Feeling Chilly? Eat some Chili!

When the weather gets colder, it makes sense that we crave a warm bowl of chili or soup instead of a cold salad—but it’s not just because these foods make us feel cozier. Our bodies are telling us what we need to eat in the winter, when there’s less sun exposure, the air gets colder and drier, and we’re more prone to getting sick during peak cold and flu seasons.

“Some people are very affected by the longer days, waking up in the dark in the morning and feeling more fatigued or depressed than usual,” says Danielle Omar, a registered dietitian and nutritionist in Fairfax.

Eating particular types of foods, Omar says, can help us stay energized and healthy through the winter.

Spicy foods like chili peppers and seasonings made from chili peppers contain a compound called capsaicin, which makes them spicy and, when eaten, increases our body temperature, creating a warming effect. You will not only be experiencing the soup’s warm temperature, but also the warming effect from the spices. So eating a spicy chili or soup in the winter literally warms you from the inside out.

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