Feeling rundown or tired even when you haven’t partaken in any strenuous activity is much more common than you think and can be traced back to what you eat throughout the day. This means that your diet has the ability to make your day less or more productive as your productivity is heavily tied to your energy levels.
For this exact reason, it is incredibly important to pay close attention to the nutritional value of the food that you consume throughout the day and whether or not it will boost your energy. Here is a list of some foods that will help in boosting your energy level throughout the day.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is one of the best sources of energy and a great meal to have at the start of your day for an energy-filled day. This is because of the fact that oatmeal releases energy within your body in slow doses. So, you won’t be running out of energy anytime soon. It also has an incredible nutritional value, as it is a rich source of B vitamins.
This means that any food you eat afterward, the B vitamins will help convert that food into energy as well. A single cup of oatmeal contains 5.9 grams of proteins and 28 grams of carbohydrates, out of which 14% consists of dietary fibers. The great thing about oatmeal is that it contains 0% cholesterol, 12% iron, 3% potassium.
Spinach
Spinach is a well-known and reputable food, and for a good reason. It is one of the most energy-boosting foods that go great for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Spinach is known to be rich in potassium, magnesium, and, especially, iron. Iron is great for the body as it aids the body in transporting oxygen to the heart.
The magnesium content plays a vital role as it helps in the production of energy, while potassium enhances the body’s muscle and nerve function. Other than that, a single cup of spinach also consists of just seven calories, zero cholesterol, 9% vitamin C, 2% calcium, and more.
Brown Rice
Another great and energy-boosting food that you can pair with most meals is brown rice. In comparison to white rice, brown rice is much healthier as it is less processed, which means that it is able to retain much more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. A single cup of brown rice consists of 2g of fiber and is a great source of a large portion of the daily recommended intake of manganese.
This is incredible as it helps the body break down proteins and carbs and turn them into energy. That is not all; the fiber found in brown rice helps regulate the sugar levels of your blood and promotes a steady level of energy throughout the rest of your day.
Eggs
Eggs are another great way to boost your energy throughout the day as they are incredibly rich in protein and amino acids, healthy fats, B vitamins, and vitamin D. That is not all; eggs are also known to contain choline, which helps in activating skeletal muscles. More specifically speaking, a single hard-boiled egg contains 78 calories, 25 mg of calcium, 63 mg of potassium, 86 mg of phosphorous, and more.
Edamame or Soybeans
Edamame is known to be a rich source of proteins, phosphorous, B Vitamins, and even copper, all of which aid the entire process of converting food into energy and then improving the process of how effectively it is released into the cells. This means that it makes energy produced from food much more readily available for the body to use throughout the day. One cup of edamame or soybeans contains 188 calories, 37% protein, 11% vitamin C, 20% iron, 14% potassium, 21% phosphorous, and more.
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are not only delicious and make for a great snack or side dish but are also a great source of nutrition that will have you feeling full of energy for the rest of the day. This is because they are rich in complex carbohydrates, iron, vitamin C, and magnesium. The vitamin C found in sweet potatoes helps transport fats into your cells, which is then used to produce energy instead of fat deposits.
A single cup of sweet potatoes, that is, around 100 grams, consists of 25g of complex carbohydrates, 3.1g of fiber, and, most importantly, 25% of the daily recommended intake of manganese. Complex carbohydrates and fiber, which are both found in sweet potatoes, are great for your body as they are digested slowly and therefore provide you with a steady dose of energy throughout the rest of your day.
Nuts
A great example of energy-boosting food that you can snack on everywhere and anywhere is nuts. This is because they are incredibly easy to carry, are full of nutritional value, and are a great source of healthy fats, minerals, and vitamins. To increase their nutritional value and help your body in digesting them be sure to soak them overnight.
This activity will help in activating either the sprouting or germination process. Almonds are known to be incredibly healthy, energy-boosting, and easy to access. 1 oz. of almonds is known to contain 6g of protein, 6% of iron, 6% of calcium, 4% of potassium, and more
Yogurt
Yogurt is another example of a food that is a great source of energy for the body while simultaneously having several health benefits to regulate the immune system, bring improvement within the digestive system, and more. A single cup of plain, natural yogurt is known to contain only 149 calories, 23% protein, 8% potassium, 19% phosphorous, and more.
Final Thoughts
So there you have it – some of the best energy boosting foods that you can incorporate into your diet every day very easily. The great thing about all of the foods mentioned on this list is that they are all incredibly healthy and provide several other health benefits to our body apart from providing us with energy throughout the day. So, if you are looking for ways to never run low on energy throughout the day, be sure to incorporate these foods within your daily meal prep process.