Balancing Foods for Winter

Eat Heavier Foods to Stay Warm, Energized, and Resilient

During winter, when daytime temperatures are consistently below 45℉, your body naturally craves more fuel to stay balanced. This is the time to embrace wholesome, cooked foods rich in protein and healthy fats. Larger portions are also fine—as long as your digestion can keep up. These warming, sustaining meals not only generate heat to counter the cold but also help your body store essential nutrients like good fats, proteins, and minerals. This reserve strengthens your immunity and keeps your energy steady, preparing you to transition smoothly into the dynamic changes that spring will bring.

What Foods Should You Eat in Winter?

In early and midwinter, prioritize the sweet, sour, and salty tastes to stay grounded and nourished. As the season begins to shift toward spring, gradually transition your diet to include more pungent, bitter, and astringent tastes to support the body’s natural rhythm and prepare for the seasonal change.

Balance with foods that are:

• heavy (high quality dairy, basmati rice, baked goods, protein-rich)
• moist (soups and stews)
• oily (cultured ghee, olive oil)
• warm, soft (cooked via stewing, boiling, braising)  
• Sweet (building foods), sour (digestive foods), and salty tastes

Examples of foods to eat during the winter:

• soups, stews and roasts with seasonal root vegetables
• hot ginger and other herbal teas
• whole grain breads and healthy pastries
• whole grains, small beans and lentils
• A2 whole milk, fresh cheese, yogurt, ghee

Stay away from foods that are:

• heavily sweet → While the sweet taste is balancing during the winter season, it’s important to understand that “sweet” means foods that build our bodily tissues, not necessarily sugary foods. Avoid excessive sweetness, as it can weaken your digestive fire, leading to sluggish digestion, inflammation, and potential weight gain. 
• cold and cooling (from the fridge or freezer OR have a cooling metabolic effect, like coconut)
• iced (from the freezer)
• raw (salads)
• dry (crackers, chips, popcorn, buckwheat)
• congesting (anything cold and thick such as Greek yogurt or simply too heavy for your digestion) 

Examples of foods to avoid or decrease in the winter:

• deep-fried food and nut butters
• winter squash and large beans
• pastries and other sweets made with refined sweeteners, flours, and oils
• cold dairy and raw salads
• coconut and zucchini

It is best to avoid detoxing and cleansing during the winter (unless recommended by a medical professional and while under their close supervision), as it may aggravate and increase your digestive fire, which will only further create a burning effect among your physiology if it is not properly fed (as is the case during fasting).