Stay hearty,stay healthy

Battle cries for braving the start of Beijing's winter season were signaled for all at the beginning of this month, as the capital's first snow fell. Though it didn't snow heavily, with each successive up-coming snowfall, temperatures will continue to drop. Add biting Arctic winds to the equation, and Beijingers have themselves a pretty hostile environment in which to keep warm.

According to Alex Tan, a Chinese medicine practitioner and head educator of the Straight Bamboo Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) clinic in Beijing, winter is a time where warming food and family connection is most important. "Many cultures have their biggest family and food festivals during the winter months… with plenty of food and alcohol," Tan says. He notes that it's important to redress the body's new imbalances during this time in order to remain healthy and ailment free. Here are some suggestions to aid in the quest for a hearty yet healthy winter diet.

Black Chicken Soup

For many Chinese, Black Chicken Soup is a staple winter dish with 'medicinal' properties. Black chicken is literally what its name suggests, as it is stewed for hours to achieve the perfect texture in savory richness. It is often made with other medicinal ingredients such as wolfberries (gouqi), a small reddish raisin-like fruit. According to Sun Ran, a nutritionist at the Beijing Nutritionist Association, wolfberries are "good for the kidneys and brighten the eyes."

Sun states that there are only 111 calories for every 100 grams of black chicken. "Chicken contains more fat than non-animal foods but because it's often stewed, skinless, the calorie count is relatively low."

However, she warns, people with gout can't eat black chicken soup because all soups contain purine - when metabolized purine produces uric acid, contributing to gout. Overall, she says, the nourishing qualities of the dish can aid the lungs and stomach while simulating blood flow.

Bei-tofu and xue-tofu

Bei-tofu (dried tofu) and xue-tofu (made from animal blood) are great winter warmers, especially when cooked in a stew.

Huang Yunyu, a senior doctor at Dongzhimen Hospital affiliated to the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, says that bei-tofu has medicinal properties because it is rich in B2 vitamins. Huang - originally from Zhejiang Province - says that because of this, bei-tofu can increase people's resistance to coldness by replenishing "depleted energy levels." Additionally, xue-tofu, he says, can supplement the blood with more iron, which is also good for counteracting fatigue.

Sun concludes "some people might not be suitable for tofu, especially some old people who might suffer flatulence afterwards. Again, people with gout are not advised to eat tofu as well, since it too contains purine."

Stewed mushrooms and sweet potato

In China, mushrooms used for stewing are called donggu, which means 'winter mushroom.' An acquired taste, donggu mushrooms have a smooth velvety texture that's slightly chewy.

According to Sun, these mushrooms are high in vitamin A and B with medicinal microelements. For a warm desert, Sun recommends traditional Chinese sweet potato soup, which she says is "full of high-end protein and starch," which is easily converted into energy.

Foods containing niacin

Niacin is a nutritional organic compound found in foods such as milk, eggs and cheese, as well as coffee, peanuts, sesame and whole-wheat products. Niacin is good for enhancing the nervous system and also for increasing blood flow. "Basically it opens up the capillaries," says Huang, "so that the blood can more easily travel to the hands and feet, keeping them warm."

Tan says that keeping the feet warm through winter is essential, in order to nourish the kidneys. "In TCM, we believe the head should be relatively cool and the feet warm so that proper levels of fluid and energy can flow through the body."

Winter Gains

"It's natural that we will gain weight during the cold season," says Wei Shimeng, a 22-year-old senior student at China Foreign Affairs University. "We're all animals aren't we? And animals store up fat for the winter, so why shouldn't we?"

There are many tried and tested formula to brave the bitter cold. The ever-tempting tactic of staying indoors with central heating, and a raging Beijing winter might have you ordering more take-outs, while the thought of venturing to the gym becomes less appealing the colder it gets.

"In general, food can provide some of the heat we need, but vitamins cannot," says Sun. "Therefore I am opposed to the idea that vitamin C or foods with niacin can actually make our bodies warmer. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are the things that give us energy. If you have exercised enough, you wouldn't have weight problems to begin with."

"Weight is only related to energy," Huang says. "When the calorie intake exceeds those expended, then people will gain weight naturally. Given a colder climate, people will tend to stay indoors and exercise less in winter."

Jiang Jie contributed to this story