By Wen Liu • November 15, 2019
Feeling tired too often? See what foods to eat for sustained energy throughout the day.
Most people think that their energy levels depend mostly on the amount of sleep that they get. But have you ever woken up tired? You probably have, as it happens to everyone sometimes.
This goes to show that the length and quality of your sleep may not play as big of a role in your energy recharge as you might think.
What’s more important?
The answer is obvious enough, yet many people overlook it. It’s your diet.
What you eat impacts nearly all aspects of your health, including your energy level. Let’s explore this link before discussing some of the most energizing foods available.
The Impact of Diet on Energy
The body needs the right sources of fuel to operate as intended. The majority of that fuel comes from food. Therefore, the quality of your diet directly impacts your energy level.
The trick lies in understanding the difference between good sources of fuel and those that drain your energy.
Take carbs as an example. The body breaks them down into glucose, which travels through the bloodstream and fuels most of the cells. However, those same carbs can have the opposite effect. Eating too many carbs negatively impact you in many ways, particularly low energy.
For example, energy drinks seem like a logical choice for a boost, right? After all, the name says so and they contain caffeine, taurine, and B vitamins. However, they also contain a ton of sugar, which may serve to give you an illusion of increased energy. You might feel more energized at first as your blood sugar levels spike, but you’ll soon get to a crash point. That’s when you’ll feel more tired than before you took the drink.
On a lower scale, this is true of all foods that are high in simple carbs. These include white bread, pasta, most salty snacks, and unfortunately, your favorite sweets. All of them cause a short boost in energy, after which you’ll feel run down and crave for another boost. That’s why they can be your worst enemy if you’re trying to lose weight.
However, this doesn’t mean that all carbs are bad. The human body needs carbs. Beyond those, there are other nutrients for fueling your body. You can find them in the following foods.
7 Foods that Give You Energy
Your body depends on a variety of nutrients to stay energized throughout the day. Sadly, most people struggle to find a much-needed balance throughout the day. Many simply load up on simple carbs.
Luckily, there’s a wide range of healthy options that will fuel your body and reduce the volatility of your energy levels. Here are the best ones.
1. Fatty Fish
If you’re a fan of seafood, you’ll be glad to hear that you can double-down and feel more energized, especially when it comes to fatty fish. It’s chock-full of vitamins and minerals that your body needs to produce high levels of energy.
Out of the content of numerous beneficial compounds, omega-3 fatty acids deserve the most praise. These powerful antioxidants deal with many issues that can cause fatigue. For example, they’re well-known for reducing inflammation, which is a common cause of random tiredness. In addition, they improve brain function for better mental clarity throughout the day.
If you’re looking for abundant sources of these fatty acids, you should add fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and sardines to your diet. There are more, so don’t be afraid to explore.
2. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes and yams are a great source of high-quality complex carbs. Instead of causing a carb coma like processed and simple carbs, these provide your body with a balanced energy level throughout the day.
What’s more, they’re rich in fiber, which helps your body absorb nutrients from food. This also improves your food metabolism, meaning that you won’t feel sluggish after a meal.
3. Brown Rice
Unlike simple carbs, complex carbohydrates can be an amazing source of energy. And like sweet potatoes, brown rice has an abundance of them.
Unlike regular white rice, which has been highly processed, the husk of brown rice retains a lot more fiber. As a result, your digestion slows to a level that allows your body to break down these complex carbs and slowly draw energy from them. There are no spikes and crashes, just a stable stream of energy.
4. Green Tea
If you need a healthy dose of caffeine, this can be your best option. For the longest time, people have considered green tea among the healthiest drink on the planet. It gives you a boost in energy and cleanses your body of harmful toxins.
This is thanks to the high concentration of L-theanine, an amino acid that acts as a powerful antioxidant. It reverses the effects of oxidative stress, reduces inflammation, and gives you a sense of clarity and alertness.
Better yet, many studies suggest that it can support weight loss. It helps your body break down fats more effectively and use them as another source of energy. This can boost both your mental and physical strength.
Both green and black teas come with lots of health benefits, so drinking tea regularly can bring many positive changes in the long run.
5. Nuts
If you need a healthy and energizing snack, there are many types of nuts that many consider superfoods. Marketing speak or otherwise, there’s no doubt that they contain a good dose of beneficial nutrients.
Most nuts are rich in protein and fiber, which are essential components of a strong and healthy body. What’s more, they contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, the benefits of which we described earlier. And if that’s not enough, they also supply your body with other nutrients like zinc, manganese, and vitamins B and E.
All of this makes them a great addition to any diet. Not to mention that the content of healthy fats can keep you full throughout the day without over-encumbering your digestive system.
6. Dark Chocolate
If you have a sweet tooth and crave chocolate in particular, you may be glad to know that dark chocolate of high cocoa content can be an amazing alternative to unhealthy sugary sweets. Not only does it substitute processed carbs, but many people agree that it tastes better than milk chocolate.
Cocoa is another powerful antioxidant that brings many positive health effects. It reduces inflammation and increases blood flow, delivering more oxygen to your whole body. As a result, you’ll feel more energized without experiencing spikes and crashes.
7. Coffee
Many people can’t imagine going through the morning without a cup of coffee. This is natural, as there are very few drinks than can get rid of brain fog and keep you alert as well as coffee. However, you need to be careful with the kind of coffee and how you drink it.
For example, if you put too much sugar in your coffee, you’ll get the opposite effect. Too much caffeine mixed with processed sugar is never a good idea, as it’s just a matter of time before you crash.
This is why you should consider healthier options, perhaps none better than a coffee protein powder. In combination with a healthy dose of caffeine, protein helps with the building of muscle mass and workout recovery, which makes it perfect for staying in shape.
One serving of the powder has 26 grams of protein, enough to keep you strong and energized.
Just ask Victoria, who credits it as a ‘magic powder’ for her workouts. She combines it with other healthy options like stevia and almond milk to boost the taste and benefits. She recommends it to everyone for the content of high-quality caffeine and protein.
So if coffee is an unavoidable part of your everyday life as well, this powder can be one of the healthiest options you can go with.
Stay Fully Charged
Our energy level has a huge impact on our overall quality of life. Nobody wants to feel sluggish through the day and unable to live a healthy and active life. With healthy dietary choices, you can make the best of your days.
Aside from the right foods, you should never forget to stay hydrated as well as possible. Not drinking enough water can lower your energy faster than anything else, so try to aim for at least eight glasses every day. Pair this with healthy energizing foods and you should be able to keep fatigue at bay.
For whenever you need a boost, a cup of healthy coffee always comes in handy. Our iced coffee whey protein isolate does it one better. It also includes 26g of protein per serving for more energy boost and recovery.
