What to Eat and Drink to Keep Your Energy Levels High Throughout the Day | The State
Taking a multivitamin will ensure you get vitamins and minerals, but it won’t necessarily give you more energy. Instead, a healthy and balanced diet helps you keep your high energy levels throughout the day.
Certain foods, in certain amounts and at certain times, can help you prevent tiredness and fatigue.
What to eat for energy during the day?
1. Whole grains
While simple sugars give you a quick energy boost, healthy carbohydrates can do it throughout the day. The Harvard Nutrition Source notes that the healthiest sources of carbohydrates are whole grainsUnprocessed or minimally processed vegetables, fruits and beans.
Some examples of whole grains are whole wheat bread, oats, rye, brown rice, barley and quinoa are better options than highly refined white bread, bank rice or French fries.
2. Fruits and vegetables
Eat at least 5 servings of a variety of fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits and vegetables are good sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, nutrients that your body needs to function properly.
3. Beans and fish
The UK National Health Service (NHS) also suggests eating legumes like beans and other legumes, 2 servings of fish per week, at least one of fatty fish, eggs and other proteins.
4. Healthy fats
Consume oils such as olive oil and spreadable fats such as avocado and peanut butter in small amounts.
5. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of liquid a day
If your body is short of fluids, one of the first signs is a feeling of fatigue. To maintain your energy level during a workout, drink an 8-ounce glass of water before you start and another after you finish, Harvard Health recommends.
Dairy products
The NHS recommends consuming some dairy or plant alternatives such as soy beverages; opt for drinks with less fat and less sugar.
6. You can use caffeine
Drinks like coffee can increase or decrease your energy level depending on when and how much you consume. Low to moderate doses of caffeine (50 to 300 mg) can increase alertness, energy, and ability to concentrate. But coffee can also cause insomnia, especially when consumed in large quantities or after 2 p.m.
An 8-ounce cup of coffee contains approximately 96 mg of caffeine.
Small frequent meals
Small meals and snacks every few hours are better than three large meals a day. The sandwiches can be a fruit or fruits.
Do not skip breakfast
A balanced breakfast provides the energy your body needs to start the day. Your whole body needs fuel, including your brain. Obtaining an energetic and healthy breakfast is easier than you might think, the key is to identify what types of foods make it up:
- Protein (eggs, Greek yogurt, almonds, etc.)
- Slow absorption carbohydrates (oatmeal, bran cereal, whole wheat bread, etc.)
- Fruits or vegetables
Simple examples:
A slice of whole wheat bread with an egg and vegetables.
Oatmeal with fruit, a handful of almonds or walnuts and milk soy or low-fat.
Avoid extreme diets
Poor nutrition and inadequate calorie intake can cause fatigue.
What foods to limit
Alcohol
Avoid alcohol in the afternoon if you want to have energy at night. If you drink alcohol at night it can also affect sleep, interrupting the important REM stage of sleep, causing fatigue the next day.
Added sugar
Candy, cakes, cookies, sodas, chocolates, and some breakfast cereals that have a load of added sugar increase blood glucose quickly. They will give you energy instantly, but it will also drop quickly, which can make you feel tired.
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