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Nutrition 101: What foods should I eat to increase my energy?
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Leafy greens (photo by Deb Roby)
Many of us experience energy highs and lows throughout the day, and oftentimes we use food to boost our energy. The ultimate goal for most of us is to maintain sustained energy. Reducing or eliminating certain foods and adding in others can help you reach this goal.
The foods that drain our energy and should be reduced or eliminated altogether are no surprise. They include coffee, soft drinks, alcohol, processed chemicalized foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners and trans fats. Stimulants such as caffeine and sugar may provide a boost of energy short-term, but long-term they deplete our bodies of energy by continually drawing out minerals and nutrients. And, these substances are highly addictive.
The foods that increase our energy are foods that are alive as they have life force. These are plant foods like whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Eating these foods in their whole form will provide the most nutritional benefit. When foods have not been processed, they maintain all the essential components like fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and they remain in their natural state. Processing depletes these valuable elements.
Some of the highest quality foods are leafy green vegetables as they are nourishing and provide sustained energy. Greens are high in calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are also filled with fiber, chlorophyll, folic acid, and other micronutrients and phytochemicals. There are many leafy greens to choose from like kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, green cabbage, lettuce, arugula, endive, spinach, and bok choy.
Whole grains are another source of good quality foods as they provide essential enzymes, dietary fiber, iron, vitamin E and B-complex vitamins. Grains eaten in their whole form are digested and absorbed slowly in the body, thereby providing sustained energy. The list of whole grains is longer than you may think. There is brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, barley, oats, buckwheat (kasha), millet, amaranth, spelt, kamut, rye berries, cornmeal and wheat berries.
Superfoods offer very high levels of nutrients and are powerful sources of energy. “Superfoods” is merely a label given to foods and food sources that meet the criteria of offering high-density nutrition while being low in calories. Superfoods provide everything you need for superior nutrition such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, essential fatty acids, and complex carbohydrates for energy. Some of the superfoods you can add into your diet are cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower, all types of berries, sprouts, avocados, spirulina and chlorella.
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