, you might be snacking more than usual out of boredom, for example.

🤸‍♂️ When you plan on staying at home, you can always make yourself an activity plan. Whether it’s cleaning, dancing, a home workout, or just walking around your home, some extra activity will help you to burn those extra calories.

3. You are probably dehydrated.

When it’s colder, you can lose more fluid through respiratory water loss, like when you breathe in the cold air. Also, you might tend to wear more layers of warmer clothes, which can add extra weight and make your body work harder. This contributes to water loss as well, as you will produce more sweat. When you are dehydrated, you can feel more hungry, and therefore, tend to eat more.

💦 Increase your fluid intake during winter by creating a drinking schedule. Also, you can warm your fluids up and carry them around in a thermos to prevent them from cooling down. Don’t forget to add some foods like cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, or apples to your diet, as they contain a lot of fluid too.

4. It might be the winter blues.

Bad weather might affect your mood and make you feel sadder. Food makes us feel better because it helps to release hormones of happiness and dopamine. That’s why craving something tasty during winter is only natural.

🌮 When treating yourself to awesome winter comfort foods, add in some healthy options that are known for boosting your mood, like fatty fish, dark chocolate, bananas, fermented foods, berries, oats, nuts and seeds, beans, and lentils.