Home cooks need to make sure they select the right ingredients at this time of year to avoid falling victim to the winter weather.

Having the right diet in place can limit the effects of problems such as arthritis, noted the Times of India, as well as other more minor ailments.

It emphasised that home cooking with ingredients rich in magnesium will have a positive impact on the heart, so foods such as wheat and spinach should be considered by cooks.

"The dietary habits of the children should be taken care. A balanced diet having 60 per cent of carbohydrates, 15 to 20 per cent of fat and proteins should be consumed regularly," explained Dr VN Tripathi, former paediatrician at Lala Lajpat Rai Hospital.

A recent study from Chef & Brewer found that 80 per cent of people regularly over-indulge on sweets or chocolate in a bid to cheer themselves up.