When it comes to quick and easy foods to boost your energy levels, thankfully there are a variety of wholesome choices you can make.
The problem today is most people are addicted to processed sugary snacks, artificially flavoured energy drinks and commercial-grade caffeine, and wonder why they're always feeling lethargic and lacking 'get up and go'.
Here we reveal some of the most convenient energy foods available that won't cause your blood sugar to spike the way that many 'fake' energy foods can.
1. Bananas
Available year round and grown mainly in warm climates, bananas are a ubiquitous energy food that don't really get the attention they deserve.
Considered by many to be the perfect food for everyday active people and serious athletes alike, bananas are a genuine easy energy food that contain many essential nutrients that also aid weight loss, digestion and heart health.
When it comes to wholesome, convenient and versatile energy foods, you really can't beat bananas! Whether it be freshly peeled and enjoyed on their own, or chopped into chunks and frozen to add to your favourite smoothie blends, be sure to embrace bananas.
The energy-boosting combination of clean carbohydrates, potassium, and vitamin B6 are irresistible if you're looking for the ultimate, easy energy snack.
2. Raw Nuts & Nut Butters
Raw Nuts and organic nut butters are one of the best natural energy boosting foods that are also super convenient and delicious.
The combination of protein, carbohydrates and healthy fats give you a slow-release of energy for hours, so that you don’t spike and crash.
As a wonderful satiating, energising snack, have a container of raw mixed macadamias, almonds and brazil nuts at your desk or with you wherever you go.
Thankfully these days, a wonderful variety of nut butters can be found in good supermarkets and health food stores, including delicious almond and macadamia butters.
You'll never go hungry when you snack on raw nuts and nut butters because they knock out hunger pangs, helping you to avoid sugary snacks in between meals.
3. Rolled Oats & Oat Meal
Rolled oats and oatmeal are the ultimate breakfast food for sustained energy throughout the day.
The high dietary fiber content in oats helps you feel full longer, preventing overeating throughout the day, which can lead to weight gain, sluggishness, and fatigue.
Fibre is also crucial for healthy digestion, as the soluble fibre in oats feeds the beneficial bacteria in your digestive tract and helps prevent energy-draining constipation.
Unlike processed, sugary cereals, oats won't give you a mid-morning 'sugar crash' that can easily cause you to make poor snack choices before lunch time.
In addition to its high fibre content, oatmeal is a good source of nutrients such as magnesium, protein, phosphorus, and B1 (thiamine).
To prepare oats as an energising breakfast, add 1 cup to a bowl and soak overnight in your favourite nut milk such as almond or coconut. Pour just enough milk to cover the oats and place in the refrigerator to allow the oats to absorb the milk.
In the morning, sprinkle a handful of walnuts, some dried coconut flakes, drizzle with raw organic honey and enjoy! Alternatively, it takes just a few minutes to cook your oats on the stove if you'd prefer a warm breakfast.
4. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are one of nature's true powerhouse energy foods.
A tuber that grows under ground, sweet potatoes are a low cost food, readily available throughout the world and one of the richest sources of carbohydrates for sustainable energy and endurance.
In addition, sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium, magnesium and manganese. For particularly active people, these electrolytes are often lost through sweat and are important with muscle contraction, maintaining blood pressure, stabilising blood sugar and regulating fluid balance.
Sweet potatoes are loaded with Vitamin A and C for immunity, skin and eye health, so there's good reasons to eat more sweet potatoes - not just for energy!
Enjoy sweet potatoes, sliced or cut into wedges and baked, then drizzled with grass-fed butter or olive oil. Alternatively, peel, boil and mash as an ideal meal accompaniment.
5. Raw Coconut & Coconut Oil
Coconut is a superfood for many reasons, but most people don’t realise this one: it’s one of the top natural energy boosting foods and a wonderful alternative to caffeine.
All forms of coconut including coconut oil are great for providing a nutritional source of quick energy, but also for boosting endurance and improved physical performance.
Incorporate more coconut into your diet by using the oil for frying and baking due to its very high heat point, meaning it won't go rancid like other cooking oils can.
Also, sprinkle dried coconut flakes onto smoothies and oatmeal and use organic coconut milk as a dairy alternative. It is also great for preparing delicious raw desserts.
When you buy coconut oil, be sure to choose a pure organic variety such our sustainably sourced raw coconut oil available in our store at tolmanselfcare.com
You can learn more about the energy powers of coconut in our blog, The Health Benefits of Coconut.
6. Raw Cacao
Raw Cacao is of nature's best foods for sustained energy, emotional balance and for helping to reduce fatigue.
Whilst raw cacao does contain a very small amount of naturally occurring caffeine (much less than coffee), it has some health benefits that cannot be ignored.
These include compounds and nutrients that help improve blood flow to the brain and actively increase energy levels, such as magnesium.
Raw Cacao is one of the best sources of magnesium on earth, which optimises the body’s use of oxygen, not only useful for boosting energy, but also for burning calories.
It also helps to build strong bones and to regulate blood pressure. Magnesium is known to protect against osteoporosis and to reduce type II diabetes and lower blood pressure.
Raw Cacao also consists of an ingredient known as Phenylethylamine (PEA), which greatly improves alertness and concentration and it contains a compound called, Theobromine, which is a mild natural stimulant that helps to burn fat and boost serotonin levels.
7. Quinoa
Quinoa is a low glycemic, slow release energy food that won't cause you to crash and burn.
This means it is a sustainable energy food that is less likely to trigger cravings and hunger the way that other caffeine stimulants can.
Other Tips for Naturally Boosting Your Energy
1. Drink enough water every day. One of the quickest ways to face fatigue is to become dehydrated. Your body needs at lest 2 litres of clean water every day to function optimally and to support your energy
2. Do moderate exercise for 45 minutes per day. Whether it be a brisk walk or some other form of low impact exercise, it's important to remember that 'energy creates energy', so the more active you are the more energised you will feel.
3. Inhale peppermint essential oil aromatically for energising your mind and body, particularly when you wake up, before you exercise and before an important meeting to help activate your senses and get your focus on!
4. Cut down on processed chemical foods and personal care products. One of the biggest hidden causes of fatigue are the toxic chemicals in many of today's packaged foods and commercial personal care and household cleaning products. These products can thwart energy production and cause hormonal imbalances and endocrine disruption, so it's important to choose natural alternatives as often as possible.
The Main Take Away
Too many of the foods around us these days, deplete rather than optimise our energy and performance.
With this in mind, it's important to be conscious of the foods you choose for fuel and to prioritise foods that help deliver sustained energy to you for everyday life and performance.
By substituting the empty calories found in refined carbs, sugary snacks and processed foods, with the high quality carbohydrates rich in natural food sources, you'll go a long way to boosting your daily energy and avoiding sluggishness, unwanted cravings and fatigue.
Tolman Self Care.
