5 Foods for More Energy

Are you among millions of those people who find it hard to keep up with the hard work and personal predicaments? Do you feel like the life is passing you by and you do not have enough energy to keep on fighting? If you do, then perhaps you need to change your diet. It doesn’t take too much effort; you just need to make small changes. So don’t wait before starting to consume these 5 best natural foods in order to gain more energy.

Water as Energy Food

A human cannot live without water, but even if you’re drinking enough just to not feel thirsty, you’re probably not drinking enough water. Properly hydrated organism functions much better than the dehydrated. Every time you feel your mouth is dry and you are thirsty, you’ve already dehydrated your body and the brain. So, do not let that happen. Drink water regularly and drink it a lot to get more energy. Stories about people dying from too much water, like those about bladder bursting, are just not true. You can drink up to 5 liters of water every day and still feel amazing.

Water is needed for every process in the human body. You can not digest food without water, nor can you burn fat. The best way to start your day is by drinking a glass of lukewarm water. It wakes up your whole body, accelerating the metabolism and providing support for the following day. You also need water for your brain to function normally. A dehydrated brain causes headaches, which is exactly what happens after drinking too much alcohol. Apart from alcohol beverages, you should avoid other bubbly drinks as well. So sodas are off, but you should also limit the consumption of fruit juices as they also contain a large amount of sugar. Instead, stick to mineral water or green tea.

Nuts as Energy Food

For instant results in increasing energy levels, you can go with any kind of nuts. They have an excellent combination of dietary fiber, protein and omega fatty acids, which can make you pumped up for the work. Brazil nuts, for example, contain a high amount of selenium, an antioxidant known for fighting free radicals, which are causing cancer and many other dangerous diseases. Walnuts have a lot of zinc, same as almonds, cashew, and hazelnuts. Peanuts, although technically not nuts, are also amazing for increasing the levels of energy. They have a fair amount of valuable protein and fats, which your body and brain can use as a fuel.

You can also add dried fruits to the mixture, as well as seeds. Dried fruits, like peaches, prunes and figs, have a lot of sugar (about 60%), but this kind is not as bad as the sugar used in processed foods and sodas. Still, do not consume too much dried fruit, but do eat it as it contains a lot of essential vitamins and minerals. When it comes to seeds, hemp, sesame and pumpkin seeds are considered to be super foods. Speaking of super food, you should also think about consuming goji berries from time to time, as they are reported to have a lot of benefits on the human body.

Dark Chocolate as Energy Food

Tiredness is often caused by depression. That’s why you need foods that can make you happy. Dark chocolate is perfect for that. But, you need to be very careful when it comes to chocolate and, in fact, everything sweet. The amount of sugar needs to be as low as possible. That’s why your choice should be dark chocolate. High amount of sugar would give you a splurge of energy, which would later cause it to drop, making you feel sleepy.

The best choice is a dark chocolate that contains less than 5% of sugar. It should be tasty and will certainly make you feel happier as cocoa is proved to be happiness booster. In fact, there isn’t a natural food that makes people happy more than cocoa, so try to consume it on a daily basis. Apart from dark chocolate, you can choose cocoa drinks, low-sugar cakes, etc.

Fish as Energy Food

Sometimes, drowsiness is caused by the bad dieting habits. Digesting heavy meals takes a lot of energy, you could’ve used for something else. Fish is easy to digest and has a lot of valuable nutrients, on top of that. All saltwater fish are rich in the omega fatty acids, nutrients that are proved to do wonders for the brain. Being rich with healthy fats, fish is also great for those looking to lose weight. Healthy fat will increase the amount of healthy cholesterol, while lowering the bad cholesterol, thus saving you in the long term from cardiovascular problems, like high blood pressure for example.

Fish also has quite a lot of zinc, which is one of the essential substances for proper functioning of hormone glands. This nutrient increases the amount of testosterone in the body, making you more energized. The number 1 seafood when it comes to the amount of zinc is oysters. That is the reason why they’ve been considered an aphrodisiac for centuries.  Other seafood rich in this nutrient include tuna, anchovy, eel, etc.

Coffee as Energy Food

Forget about sugary drinks, go with coffee instead! Caffeine, the substance coffee is abundant with, is scientifically proven to up the energy levels. It does that by making you more alert and awake. Note that the caloric value of caffeine is very low, so it doesn’t provide you with the energy like that. Instead, it boosts your metabolism, making both your body and the brain working faster. Other caffeine-rich foods and drinks include black tea, green tea, and guarana. Here’s the list of popular drinks and their amount of caffeine for comparison:

• Brewed coffee, about 200mg of caffeine per 8 oz. (237 mL) cup
• Espresso, about 50mg of caffeine per 1 oz. (30mL) cup
• Black tea, approximately 50mg of caffeine per 8 oz. (237 mL)
• Green tea, about 30mg of caffeine per 8 oz. (237 mL)