As the mercury levels drop and winter approaches, the body’s metabolism slows down to conserve energy and heat. Therefore, to stay healthy and active during the colder months of the year, ditch deep-fried snacks to satisfy your hunger pangs, and pack some healthy snacks like fox nuts, cinnamon cookies, oranges and carrots, experts suggest.

Experts at salebhai.com and Sonia Narang, nutritionist and wellness expert at Oriflame India, have made a list of crunchy melt-in-the-mouth healthy winter delights to consume in the winter months:

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* Stack some tilpatti in your bag. Made of jaggery and til (sesame seeds), tilpatti is sweet and a perfect snack to munch on during winter. The two ingredients help produce heat in the body. While sesame seeds are loaded with antioxidants, jaggery helps fight iron deficiency.

* Gond ke laddu is one of the most popular delicacies enjoyed in winters. While Gond is an edible gum extracted from the bark of a tree. It produces so much heat that it is generally consumed only in winter. Ingredients such as gond, wheat flour, sugar, ghee, melon seeds, almonds, and elaichi are mixed well and made into round balls.

* Grab an orange, carrot or a guava. It is great to nibble on fruits, get that extra vitamin C and vitamin A and strengthen your immunity, have good eye sight and great skin.

* Dry roast and grind flaxseeds. Add a little jaggery to this powder, throw some crushed walnuts, magaz and pumpkin seeds. Tasty panjiri is ready to curb that sweet cravings. No oil. No preservatives. Only Omega 3.

* Chikki is the perfect combination of crunchy peanuts and jaggery. Winter is the best time to gorge on these delicious bite-sized candies. Peanuts have a warm effect on the body and along with jaggery, give you an instant energy boost that will satiate your hunger as well.

* Break open an egg in a frying pan toss in some cut veggies. It is an any time snack. It contains 7 gm protein with added antioxidants and vegetables and spices.

* Cinnamon cookies: If you are allergic to jaggery or do not enjoy its sweetness, how about relishing cinnamon cookies this winter? Combine white sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, butter, egg, and vanilla essence to whip up a batch of delicious cinnamon cookies. Apart from adding flavour, cinnamon is a perfect winter spice that boosts your health during the winter.

* Roasted nuts: Cashew nuts are a rich source of vitamin E and have anti-ageing properties that help your skin glow in the cold months. Furthermore, peanuts make you feel fuller for long and are loaded with essential vitamins and minerals essential for the body. Having them roasted gives you a delightful sense of warmth and fullness

* Nibble on foxnuts (makhanas). You can flavor the same by roasting in olive oil/coconut oil. Dust some chili flakes and oregano to enhance the flavor.