Diabetes Health Talk

Picking up a few extra pounds (and raising blood sugar) in cold weather — that dreaded “winter weight gain” — is maddening. Even though your metabolism speeds up a bit to keep you warm, you can’t eat much more than you did in summer without gaining weight and those dreaded side effects from diabetes. But those oh-so-chilly temperatures make steamy comfort foods and creamy hot drinks more tempting than ever. Here’s how to satisfy your natural warming instincts and stay slim.

1. Know what really keeps you full and warm.
In a word: protein. Your body creates more heat when digesting protein than it does when digesting fats or carbohydrates. Chow down on lean chicken and turkey breast, canned tuna, fish, and shellfish. Not a meat eater? Fill up a warmed low carb wrap with sauteed low starch veggies like peppers, spinach and add some tomatoes and a sliver or two of avocado.

2. Say no to foods that make you say “brrr.”
Follow your instincts . . . they’re right. Swap cold cereal for hot oatmeal at breakfast. Have a hearty soup instead of a sandwich at lunch. Even cook your salad ingredients: At the last minute, stir “winter greens” — spinach, kale, swiss chard, collards — into stews, soups, casseroles, and scrambled eggs. Why heat before you eat? Warm foods keep the shivers away because your body doesn’t waste energy heating them up for digestion.

3. Don’t count on hot spices.
Ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, and cayenne pepper are considered “warming spices” because they tend to draw body heat to the surface of your skin. But when that warmth hits the surface, it quickly dissipates.

4. Switch to decaf after your first morning cup.
Ok, this may not work for me, but Real Age says Coffee may feel warm going down, but swilling cup after cup may just make you colder. That’s because caffeine has a dehydrating effect, which makes symptoms of a drop in body temperature even worse.

Craving something comforting at the coffee shop? Instead of a gingerbread latte topped with whipped cream, order a nonfat chai tea latte. It’ll warm you down to your toes, and you’ll save 130 calories and some goose bumps. At home, I’ma big saver on making my own mochas. Use strong coffee (instant is fine) a packet of sugar-free cocoa, with nonfat milk, add a drop of vanilla for extra richness, and top it with fat-free Cool Whip. You’ll feel like a kid again. A warm one, whose jeans fit.