Three Foods for Boosting Energy

You’ve probably heard of foods that boost energy levels. And, if you’re like most people, that got you interested. After all, we could all do with a bit more energy because it makes us feel better, boosts our productivity, and allows us to train harder.  With that said, the list of foods for energy is quite extensive, and you’re likely to hear about dozens, if not hundreds of different foods.

To that end, we’ve decided to make things simpler, so we’ve put together a list of the top three high-energy foods.

What Are Energy-Boosting Foods?
We often don’t realize it, but feeling unmotivated, irritable, unproductive, and tired can be because of the foods we eat.  Although each food gives you some amount of energy, certain nutrients affect us much better than others. For example, a candy bar and a bowl of oatmeal will both provide you with carbs, which then get broken down into sugars (glucose) for energy.  But, the bowl of oatmeal provides you with a high-quality, slow-digesting carb that causes a gradual rise in your insulin and a more steady release of energy. This not only helps you feel fuller after eating it, but it also ensures that you feel energetic and clear of mind for hours afterward.  On the other hand, the candy bar will also provide you with the same amount of energy, but because the body digests it much more quickly, it causes a spike in your insulin. Sure, you feel a sudden rise in energy, but a crash often follows that.

So, we need to pick our food options carefully and consider how they might impact our energy – not just for the next thirty minutes, but for the entire day.

So, here are three fantastic foods to add to your diet:

Food Item 1 - Bananas
Bananas are one of the healthiest and tastiest foods you can have to boost your energy levels.  As a notable example from the food group of fruits, bananas are full of vital nutrients that have been shown to boost our energy levels. More specifically, bananas are rich in potassium, Vitamin B6, and manganese. Plus, thanks to the fact that bananas are a great source of complex carbs, they’ve fully earned the title of energy-boosting food.  The best part is, you can have bananas in their raw form, and you can prepare them in numerous ways, including as part of a dessert, bread, oatmeal, smoothie, and more.

Food Item 2 - Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a famous bodybuilder’s food, but this grain product is beneficial for absolutely everyone.  For one, oatmeal is jam-packed with dietary fiber and complex carbs than ensure slower digestion and a steady release of energy for hours after you’ve eaten. Oatmeal is also rich in vital nutrients, including:

• Protein
• Copper
• Phosphorus
• Iron
• Selenium
• B vitamins

Typically, you can have oatmeal with milk, fruit (such as bananas and berries), and protein powder. What makes oatmeal a great breakfast option is the fact that you can prepare it the night before, pop it in the fridge, and have it ready in the morning.

Food Item 3 - Eggs
Unlike the previous two foods, eggs don’t have a particular food group they belong to. If anything, they are in the meats, fish, and eggs category.  The great thing about eggs is that they are tremendously filling and provide us with the highest quality protein and plenty of health-boosting fats.  Leucine – an essential amino acid that is abundant in eggs – appears to stimulate energy production on numerous fronts. Eggs are also rich in choline, which seems to be crucial for brain health, cognition, and mood, as it aids in the production of certain neurotransmitters. 

The great thing about eggs is that you can have them in dozens of ways. For example, if you want a simple snack, you can boil or scramble a few eggs. If you feel a bit more inspired, you can make high-protein pancakes with more eggs, an omelet, or something similar.