What to eat for more energy

After waking up tired one too many times, I’ve decided to investigate what foods are best for energy. For anyone interested in food for fuel, here’s a roundup of what I’ve found out.

4 Food Fuel Tips

1. Fill up on carbohydrates
This is our body’s main source of energy and far too many weight loss plans give carbs a bad name. Opt for whole grains, like brown rice and wholemeal bread, and starchy carbs such as potatoes. Not only will you be eating a good source of energy, you’ll also consume a healthy dose of fibre too; which (as a nation) we’re apparently not very good at consuming enough of*.

2. Seek out low GI foods
GI stands for glycaemic index and it’s all about what happens to your blood sugar levels after you’ve eaten different types of carbs from various food sources. Low GI foods can help to keep your blood sugar levels stable, preventing huge spikes and falls in your blood sugar levels/energy.

Although, take caution when looking up GI values for various foods and be sure to check the portion size of the GI value and what you’re actually consuming – for example parsnips have a high GI value, but that’s because 500g of parsnips are used in the calculation of their GI value is*. Would you ever eat 500g of parsnips? The likelihood is that the value you’ll eat wouldn’t lead to a high spike in your blood sugar levels.

3. Eat at regular intervals
Going too long without food can encourage your blood sugar levels to drop and leave you feeling tired. Eat healthily at regular periods to prevent that crash in energy.

4. Opt for a balanced diet rich in B vitamins and iron
Here are a few examples of foods filled with either B vitamins or iron, all of which are known to help contribute to how energised we feel.

Green vegetables
Fortified cereals
Whole grains – brown rice, wholemeal bread
Porridge
Red meat
Fish
Chicken
Marmite
Cheese
Eggs

For more information on foods best for energy, visit NHS energy diet.

Notes

In recent weeks I’ve challenged myself to learn more about the basics of nutrition, and not just the fad diet trends that pop up in magazines or on instagram. I’ve headed to accredited sources of information for my knowledge fix and here are 10 nuggets of nutritional information that I have found simply fascinating, or knew once but manage to forget!

Tea can reduce the absorption of iron due to the ‘tannins’ it contains.
Iron is vital for children because of the rapid tissue development occurring in their bodies.
Marmite is a good source of B12. B vitamins are vital for energy and meat is a main source of them. If you’re vegetarian or vegan, you need to think carefully about where and how you obtain your B vitamins.
It takes your body 1 hour to process/clear 1 unit of alcohol, no wonder I’m still drunk the next day after a night out!
Dark chocolate contains more caffeine than milk chocolate, 28g of dark chocolate has 35mg of caffeine as opposed to 6mg of caffeine in milk chocolate; and decaf coffee contains 3mg of caffeine!
It can take the body 4-6 days to rid itself of caffeine, in which time your body will experience withdrawal symptoms, something to keep in mind if you’re thinking of cutting back on coffee.
Macronutrients are fats, proteins and carbs.
It is possible to consume too much protein, which in turn can be turned and stored as fat. Something I didn’t think would be an issue, considering how popular protein shakes and high protein diets are these days. That said, if someone’s carb and fat intake is low alongside a high protein diet, excess protein will be used for energy and not stored as fat.
Foods must contain 50g worth of carbs when tested as part of the Glycemic Index (GI). The Glycemic index is a ranking of carbs and how quickly they are absorbed and digested into the bloodstream, and their affect on blood sugar, The Glycemic Index can be a good measure of what carbs to go for, but keep in mind portion sizes. Parsnips have a high GI but you would very unlikely eat the 500g in one sitting, which is the amount needed to obtain 50g worth of carbs.
There are two types fibre, soluble and insoluble. The first is important in the digestion and absorption of food, the latter absorbs water and swells helping to promote regular bowel movements.

Ta da, some food for thought you could say…
Chloe x

Treats & Treadmills

Tag: fibre

What to eat for more energy

10 tasty nuggets… of nutritional information