Nutrition guide: Are there high energy foods that can help me through the day?

A basic nutrition guide question that we hear very often is:

Are there high energy foods that can help me through the day?

The answer is a definite yes!

But with a word of caution!

Everyone is different so the high energy foods that work for one person may not work as well for the next.

For example:

If you have been diagnosed as hypoglycemic and sugary foods drop your blood sugar drastically then a high energy food for you might be low fat cheese or something with lean protein.

So, let’s talk about the perfect world and what should work for you as an individual.

In a perfect world high energy foods would be ones that give us a constant even flow of energy. Complex carbohydrates that take a bit longer to break down in the stomach are one example. Whole grain pastas, whole wheat breads, oatmeal, are some examples.

Also raw vegetables such as celery, carrots, broccoli, peppers, etc are good because they have a lot of fiber.

The more you choose the simple carbohydrates (which might be good for a quick burst of energy but cause an overreaction of insulin and subsequent drop in blood sugar) the greater your risk of experiencing a yo-yo effect in your daily energy levels.

Examples of simple carbohydrates are fruit sugars (fruit juices), anything with an abundance of sucrose (white sugar, brown sugar) such as cola and other soft drinks, candies, cookies, etc.

The other key that many have found success with is the grazing effect. It’s not only what you eat but how often you eat. So instead of 3 big meals per day, try breaking your meals into 6 small snacks per day.

This spreads out the digestive process and increases your chances of a steady flow of nutrients to your brain and body. It also helps to eliminate that bloated, sleepy feeling that many of us get from eating a huge meal. (Ever had the post lunch sleepy time syndrome?!!)

Water is the other secret to high energy nutrition. Without water the body can’t perform it’s metabolic processes effectively. So if you walk around in a constant state of dehydration every day you won’t experience the high energy performance state that you would if you drank enough water.

Try the above for 3 weeks and see for yourself!

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