Nutrition: 5 Essential Vitamins And Minerals In Winter.
To better cope with the cold and seasonal viruses, it is quite common to take a course of dietary supplements in autumn. But do you know which nutrients are most useful for staying healthy during the winter season? We invite you to discover the 5 essential vitamins and minerals for your winter health.
1- Vitamin C
Not surprisingly, vitamin C tops the list of the 5 essential vitamins and minerals in winter. This vitamin, also known as ascorbic acid, has numerous benefits for combating low energy and immunity often associated with the winter season.
Vitamin C contributes to the proper functioning of the immune system and nervous system. It is therefore essential for fighting infections and seasonal viruses, and for maintaining a positive mood until the return of spring.
Since your body cannot produce it on its own, you need to obtain this vitamin from your diet by consuming fresh fruits and vegetables. The plants richest in vitamin C are blackcurrants, kiwis, oranges, and parsley. You can also find it in other citrus fruits like clementines and grapefruits.
2- Vitamin D
Another essential in the field of dietary supplements, vitamin D is one of the 5 essential vitamins and minerals in winter. Indeed, this vitamin contributes to the strength of bones by facilitating the proper absorption of calcium and reinforces the immune defenses by acting on white blood cells.
Unfortunately, during the winter season, most people are deficient in this vitamin because it is synthesized in the skin when exposed to sunlight. During a time of year when days are shorter and less sunny, it can be useful to take a vitamin D supplement, at a rate of one ampoule per month.
If you want to increase your intake through food, know that it is mainly found in fatty fish such as sardines in oil, salmon, and trout, but also in egg yolks and mushrooms. However, to properly synthesize this vitamin, you will need to expose yourself to sunlight every day.
3- Zinc
If zinc is on the list of the 5 essential vitamins and minerals in winter, it's because this trace element plays an important role in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids. It contributes to the good health and beauty of the skin, hair, and nails.
But most importantly, it participates in the proper functioning of the immune system by increasing the activation of lymphocytes (the famous white blood cells). Adequate zinc intake helps reduce the risk of catching winter viruses such as a cold or flu, or at least limit the severity and duration of symptoms.
In terms of food, the richest sources of zinc are seafood, starting with oysters, nuts, cocoa powder, as well as cow's milk and cow's cheese.
4- Magnesium
Among the 5 essential vitamins and minerals in winter, it is necessary to mention magnesium. This mineral salt participates in more than 300 chemical reactions in our body.
It is particularly useful in case of low energy and low mood. By acting on the central nervous system, this nutrient also facilitates falling asleep. That's why magnesium is one of your best allies to face winter!
Do not hesitate to take a cure if you are prone to seasonal depression and feel particularly irritable or tired in winter. You are probably deficient if you have twitching or jumping eyelids (a symptom whose medical name is fasciculation).
The foods richest in magnesium are dried seaweed, pumpkin seeds, almonds with their skin, dark chocolate, walnuts, and oat flakes.
5- Vitamin E
Finally, if you have particularly sensitive skin to cold and temperature changes, note that vitamin E is one of the 5 essential vitamins and minerals in winter.
This vitamin, which prevents skin dryness and has antioxidant properties, helps the epidermis cope with more difficult weather conditions in winter. Moreover, it is not its only virtue for health as vitamin E also serves in the production of red blood cells that transport oxygen in the blood.
The main sources of vitamin E in the diet are nuts, sunflower seeds, avocado, vegetable oils, and to a lesser extent, leafy green vegetables such as spinach.
