As winter arrives, we are all looking for ways to keep warm, but have you considered the food you are eating? Thermogenic food is thought to keep you feeling cosy, and here the catering equipment supplier Alliance Online Ireland has rounded up some foods that can help keep you warm.
What are thermogenic foods?
As we digest food, our bodies produce heat, and this process is called thermogenesis. The longer it takes our bodies to digest the food we have eaten, the more heat will be produced in this process. This means that foods that take longer to digest will release energy more slowly, and so will keep us warm for longer.
Some nutritionists claim that certain foods have more of a thermogenic effect than others, but there is still some debate about whether this is actually true. However, it is certainly true that eating slow-release foods can help keep you fuller for longer, which in turn will help make you feel warmer — especially if those foods are hot when consumed. So, which foodstuffs should you gravitate towards to keep your body warmer this winter?
Protein
Any kind of protein-rich food will help to make you feel warmer. This is because protein is digested much slower than simple carbohydrates, like sugary snacks. You can take advantage of this by cooking up a hearty Irish stew, with a meat like beef, lamb, or mutton as your main protein. To up the protein content even more, try adding lentils, which can also be a great meat substitute if you are vegetarian.
Eggs are another great way of increasing your protein intake, and a classic Irish breakfast including fried eggs, mushrooms, and baked beans can both fill you up, and keep your body warm right through until lunchtime.
Wholegrains and complex carbohydrates
Switching from simple carbohydrates, like white bread, to complex ones, like brown bread, pasta, and rice, can have a big impact in terms of keeping you cosy. Complex wholegrain carbohydrates release energy slowly, making them more thermogenic than the white versions. They also contain proteins that are absent in white rice, bread, and pasta because of the way those ingredients are processed.
For an easy fix of complex carbs, swap white bread for brown in your lunchtime sandwiches and morning toast, and try pairing stews and casseroles with wholegrain rice. Though all kinds of potatoes are a great source of energy, sweet potatoes release energy slower and so can be a great addition, and make a tasty topping for shepherd's pie. You could even try making colcannon or boxty with sweet potato, or a mix of sweet and regular potato.
Seeds and grains
Often overlooked, seeds and grains are great potential thermogenic foods. They contain a good mix of complex carbohydrates and proteins, and can provide an extra bit of variety to meals. Porridge is a filling and warming breakfast, and can be made with whole oats to provide maximum thermogenic warmth. You can add flax seeds, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds to it for added protein and slow-release energy.
This is also a good option to add something extra to bulk up homemade soda bread, and can be sprinkled on top of a potato soup to make for a more filling lunch. There are also plenty of warming seafood chowder recipes that you can add pearl barley to in order to bulk them out, while still making the most of the beautiful seafood available on the Irish coastline.
Ginger
Ginger is another food thought to be thermogenic, and can help warm you up when included in a recipe or made into a herbal tea. You can buy ginger teabags, or cut up fresh ginger and add it to boiling water to let it infuse. This spice is also great to add to everything from curries to baking, and can spice up a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea too.
Root vegetables
As well as containing complex carbohydrates, root vegetables also contain plenty of fibre, which takes longer for your body to digest and therefore helps you feel warmer. There are plenty of recipes including root vegetables that can become staples in your diet this winter, and you might already be cooking some of these anyway.
Roasted root vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, beetroots, swede, and radishes, can make a tasty addition to a classic roast dinner. You can also add these vegetables to a beef stew, or blend them into a hearty soup.
"In winter, we're all looking for ways to warm up, and food can be a great way to keep ourselves cosy," said John Girvan, manager at Alliance Online Ireland. "Eating hot meals instead of cold snacks and sandwiches can have a big impact, so take a moment to heat up leftovers or soup at lunchtime if you have access to a microwave. Hot drinks will also have the same effect, so it's always worth bringing a flask of hot tea, coffee, or soup with you on chilly days for an instant dose of warmth on the go.
"If you're going to be cooking a lot of hearty food from scratch over the winter, it's a good idea to make sure your cooking utensils and equipment are up to the job. Having a large casserole pot for stews, and good quality knives to chop up vegetables, produce, and meat, can make cooking much easier and more fun. You could also consider investing in a slow cooker, which will make cooking soups and stews a breeze."
