High Energy Foods That Can Boost Your Energy

According to a study from Taiwan, you can obtain energy from eating carbohydrate-rich foods and other food groups.

But, what are the foods that can also improve your overall health?

In this article, we will discuss the correlation between nutritional diet and energy and what energy-boosting foods you can consider.

The Correlation Between Nutrition and Energy Levels

To begin, we will first discuss how your diet affects your energy.

According to a study from Italy, one of the main causes of fatigue and exhaustion is poor nutritional diet. 

It is also important to know that one of the symptoms of fatigue is the lack of drive to prepare a meal!

Eventually, this could lead to a more drastic reduction of your power and vitality.

Generally, any food high in calories can provide you with energy.

But those that are high in fat can stimulate the production of serotonin, which eventually could cause you to feel sluggish and tired.

In another study from Taiwan, it was reported that high-fat consumption can alter sleep parameters negatively.

As we all know, not getting enough sleep can make you exhausted easily. 

Furthermore, the foods you eat can affect your body composition.

Excessive consumption of foods can increase your weight.

Consistent with a clinical review from Pennsylvania, obesity or being overweight can lower your energy levels.

Aside from sleep and body composition, poor nutrition can also cause the following factors that contribute to low energy:

• Muscle-mass loss
• Depression and anxiety
• Eating disorders

If you believe that poor nutrition is the cause of your lack of zeal, you can reach out to a nutritionist or dietitian for better diet planning.

Top 9 Energy-Boosting Foods You Can Consider

If you feel tired, the best thing you can do is to drink water.

Even mild dehydration can already cause fatigue.

Aside from water, below are some of the healthy foods that can provide an energy boost.

1) Bananas

Banana is an emergency food whenever you feel exhausted.

No wonder why many artists have this nutrient-rich snack during their concerts! 

According to a study from North Carolina, bananas can provide more sustainable energy because of their complex carbohydrates.

They can provide you with endurance as much as carbohydrate drinks can give. 

Aside from this, bananas can provide many health benefits such as making your blood sugar stable, supporting healthy digestion, and improving insulin sensitivity.

You can also pair bananas with low-fat milk for more energy.

You can also try a whole-wheat bread banana-peanut butter recipe. 

2) Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are nutrient-dense foods that support energy production.

They are good sources of healthy fats and fibers that can also support the heart.

Healthy monounsaturated fats are also seen in chia seeds and flax seeds.

According to a study from Bangladesh, the energy content of pumpkin seeds is relatively high.

Also, this food can make your blood sugar stable.

Aside from stimulating energy production, other health benefits of these seeds include the provision of micronutrients in the body.

Aside from complex carbohydrates, pumpkin seeds also contain essential amino acids.

Some of these amino acids are methionine, threonine, and isoleucine. 

3) Salmon

Salmon is rich in healthy fats that can provide many health benefits, especially for the heart.

But, did you know that salmon can also provide you with energy throughout the day?

Salmon is a brain-boosting food that can provide sustained energy.

This food is rich in B vitamins.

According to a study from the United Kingdom, the role of B vitamins is to convert food into energy. 

If you want to ensure an energy boost throughout the day, you can add salmon to your daily diet.

When you cook this food or other lean meats, it is also advised to use olive oil.

According to a study from Italy, olive oil can effectively increase your energy.

4) Oatmeal

Oatmeal is usually consumed during breakfast, but, if you experience a mid-afternoon energy slump, snacking on a bowl of whole-grain oatmeal is one of the best ways to increase your energy levels.

According to a study published in The Journal of Nutrition, whole grains such as oats are also rich in minerals, vitamins, and essential compounds that can promote sustained energy because of their complex carbs content.  

Many nutritionists would agree that oatmeal can provide lasting energy.

Why?

This is because it can take longer for the fiber content of oats to be fully digested.

During this digestion process, your blood sugar levels become steady.

Eventually, a stable blood glucose level allows you to feel energized and stay focused.

For longer-lasting energy, you can also add your seeds to your oatmeal.

5) Greek yogurt

Greek yogurt is also a great on-the-go option if you want to increase your energy whenever you feel exhausted.

This food is rich in proteins, fats, and simple carbohydrates that can stimulate energy production.

There are many yogurt options on the market but if you want to prevent a sugar spike, the best one is Greek yogurt as it contains less sugar content compared to others.

To sustain energy better, you can add berries and chopped nuts to your yogurt.

Aside from supporting energy production, according to some experts, yogurt can also promote better absorption of nutrients.

You can also consider dark chocolate yogurt.

However, be mindful of the sugar content as dark chocolate can still cause a spike in sugar levels.

6) Brown rice

One of the whole grains that can stimulate energy production includes brown rice.

This food helps your body absorb and digest carbohydrates slowly. Eventually, this can lead to releasing energy slowly.

Brown rice is made of complex carbohydrates, trace minerals such as manganese, and vitamin C.

During energy production, your immune system is at risk of danger due to free radicals.

Fortunately, manganese and vitamin C can protect you against damage from these free radicals.

Compared to white rice, brown ones can make your blood sugar steady.

So, do not worry about sugar spiking up when you choose the latter.

7) Green tea

 

Many people believe that too much caffeine can help in releasing energy.

But, according to a study from Australia, too much caffeine can increase your risk of experiencing fatigue. 

Caffeine can make you sluggish.

Drinking this beverage at night can alter your sleep pattern. Eventually, this can lead to brain fog.

So, instead of caffeine, considering green tea is highly recommended.

Although green tea still contains small amounts of caffeine, it contains other compounds that can increase your energy levels. 

Some studies also report the effectiveness of green tea in increasing muscle function and reducing muscle mass loss.

8) Sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes are rich in soluble fiber and carbohydrates that can boost your energy levels.

Additionally, sweet potatoes are rich in B vitamins.

As said, B vitamins convert food into energy.

According to a study from Alabama, aside from increasing energy, sweet potatoes are also rich in beta-carotene and vitamin C. 

Interestingly, sweet potatoes are also used as meal replacement foods for obese patients.

Aside from regulating weight, sweet potatoes offer antioxidant effects, a healthier gut, improved vision, and enhanced brain function.

Take note that when you eat sweet potatoes, you should limit your consumption as too many of these foods can negatively affect your kidney.

9) Cottage cheese

Cottage cheese is an excellent source of energy.

Aside from fueling you with power throughout the day, it is also rich in B vitamins, phosphorus, and selenium.

These minerals can support your thyroid health and reproductive health.

Additionally, this type of cheese contains healthy fats. 

Furthermore, anemia, or having low levels of red blood cells may induce fatigue.

Fortunately, the vitamin B contents of cottage cheese can prevent this condition.

Instead of high-fat butter, you can use cottage cheese as your spread to your whole-wheat bread. 

Monitor Your Blood Sugar Levels

Many foods and drinks can increase energy. But, be mindful of how they can affect your blood glucose levels. 

As much as possible, avoid too many sugary foods such as white bagels and pretzels.

Although they can increase your energy, they can make you feel sluggish in the long run. 

Whenever your glucose levels go low, you can consider foods that are rich in protein, fiber, and carbs, but less in fat and sugar.

Understand that the longer the food is digested, the slower the release of energy can occur, and this is what we aim for if we want to achieve sustained energy during the day.

If you want to prevent blood sugar crashes, whole grains are highly recommended.

Also, you should avoid foods with added sugars.

Always remember that monitoring blood glucose levels is very important, especially for patients with diabetes.

Final Thoughts

Indeed, being exhausted easily can affect your overall health and performance.

The feeling of tiredness and sluggishness can limit you from doing your errands. 

Generally, the main cause of fatigue is poor nutrition.

This is why you should eat foods that can keep your immune system healthy.

These food groups are fibers, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Depriving yourself of proper nutrition also increases your risk of developing illnesses.

Fortunately, many food options are available right around the corner.

Some of the foods that can increase your energy are bananas, pumpkin seeds, salmon, oatmeal, and yogurt.

However, when you eat these foods, always make sure to monitor your blood glucose levels as they may contain sugars that can increase your risk of developing diabetes.

Lastly, aside from consuming these foods, there are other ways you can boost your energy.

These are keeping yourself hydrated and getting enough quality sleep.