Several days ago Beijing received its first snowfall this winter. Though it didn't snow heavily, temperatures have fallen sharply since then. Beijingers and other northern Chinese have entered their coldest season of the year. The weather gets colder with each snowfall. So it's a good idea to have some foods that warm you up before it gets too cold. Here they are:

 

Foods to warm you up

 

1 Eat food that contains niacin. Niacin helps stabilize the nervous system and boost the circulatory system. It plays a significant role in expanding the capillaries, thus getting more blood to warm up the hands and feet. Foods like milk, eggs and cheese all contain a good quantity of niacin. Others abundant in niacin include animal liver, sesame, coffee and peanuts, as well as all-wheat products.

 

2 Vegetables and fruits. abundant in Vitamin C help people stay healthy. And in the winter, vegetables and fruits can help keep the winter chills away. Leeks, carrots and spinach are also good vegetables to eat, while fruits like peaches, apricots and papaya can keep you warm.

 

3 Spicy seasoning keeps cold temperatures away by boosting blood circulation. So when eating fried noodles or fried rice, add some spicy sauce; when eating soup, add pepper powder; when eating dumplings, have a bowl of spicy sour soup together.

 

4 Have some tonic treats during this dry and cold season. Ginseng tea, longan tea, ginger duck and sweet dumplings all help to keep the body warm.

 

Three don'ts

 

For those who are particular sensitive to the cold, pay attention to the following three don'ts:

 

1 Don't have cold drinks or icy dessert.

2 Don't eat raw foods.

3 Don't stay hungry. Keep some snacks with you in case that you may be too busy to have full-portion meals.

 

Some secret recipes to warm you up

 

1 Eat more of bei-tofu and xue-tofu

 

Bei-tofu, or dried tofu commonly found in north China, is rich in vitamin B2 which enhances people's resistance to coldness, and helps make up for depleted energy. Xue-tofu, or smoked tofu made of pig’s blood and tofu, provides good relief for people who are afraid of coldness, are easily fatigued and have a bad countenance. This kind of tofu can also enrich the blood with iron. The easiest way to prepare bei-tofu and xue-tofu is to fry them together.

 

2 Stewed mushrooms and sweet potatoes

 

The best mushrooms to have during this time of year are the ones from northeast China. These mushrooms typically have sturdy roots and are rich in Vitamin A, Vitamin B and some microelements. Meanwhile, sweet potatoes contain top quality protein and starch, which can be quickly transformed into energy.

 

**A way to prepare them:

1 Clean the mushrooms and soak them in water. Wash and peel sweet potatoes and then cut them into cubes.

2 Put sweet potatoes into boiling water until cooked.

3 Fry mushrooms and add water to further soften the mushrooms as well as soy sauce and sugar.

4 Stew them until the water boils. Turn down the heat and cook for another 10 more minutes.

5 Add sweet potatoes in the soup and add salt and starch for seasoning.

 

3 For those who have cold hands and feet all the time, this method works well. Bathe cold feet and hands in cold water for a while and then dry them. Wear socks and gloves, and the hands and the feet will warm up soon.

  

(China Daily December 26, 2007)