Food items that one must avoid during the winters

It is better to avoid dairy products in winter as they thicken the mucus and cause congestion. If you have an existing cough and cold, it can deteriorate the condition. Therefore, replace the animal dairy products like milk, cream, cheese etc. with plant based products like soy milk, almond milk etc. They will also help to control the weight gain.

Our immune system produces histamine which causes inflammatory reactions in the body to alert the presence of any unwanted component in the body. This winter, consciously avoid histamine-dense foods like mushrooms, tomatoes, yogurt etc. It will reduce the risk of mucus production.

Fried foods are a big no-no in winter. In India, most of the people tend to cherish different kinds of fritters especially during winter. The trans-fat in these fried foods accelerates mucus production and causes inflammation. They lead to sore throat, cough and congested chest.

To avoid the inflammation in winter, try to avoid the sugary food items like sweetened cereals, bakery products or packaged fruit juices in winter. They not only spike up the insulin level but also affect the immune system by causing cold and flu. It can also worsen any existing disease.