5 foods to warm you up while energy costs soar

The rising cost of energy bills has left many of us making changes to how we run our homes. Whether it’s fitting a smart meter, changing the timing on our central heating or limiting the amount of time we use certain appliances, the price increase has made us more aware of the energy we use. Of course, common sense prevails in most cases, and we’re likely all familiar with the economic settings on our machines, but are there any changes we can make to our diets to boost our metabolism and heat us up? After all, it’s not uncommon to turn to spicey foods to ‘sweat out a cold,’ so can we eat certain things to increase blood flow and keep us warm? Yes, we can! Here are 5 foods which can keep you warm in winter thanks to UK Food Intolerance. 

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is synonymous with autumn and winter, and there’s a good reason for it. It has many health benefits despite being added to lattes and other seasonal sweet treats. Along with its thermogenic properties that can increase your body temperature when it’s cold, it can also help to improve your memory and gut health whilst supporting healthy blood sugar levels. Cinnamon is also highly versatile and loaded with antioxidants, so you can add it to hot drinks and porridge or enjoy it in cakes knowing you’re getting a warming health kick at the same time.

Ginger

From tea and biscuits to stir-fries and curries, ginger adds a kick to whatever food it’s added to. Its ability to relax blood vessels helps to increase blood flow throughout the body and causes a warming effect, making it the perfect spice to add to your winter drinks and soups. In fact, the heat of ginger tea can raise your body temperature in just ten minutes after being consumed, so it’s worth keeping some in the cupboard to sip on during those colder days.

Coffee

For those of us who need a coffee or two in the morning to get going, you’ll be pleased to know that the caffeine it contains activates thermogenesis (the process of heat production in organisms), which has a warming effect on the body. If you’re not a fan of coffee, caffeine is also found in some teas and hot chocolate made from cocoa; make sure you avoid the decaf options and stick to the solid stuff to keep toasty!

Cayenne

Although many spices are known to promote perspiration to cool you down, cayenne is very versatile and can also warm you up. Thanks to it containing a phytochemical called capsaicin, it helps to heat up your body because it’s digested slowly and increases gastric blood flow. If you’re a fan of spicy foods, jalapenos also contain capsaicin and will have the same warming effect (and kick!) if you add them to your meals.  

Root vegetables

It’s no coincidence that traditional seasonal meals contain lots of root veg such as parsnips, sweet potatoes and carrots. Because they’re made up of complex carbohydrates, their high fibre content means they’re slowly digested. This, in turn, generates heat in the body and helps to warm it up. So whether they’re mashed, sliced, roasted or boiled, root vegetables give your body a healthy boost of vitamins and minerals and the perfect winter warmer.

Find out which foods can keep your warm

If you’d like information about food intolerance tests and how they can help you to feel your best this winter, please email [email protected] or fill out the contact form on our website.