Starchy Vegetables: Your Winter BFF (Benefits and Recipes)

With the promise of Winter in the air, I know I feel myself wanting to hunker in, slow down, and eat more. The hibernation lust is real.

While it's important to stay active and eat healthy year round, there is a natural rhythm to the Winter lay low that we do well to lean into.

There is also a biological reason your body is craving more food, especially more carbs. Once upon a time, we relied on hearty foods like plenty of fats and carbs to keep us warm and sustained through the winter when food was scarce.

While we may have an unending supply of food available to us now, our bodies are still operating on this program.

Which brings me to today’s focus: starchy vegetables. These Winter vegetables are available locally, in season, and pack a serious nutritional punch.

Let’s have a look at some of the benefits as well as some delicious and hearty recipes.

Benefits of Starchy Vegetables

1. Natural Energy Boost

Starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes, yams, squash, and carrots, are packed with complex carbs. These carbs break down slowly in your system, providing a steady, sustained energy source vs the ‘quick hit’ of simple carbs like sugars.

2. Improved Digestion

Starchy vegetables are a good source of fiber which helps maintain healthy digestion. Fiber is also a prebiotic, which feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut.

3. Rich in Nutrients that Support Immunity

Starchy sweet potatoes are loaded with beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A—a crucial nutrient for immune function. Squash and carrots also contain beta-carotene, so adding these to your winter meals helps support your immune defenses.

4. Warming Effect on the Body

From a Chinese Medicine perspective, starchy vegetables are considered ‘warming foods.’ They help the body generate heat, which can make you feel more comfortable in cold weather.

5. Rich in Essential Minerals

Potatoes and parsnips, for example, are high in potassium, which helps with muscle and nerve function. These vegetables are also a source of magnesium, which is important for maintaining good energy levels and supporting a calm, stable mood.

6. Mood-Boosting Benefits

Starches help to increase serotonin, the "feel-good" hormone that’s often lower in the winter months. This is due to the connection between insulin secretion and serotonin. This effect helps balance mood and counteract seasonal mood dips, especially when paired with proteins.