When winter rolls in, it’s really hard to resist eating our favourite heart warming dishes like a potato casserole, fondue, sticky toffee pudding, and of course a comforting shepherd's pie.
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But the reason why most winter foods are hearty is because it's actually packed with high-fat ingredients.
Why winter foods are high in fat
There is, however, a good explanation for this and we’ve actually been eating this way for centuries.
Professor Pierre Déchelotte explains in an interview with L’Obs magazine:
In cold weather we need more energy to keep our body temperature at 37°C.
That might have been a good excuse to pack on the food a couple of decades ago, but the nutritionist says that it's no longer the case. He adds:
But in today's environment, it no longer applies because our energy needs have decreased considerably.
For tradition’s sake
Apart from going to work and returning home, very few of us are really exposed to the freezing cold. So if we’re only thinking in terms of nutritional gain, it actually doesn’t make any sense for us to eat fattier foods so that we can burn more energy.
Instead, over the years we’ve used these copious dishes to bring family and friends together. It is for that reason that you should definitely not feel guilty for indulging in your favourite foods during the winter season.
According to Professor Pierre, you should probably be focusing on getting more vitamin D than anything else.
But of course, if you are planning on going overboard with eating—like all of us do—you should probably also make sure to add more exercise to your routine as well. He suggests that:
We move more. [...] In everyday life we should pay attention to a balanced, varied and light diet.
