How to Have Energy All Day by Eating the Right Foods

An article published by the Wellness Library Health Ink and Vitality Communications ©2013, offers several suggestions on how individuals can have  all-day energy by eating the right foods.  In order to feel energized throughout the day, your blood-glucose level should stay within a certain range.  To maintain your energy level, your body breaks down the food that you east into glucose also known as blood sugar.  This is your body’s main fuel.  If your blood glucose drops too low, you may feel lightheaded and lethargic which can come from going too long without eating, according to Neva Cochran, MS, RD, a Dallas-based nutrition consultant.

Eating the wrong kinds of foods can cause your blood glucose to spike and then drop and eventually causing the feeling of being lightheaded and lethargic.

In order to keep your blood glucose level stable and to have all-day energy, here are some eating tips.

Don’t skip meals.  This is one of the fastest ways to low blood sugar.  In order to keep your blood glucose stable, you should east three meals or six smaller meals a day consistently and ensure that you don’t go more than four hours without eating something.

Eat balanced meals.  Make sure your meals include a mix of complex carbohydrates including grains, fresh vegetables and fruits, beans, lentils, and other legumes, protein, and some fat.  Ms. Cochran states, “a combination of carbohydrates, protein, and fat helps moderate blood-glucose absorption so your blood sugar rises gradually.”

Snack smart.  To counteract energy lows you may feel during the day, be sure to eat snacks that mix carbohydrates, protein, and fat.  Excellent energy-sustaining snacks include low-fat yogurt with fruit, cheese and crackers, an apple with peanut butter, graham crackers, gingersnaps, or a glass of skim milk.

If your energy is low and you feel shaky or cannot focus, try a carbohydrate-rich snack such as a whole-grain breakfast bar or a glass of fruit juice.

“Doing so will raise your blood-glucose energy levels quickly,” says Ms. Cochran.  “Either way, be sure to keep your snack light to avoid weight gain.”