EAT TO BEAT… WINTER BLUES

THOSE who suffer from seasonal affective disorder, or SAD, often overeat or binge as a form of self-medication.

They crave carbohydrate-rich foods containing starch and sugar, as that’s what triggers the production of the mood-lifting neurotransmitter serotonin.

Most SAD sufferers experience extreme tiredness, sleep more than usual, and have a significant increase in appetite — and therefore weight — during the winter months. But it’s not just those with SAD. We all reach for more starchy foods — bread, pasta, cereal, cakes — in the colder months to boost energy and alleviate the winter blues.

There’s nothing wrong with that, as long as we also consider the fats and protein we need.

It’s the sugary, refined foods such as biscuits, doughnuts and sweets that we need to avoid. Yes, they deliver an instant hit of energy, but that’s caused by a spike in blood sugar that, in the end, leads to more cravings and inevitable weight gain.

Lunchtime spuds

USE baked or sweet potatoes to satisfy the need for starch and wean yourself off that midafternoon chocolate bar.

Opt for a protein-rich topping — chicken, smoked salmon, hummus, goats’ cheese — to help temper the sugar rush caused by the potato itself. Eating the fibrous skin helps to reduce this, too.

Oily fish for vitamin D

VITAMIN D is a key mood nutrient, and also crucial for bone health and a well-functioning immune system.

Low levels are associated with low serotonin, which our body uses up faster in the winter.

Increase your intake of vitamin D-rich oily fish such as mackerel, salmon, trout and herring. Or go to work on an egg — one large boiled egg contains approximately 10 per cent of your daily recommended vitamin D intake.

An orange a day

CITRUS fruits make one of the best sweet treats, since their pith contains a satisfying amount of fibre.

Oranges were the highestranked fruit on the ‘satiety index’ of 38 foods compiled by Australian researchers, in order of how full they left people feeling for the longest time after eating.

Oranges were ranked almost as high as porridge and higher than eggs, bread, pasta and rice.

They were an astonishing three to four times better at satisfying hunger than pastries, cakes and doughnuts.

So reaching for an orange (or an apple, which comes a close second) is ideal when sugar cravings first hit. If they then persist, you can reassess. However, having this fruit, and allowing yourself some time to feel the satisfaction, can be a good strategy when it comes to unravelling the vicious cycle of cravings.