Cold Nutrition
Listen in RealAudio
Email your weather question

It's wintertime which means for many of us, exposure to the cold. And that can cause physical stress, requiring us to make big changes in our diet-- Right? Wrong, according to the National Academy of Sciences. I'm Dave Thurlow, and this is The Weather Notebook.

Not too long ago, the National Academy of Sciences, with the U.S. Army, studied the relationship between cold exposure and human nutrition. Researchers wondered whether people should make changes in their diets in the winter. They asked, Does cold stress increase the body's demand for vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients?

Here's what they found: People exposed to cold should consume more of two substances: water and carbohydrates. It's that simple and here's why. Cold environments foster fluid loss. Drinking more water will fight cold-induced dehydration. And, moving around in our extra layers of winter clothing, plus keeping warm -- whether by exercise or shivering -- uses more energy. Those extra energy needs can be met by adding more carbohydrates to our diet.

How about vitamins, minerals, and dietary supplements? The jury is still out. Some researchers think a little bit more of Vitamin E, Vitamin C, and thiamin and pantothenic acid may be helpful for prolonged exposure to the cold, but there is so far little hard evidence to support the claims. And some mega-doses are demonstrably dangerous --polar explorers have been poisoned by too much vitamin A.

If you're heading out in the cold, have another glass of H-2-O and a high-carbo snack, and you'll be well on your way to meeting those extra nutritional needs of winter.

The Weather Notebook is funded by the National Science Foundation, with underwriting from Subaru, the Beauty of All Wheel Drive.