As the days get shorter and temperatures start to drop our food cravings can change. In cooler seasons, like fall and winter, our bodies start to crave dense warm foods to keep us warm. This means you will want to eat lots of warm soups, stews, and casseroles. The same happens during spring and summer but we crave lighter and more hydrating foods to keep us cool instead. Typically, summer cravings include smoothies, salads, and cold soups.
During cooler seasons people tend to stay inside and keep away from the sun. This increases the sleep hormone, melatonin, which causes the body to be sleepy and lethargic. Therefore, there is less motivation to get some much-needed daylight and that can cause your body to crave comfort foods and increase your appetite.
Eating more food helps generate more heat because your body is using a little more energy to metabolize the food and the extra weight from denser food keeps you more insulated from the cold. Your body not only wants comfort foods to keep you warm but also because it can make you feel better (depending on your food choice). Comfort foods release the feel-good hormone, serotonin, which can keep you going back for more food because the feeling does not last long. I encourage you to be a bit more vigilant about the volume of comfort foods you take in during the cooler months and try to get outside as often as possible to get some of that winter sunlight.
The opposite happens during spring and summer. The warmer temperatures encourage you to get outside more often which means more sunlight and energy. As your body gets moving more you will start to crave lighter foods, more water to stay cool, and if you’ve been feeding your body healthfully, you’ll lose those hopefully few (if the body is functioning properly) insulating pounds gained during fall and winter.
RECIPE
Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
Ingredients:
1 ½ Pound Brussel sprouts
6 Slices of bacon, chopped
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and prepare a large baking sheet with foil or oil.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the Brussel sprouts, bacon, olive oil, salt, and pepper until evenly coated.
3. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet evenly and bake in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring halfway through.
To Your Health,
Patti
