As the days get colder and darker, our nutritional needs shift. Winter is the season for comfort, but it’s also a time when immunity, mood, and energy can take a hit. To stay healthy and resilient, here’s your essential winter nutrition checklist, featuring foods and supplements that can help you feel your best.
1. Root Veggies
Root vegetables like carrots, squash, celeriac and beetroot are a fibre-rich source of complex carbohydrates, which means they release their sugar more slowly into the blood and feed our healthy gut bacteria. These starchy veggies help many of our clients satisfy “carb cravings” or their sweet tooth, whilst avoiding unhealthy and inflammatory blood sugar spikes likes a typical sweet treat. Roots are also a fantastic source of vitamins A, C and carotenoid antioxidants. These nutrients can help support immunity by reducing chronic inflammation.
• Easy Ways to Add Them: Roast root veggies in batches with olive oil and garlic and use throughout the week in salads, blend into hearty soups with beans or lentils, or add to warming soups and stews.
• Why They Work: The natural sugars in root vegetables break down slowly, helping maintain steady blood glucose and energy levels throughout the day.
2. Citrus Fruits
Winter is the perfect time to stock up on seasonal citrus fruits like oranges, grapefruits, and clementines. These fruits are loaded with vitamin C, which plays a key role in the functioning of our immune system and a food-first approach is always best. That said, there is some evidence that taking a vitamin C supplement at the very first signs of a cold can help reduce symptoms and speed recovery by a day or two.
• Easy Ways to Add Them: Add orange or grapefruit segments to salads, use the juice as a basis for dressings and squeeze lemon into hot water with honey to soothe a sore throat.
• Why They Work: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect cells from oxidative stress (damage by free radicals) and bolsters the immune system.
For more on the benefits of vitamin C, see BBC Good Food’s guide on immunity (BBC Good Food).
3. Dark Leafy Greens
Winter greens like kale, spinach, and Swiss chard are rich in vitamins A, C and K; minerals like iron and calcium; and fibre to feed your healthy, anti-inflammatory gut bugs. These nutrients are particularly helpful for immune support during the colder months.
• Easy Ways to Add Them: Toss greens into soups, blend them into smoothies, or sauté with garlic for a tasty side dish.
• Why They Work: Their fibre and micronutrient content supports the gut-immune axis
If you need some inspiration for how to include more leafy greens in new and delicious ways, check out these recipes
4. Oily Fish
The SMASH fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines and herring) are rich in omega-3, with less contamination from heavy metals like mercury than larger fish. Fish and seafood are the only food sources of EPA and DHA, the long-chain omega-3 fatty acids which which help reduce inflammation and support brain health. They’re also one of the few food sources of vitamin D, which is especially beneficial during winter when we can’t make it from sunlight on skin.
• Easy Ways to Add It: Enjoy a warming salmon curry, whip up an instant smoked mackerel paté with cream cheese and lemon juice, or use tinned sardines or anchovies in a spaghetti puttanesca.
• Why They Work: Omega-3s support heart and brain health, while vitamin D helps regulate immune responses and low levels are associated with low mood.
For more on the importance of omega-3s, see British Heart Foundation’s guide to healthy eating (British Heart Foundation).
5. Nuts and Seeds
Nuts and seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds, are rich in healthy fats, protein, and minerals. They’re ideal for adding warmth and satiety to your diet and support heart health and overall wellbeing.
• Easy Ways to Add Them: Sprinkle mixed seeds on porridge or yogurt (we love Linwoods milled blends), have a small handful of nuts for a filling snack and add nut butters to stir fries and curries.
• Why They Work: Nuts and seeds provide healthy fats that help absorb fat-soluble vitamins (like vitamin E), which supports skin and immune health.
6. Ginger and Turmeric
Both warming and anti-inflammatory, these spices are perfect for winter. Ginger is also known for its soothing effects on digestion and helps support immunity. Turmeric helps stop viruses invading our cells so regular use in cooking might help ward off infections. Always have turmeric with a source of fat and a pinch of black pepper, which dramatically improve absorption in the gut. While curcumin gets all the press, there are actually 300+ compounds in turmeric, all/any of which may be beneficial or acting synergistically, so we would always suggest using the whole food form (the root) over a curcumin supplement.
• Easy Ways to Add Them: Grate fresh ginger into soups, marinades and curries, try arecipe for “golden milk” in place of your usual coffee, or swap booze for a fiery Moju shot or Mother Root ginger switchel with sparkling water.
• Why They Work: Ginger and turmeric contain powerful compounds that support immunity and reduce inflammation.
Spices like ginger are an easy way to add warmth and support digestion in winter, as noted by BBC Good Food (BBC Good Food).
7. Probiotic-Rich Foods
Probiotic-rich foods like kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut are essential for gut health. These foods help maintain a balanced microbiome and healthy gut function, which is inextricably linked with immunity since over 70% of our immune system is housed in the gut.
• Easy Ways to Add Them: Add yogurt to breakfast bowls, enjoy kefir in smoothies, or top salads with sauerkraut.
• Why They Work: Probiotics support a healthy diverse balance of microbes in the gut, which supports immune response and digestion.
Incorporating probiotics is a great way to stay well through winter, as recommended by British Nutrition Foundation (BNF).
8. Vitamin D Supplements
With limited sunlight in winter, vitamin D levels can drop, which affects immunity, mood, and bone health. While some foods contain vitamin D, it can be difficult to get enough from diet alone, so a supplement is often recommended.
• How to Take It: Test don’t guess! While NHS guidelines recommend a blanket 10 micrograms a day in winter for everyone, if you’re truly deficient (something we see a lot in clinic!) this won’t touch the sides. Equally, you can have too much of a good thing – especially true of fat soluble vitamins which are stored and can build up in the body to toxic levels. We have seen too many instances of sky high levels from clients self-prescribing high dose supplements and staying on them long-term.
• Why It Works: Vitamin D is crucial for immune health and mood support, especially in winter months when natural sunlight is limited.
Final Thoughts
A balanced winter diet packed with nutrient-dense foods can help you stay strong and energised through the season. By incorporating these essential foods and supplements, you’re giving your body the support it needs to thrive. Embrace the season with nourishing, warming foods, and stay well!
