10 Energy Boosting Foods To Try

We all need a little extra kick in our step every day. With work, family obligations, friends, and finding a little “me time,” it just seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day (let alone enough energy to get through them). Cramming down energy drinks and coffee isn’t going to do your health any favors. It’s important that you eat a healthy and balanced diet, but how do you do that when a lot of so-called healthy foods don’t give you the energy that you desperately need?

To help keep some pep in your step, here are ten (10) proven foods to boost your energy naturally.

Bananas

Aside from a fantastic source of potassium, bananas also provide lots of carbohydrates and vitamin B6. All of these things can kick your energy levels up a notch. In fact, science has shown that eating a banana can do as much as an energy drink!

Brown Rice

Maybe not the first energy-rich food you would think of, but brown rice is packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. About one cup gives you nearly 90% of the RDI for manganese, which helps enzymes in your body break down carbs and protein to produce energy.

Fatty Fish

To be clear, not all kinds of fish are good for boosting energy. Something like salmon or tuna provide excellent protein, fatty acids (which are good, despite how they sound), and vitamin B. some studies have shown that these fatty acids can reduce fatigue.

Sweet Potatoes

A decent size potato will give you more than 20 grams of carbs, almost 4 grams of fiber, and lots of manganese and vitamin A. They are pretty versatile, too, which means you can cook them several ways to suit your tastes.

Eggs

The incredible, edible egg has lots of protein to boost your energy for the day, so it’s no wonder why people eat them for breakfast all the time.

Apples

Fruit seems like a no-brainer when it comes to eating healthy. However, you want to make sure that you’re eating fruit that’s going to specifically give you tons of energy, too. Apples are a great source of carbs and fiber.

Dark Chocolate

Wait a second…chocolate is healthy? Dark chocolate certainly can be, since it’s packed with more cocoa than regular or milk chocolate. Antioxidants in the dark chocolate have many health benefits, like increasing blood flow.

Goji Berries

These have been popular in Chinese medicine for centuries, so take advantage of this age-old wisdom and enjoy antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and fiber. They’re great in yogurt or smoothies!

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a great way to start your day. It’s whole grains will give you lots of long-lasting energy (as opposed to sugary cereals that you’ll burn through right away). The gel that forms when you mix the beta-glucan with water will slow down your digestion. This means you won’t be hungry again right away and have to stuff yourself with empty calories.

Water

Yep! Pure, basic water is an exceptional way to stay energized throughout the day. With up to 60% of your body weight being made up of water, it’s no wonder why you need to take in a lot of it. You have to stay hydrated so that your body functions don’t slow down.