Why you're craving pumpkin spiced lattes and baked goods

If light salads and iced tea drinks aren't curbing your hungry cravings any more, you're not alone.

As the temperatures start to cool, it's perfectly normal for our bodies to crave comfort food.

Shorter days and cooler temperatures both contribute to the cravings of pumpkin spiced lattes, hearty baked goods and other heavy foods.

Sure, the sugar and fatty food cravings may be normal, but warming up with a pumpkin spiced latte every time we feel a chill, isn't going to bode well for our bodies health-wise.

Learning to warm up our insides with the right fuel is key to building our immunity to fight the cold season and remain healthy throughout the changing seasons.

Tristaca Curley is a registered dietitian based in the Okanagan and she has a number of ways to curb the sugar cravings and fuel the chilly bod with the right stuff.

"My answer is always meal planning. I think it's very, very difficult to eat healthy without putting at least some sort of plan together," she said.

Heading out with a list and grabbing the groceries you need will ensure you and your family are well-fed by nutritious foods.

However, not everyone is a 'Rachel Ray' or 'Jamie Oliver' in the kitchen. Many people would rather cut grass than cook, which can make the grab n'go options, like a microwaved pizza, far more attractive.

But there are many recipes that are quick and easy and won't leave you feeling rundown, but energized instead.

"I'm actually looking forward to the fall," said Curley. "There's lots of hearty soups and slow cooker ideas, and veggie-dense casserole dishes, and bean dishes that I think can be very comforting, very warm and can fill that need while still getting all of your nutrition in," said Curley.

Curley especially recommends a beef stew.

"My kids and my family like it and it uses a lot of carrots and potatoes you would get this time of year."

She also suggested a creamy cauliflower and squash soup as another great meal to fuel the body during autumn.

"Hearty soups and stews are always a great way to go," she said. "They're easy and it's easier to combine everything including your protein, whether it's meat or plant-based."

She also drinks plenty of tea during the day to keep warm.

"Your body wants to be at a certain temperature. It wants to cool us down by eating ice cream and drink nice, cold beverages in the summer, and eat nice, warm, filling things in the winter," she said.

The foods we should be reaching for at the grocery store should be stockpiled with vitamin C and D.

"Whether it's fruits or vegetables, red peppers, tomatoes, potatoes - those are good sources of vitamin C. Even as we get into some of our root vegetables and pumpkins - those types of things are really full of vitamin C," said Curley.

According to Curley and other registered dietitians, vitamin D should be top priority when it comes to building up your body's immunity.

"Research tells us that vitamin D plays a bigger role in immunity than vitamin C does," said Curley. "Whether that's things like dairy beverages or fortified non-dairy beverages or fatty fishes, eggs - those types of things are really good sources of vitamin D."

So as you notice the days getting shorter, the temperature dropping, be cognizant of what your body's craving and find ways to fuel that boost your immunity and help ward off the cold and flu.

For information on Curley's recipes and tips, visit her website, Fueling with Food.

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What's your favourite soup or stew recipe for the fall?

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