Warm-up food refers to food with a warming nature that raises body temperature and keeps the body warm when consumed. A rise of 1℃ (1.8°F) in our body temperature can enhance our immunity by about five times. So, if the cold winter wind has stolen your body heat, how about boosting your temperature and preventing colds with warm-up food?
Chives: If your hands and feet are cold, try them
Chives are a high iron content vegetable, making them excellent for hematopoiesis. They also aid in blood circulation and are an excellent food for raising body temperature. They are particularly beneficial for people with cold hands and feet, and consuming them raw or as juice is recommended, as stated in Donguibogam, an ancient Korean medical text. Chives also aid in sodium excretion, so that regular consumption can improve a frail constitution. So, why not make good use of side dishes made with chives?
Radish: Warms the body
Radish is a typical ingredient with a cold nature, but did you know it raises our body temperature? The high water content in radish promotes blood circulation and generates heat in the process. It also has excellent detoxifying properties. If you want more dramatic effects, boiling and drinking it with cinnamon, jujube, and bellflower will be beneficial.
Ginge: Highly effective in raising body temperature
Ginger, excellent in removing waste from the blood and aiding metabolism, is highly effective in raising the fallen body temperature during winter. Gingerol, which gives ginger its spicy flavor, stimulates sweat secretion, expelling waste with the sweat. Mainly, it stimulates the gastric mucosa, increasing the secretion of gastric juice, and our body naturally generates heat in this process. Ginger has a much more significant warming effect when boiled and drunk as tea, so if your hands and feet are chilly, it is recommended to drink ginger tea instead of water.
Pumpkin: Rich in beta-carotene
Pumpkin, a typical warm-up food, has a warm nature that aids our body’s circulation and raises body temperature. Beta-carotene in pumpkin helps increase body temperature by aiding oxygen supply and blood circulation in the body. It also removes active oxygen, helping to relieve fatigue. Pumpkin can be used in various dishes such as salads, porridge, and steamed dishes, and to warm the body, it is better to boil porridge than to eat cold salads.
Quince: Helps eliminate waste
Quince may not be pretty, but it’s one of the fruits with a pleasing aroma, tangy taste, and excellent efficacy. Its warm nature makes it suitable for preventing colds and boosting immunity. It also helps with blood circulation and waste removal. Rather than eating it as is, it’s easier to consume as a tea. Instead of high-sugar beverages, we recommend delicious and healthy quince tea.
Chicken: The king of protein
Chicken has a warm nature that adds vitality, warms the stomach and spleen, enhances digestion, and energizes the body. It is composed of white flesh, high in protein, and rich in amino acids like isoleucine, which increase the metabolic rate and warm the body.
Red Beans: Sweet and bitter
Red bean porridge, traditionally eaten in Korea on the winter solstice, is also a food that helps you get through the winter. The porridge contains a lot of vitamin B1, which supports energy metabolism and keeps the body warm. Red beans have six times more protein than milk, 117 times more iron, and 23 times more vitamin B3, helping children’s health in the growth period and older people who need protein supplementation.
Walnuts: Good high-calorie snack
With over 650 calories per 100g, walnuts are an excellent snack for raising body temperature. They are rich in magnesium and facilitate metabolism, but they also contain a large amount of vitamin E, which protects blood vessels, effectively preventing circulatory disorders. They also help in insulin secretion, preventing diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, consuming them excessively can lead to diarrhea, so eating only about 8-10 nuts per day is recommended.
Cinnamon: Sterilizing effect
Cinnamon helps increase blood flow and promote blood circulation. The main component of cinnamon, ‘cinnamaldehyde,’ has sterilizing and anti-cancer effects, so people with digestive disorders, constipation, and cold hands and feet can alleviate symptoms by eating cinnamon regularly. You can boil cinnamon with ginger to make tea; if it tastes bitter, you can sweeten it with a bit of honey.
Honey: Helps restore vitality
Honey, a natural nutritional supplement, contains plenty of vitamins, minerals, and various enzymes. It is especially rich in polyphenol components, which help boost immunity. Honey helps lower blood cholesterol by aiding antioxidant activity and raises our body temperature. You can eat ginger pickled in honey or as a slice, and if you mix it with ginger tea, you can see twice the effect.
By. Jeon Shin Young
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