We all need much energy to get us through the day, and we all know energy comes in the form of food and snacks. However, we often tend to grab the first thing that is available to us and call it “an energy boosting snack”.
These foods are usually power bars from the nearest vending machine, some form of fast food, or something similar.
This is why we need to understand these are not healthy energy boosting foods, and we are only deteriorating our health and exuberance with these snacks.
Complex carbs & Lots of Fluids
Melissa Rifkin, RD, a registered dietitian at the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY, says that we need to focus on Complex carbohydrates instead, since they take longer to digest in the body as they are absorbed slowly, meaning we will stay energized for longer periods of time.
Make sure you always have some form of complex carbohydrates on you. Think high-fiber cereals, whole-grain breads and pastas, dried beans, and starchy vegetables.
“Complex carbs also stabilize your body’s sugar level, which in turn causes the pancreas to produce less insulin. This gives you a feeling of satiety and you are less hungry,” says Rifkin.
Suzanne Lugerner, director of clinical nutrition at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, DC, on the other hand, warns that fluids are also crucial.
“Adequate fluids are also essential for sustaining energy. Water is necessary for digestion, absorption, and the transport of nutrients for energy. Dehydration can cause a lack of energy. Average person needs to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day.”
