What to Eat in Winter to Stay Warm Naturally

December 19, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research published in the National Institutes of Health, proteins have a higher thermogenic effect than carbohydrates or fats, meaning your body expends more energy and generates more heat digesting them. By strategically choosing what to eat in winter to stay warm, you can fuel your body from the inside out.

Quick Summary

This guide covers the best foods and nutrients that can help you feel warmer in cold weather through the process of thermogenesis. Learn about warming spices, hydrating drinks, and meal-planning strategies to naturally boost your body temperature and improve your energy and immunity.

Key Points

Thermogenic Foods: Certain foods increase body temperature as they are digested, a process called thermogenesis, making you feel warmer naturally.
Prioritize Protein: Protein has the highest thermogenic effect of all macronutrients, so incorporating lean meats, eggs, and legumes into your diet is highly effective for generating internal heat.
Focus on Complex Carbs: Root vegetables, whole grains, and oats provide a slow, steady release of energy and warmth, unlike simple sugars that cause a quick spike and crash.
Use Warming Spices: Spices like ginger, cinnamon, and turmeric can stimulate circulation and boost metabolism, adding flavor and warmth to your meals and drinks.
Stay Hydrated with Warm Drinks: Drinking warm water, herbal teas, or bone broth helps regulate body temperature and keeps your metabolism running efficiently.
Don't Forget Micronutrients: Iron and B vitamins are crucial for generating heat and regulating your body's thermostat. Include foods like spinach, lentils, and bananas.
Hearty Soups are Your Friend: Soups and stews made with a combination of protein, root vegetables, and spices are perfect for a satisfying and warming winter meal.

The Science of Feeling Warm: Dietary Thermogenesis

Feeling cold isn't just a matter of external temperature; your diet plays a significant role in regulating your internal body heat. This is due to a metabolic process called thermogenesis, which is the production of heat within the body. When you eat, your body expends energy to digest, absorb, and metabolize the food, creating heat as a byproduct. Foods that take longer to digest or require more energy to process have a greater thermogenic effect, helping you stay warm for longer periods.

By focusing on the right types of food, you can naturally activate this internal heating system. Complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and protein are your best friends in this regard. This is a much healthier and more sustainable strategy than reaching for quick-fix sugary snacks, which offer a brief energy spike followed by a slump, or relying on unhealthy fats.

Winter Foods That Boost Your Internal Thermostat

To effectively combat the cold, focus on incorporating a variety of warming foods into your daily meals. Here are some of the best choices:

Root Vegetables and Complex Carbohydrates

Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots, and turnips are packed with complex carbohydrates and take longer to digest, providing a steady release of energy and heat. Other excellent sources of complex carbs include whole grains, lentils, and oats. A bowl of oatmeal or porridge in the morning can set you up for a warm start to the day.

Sweet Potatoes: Excellent source of vitamins A, C, and B6. Roast them or add to hearty stews.
Oatmeal: Provides sustained energy. Add nuts and spices for an extra thermogenic boost.
Lentils: Rich in protein and fiber, making them highly thermogenic. Great for soups and curries.

Protein-Rich Foods

Protein has the highest thermic effect of all macronutrients. Incorporating protein-rich foods into your diet forces your body to work harder during digestion, generating more heat.

Meat: Red meat like beef is rich in iron and protein, both of which aid in body heat production.
Legumes: Plant-based proteins such as chickpeas, black beans, and lentils are fantastic for soups and stews.
Eggs: A great source of protein and essential vitamins, eggs help you feel full and warm.

Nuts and Seeds

Nuts and seeds contain healthy fats and protein, which take time to digest and generate heat. They are perfect for snacking or adding to other dishes.

Almonds and Walnuts: Packed with healthy fats and fiber for sustained warmth.
Sesame Seeds: Known for their heat-giving properties in many cultures. Sprinkle on salads or breads.

Spices and Herbs

Certain spices can stimulate circulation and increase metabolism, helping to raise your body temperature.

Ginger: Can boost metabolism and blood flow, providing a warming effect.
Cinnamon: Increases metabolism and is excellent in warm drinks or oatmeal.
Turmeric: Contains curcumin, which has warming properties and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Cayenne Pepper: Contains capsaicin, a compound that increases thermogenesis and blood flow.

Soups and Broths

Warm liquids are an obvious choice for feeling cozy, but the right ingredients make them even more effective. Bone broth, for example, is highly nourishing and nutrient-dense, providing sustained warmth and boosting immunity. Hearty vegetable soups packed with root vegetables and lentils are also excellent choices.

Comparison Table: Winter Food Categories


Category	Primary Benefit	Example Foods	Thermogenic Effect	Digestibility	Best For...
Complex Carbs	Sustained Energy & Heat	Oats, lentils, root vegetables	High	Slow	Breakfast, Lunches, Soups
Protein-Rich	High Thermic Effect	Meat, eggs, legumes	Very High	Slow	Any meal
Healthy Fats	Energy Reserve & Warmth	Nuts, seeds, fatty fish	High	Slow	Snacks, Meal additions
Spices	Circulation & Metabolism	Ginger, cinnamon, turmeric	Varies, can be high	Fast	Flavoring food & drinks
Warm Beverages	Immediate Comfort & Hydration	Herbal tea, bone broth	Medium (instant)	Fast	All day sipping

The Role of Hydration and Micronutrients

Staying hydrated is just as important in winter as it is in summer. Proper hydration is essential for regulating body temperature and ensuring your metabolism functions efficiently. Dehydration can slow your metabolic rate, making you feel colder. Try to drink warm water, herbal teas, or warm broths throughout the day instead of just relying on cold drinks. Hot ginger tea, for example, is a double-win for both hydration and internal heat.

Furthermore, certain micronutrients are key to maintaining warmth. Iron, for instance, helps transport oxygen throughout the body, which is essential for generating heat. Good sources include red meat, lentils, and spinach. B vitamins and magnesium found in foods like bananas and eggs are crucial for the proper function of the thyroid and adrenal glands, which regulate body temperature.

Sample Winter Meal Plan for Warmth

Here is a simple, effective meal plan to help you incorporate warming foods throughout your day:

Breakfast: A bowl of oatmeal with cinnamon, walnuts, and dried fruit.
Lunch: A hearty lentil and root vegetable soup with a side of whole-grain toast.
Snack: A handful of roasted almonds or a cup of hot ginger tea.
Dinner: A beef stew with potatoes, carrots, and warming spices like cloves and black pepper.
Bedtime: A warm cup of golden milk made with turmeric and cinnamon.

Conclusion: Eat Smart to Stay Warm

By making conscious food choices, you can effectively use your diet as a tool to stay warm during the cold winter months. Focusing on thermogenic foods like protein-rich dishes, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and warming spices can naturally boost your body's heat production. Prioritizing warm, hydrating beverages and ensuring you get essential micronutrients further aids this process. This approach is not only effective but also provides the body with the nourishment it needs to stay healthy and fight off seasonal illnesses. Embracing a winter diet is about more than just comfort—it's a smart, strategic way to feel better and stay energized all season long.

For more information on the science of thermogenesis, you can review the NCBI article on Diet Induced Thermogenesis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Some foods make you feel warmer due to dietary thermogenesis, the process by which your body produces heat to digest, absorb, and process nutrients. Foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates require more energy to break down, resulting in more heat being generated and a longer-lasting warming effect.

While hot food and drinks provide immediate, temporary warmth and comfort, the long-term warming effect comes from the thermogenic properties of the ingredients themselves. Therefore, a balanced diet of both warm-temperature and high-thermic foods is best for staying consistently warm.

Yes, coffee can help you stay warm. The caffeine in coffee is a mild stimulant that can temporarily increase your metabolic rate, which in turn raises your body temperature. However, moderation is key to avoid potential negative side effects from excessive caffeine.

Good alternatives include bone broth, golden milk (made with turmeric, milk, and spices), or hot ginger tea. These options provide warmth without the stimulating effects of caffeine and offer additional nutrients that support overall winter health.

Not all spicy foods are equal for long-term warmth. While spices like cayenne or ginger boost metabolism and circulation, very hot chili peppers can sometimes cause you to sweat, which has a cooling effect on the body. Milder, warming spices are generally better for sustained heat.

Start with small changes. Add cinnamon to your morning oats, use ginger and turmeric in your cooking, and swap sugary snacks for nuts and dried fruits. Making hearty soups and stews with root vegetables and legumes is another simple way to integrate warming foods.

Yes, healthy fats from sources like nuts, seeds, and fatty fish (e.g., salmon) can help keep you warm. They take longer to digest and serve as an energy reserve that the body can use to generate heat over an extended period. Avoid unhealthy saturated and trans fats.