Step into Spring with vitality
Not quite ready to leap into Spring? Here are some energy-boosting foods to eat this season that will help you rediscover your vitality
No matter how healthy and fit you are, we all have those days when we just feel sluggish and lacking in energy. “Food is fuel,” says Together Health’s registered dietician, Lola Biggs. “We get sustainable energy from healthy fats, protein, unrefined carbs, and fibre. Making good choices when it comes to natural energy boosting foods can help maintain your focus and vitality throughout the day.”
With that in mind, here are some foods to help you step into Spring with vitality:
Bananas: full of potassium, vitamin B6 and complex carbs, they are one of the best foods for giving us energy. Eat on the go, blitz in a smoothie or mash onto porridge or oatcakes.
Sweet potatoes: high in potassium, vitamin C, magnesium and iron, these sustainable complex carbs release energy into the body slowly over time meaning you stay fuller for longer. Roasting them is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to eat them. For added nutrition, eat with hummus, which is full of healthy chickpeas.
Brown rice: less processed than white rice, it’s crammed with vitamins, fibre, and minerals. It’s also low on the glycemic index meaning it helps regulate blood sugar levels and encourage stable energy levels throughout the day.
Dates: contain vitamins and minerals like copper, magnesium, iron, and potassium. High in natural sugars, they give a great quick burst of energy. Perfect to replace that afternoon sweet treat slump.
Chia seeds: these tiny seeds have fantastic energy-giving properties thanks to their healthy fats, fibre, and protein. Sprinkle into your smoothie, yogurt pots, porridge, or salads.
Avocados: high in fibre, healthy unsaturated fats, and calories, they digest at a steady pace releasing glucose into the blood slowly and giving you a gradual release of energy.
Almonds: rich in vitamin B2 which helps us release energy from food, they also contain copper and manganese which are both key to the production of energy.
Foods to avoid
And if you’re doubt about what foods to avoid, then here some that will zap your energy:
Fried foods: difficult to digest, when greasy foods hit the stomach, blood is diverted away from the rest of the body, including the brain, leaving you unfocused and lethargic.
Booze: a big energy-zapper, it interrupts your sleep, your metabolism and leaves you feeling tired and lacking in get-up-and-go.
Sugar: gives you a high but then causes you to feel more sluggish and sleepier.
Refined carbs: foods like white bread, white pasta, and white rice act similar to sugar— they can cause a quick sugar rush but the high is short lived. These refined carbs are rapidly broken down to blood glucose in our bodies and cause an energy crash as the blood sugar drops.
Lola Biggs is a registered dietician and expert for natural, vegan health supplement brand Together Health (togetherhealth.co.uk) who are a British brand based in Yorkshire
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