Thread: Eating for energy?

Other than just eating healthy in general, are there foods that are better for giving you energy than other foods?

A nurse friend told me to take B9 (folic acid or folate), vitamin E, and vitamin C together.

A dietician friend says:
Lean protein is high in b vitamins which help give energy and then foods high in iron will help.

Foods containing iron:



· Red meat

· Egg yolks

· Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)

· Dried fruit (prunes, raisins)

· Iron-enriched cereals and grains (check the labels)

· Mollusks (oysters, clams, scallops)

· Turkey or chicken giblets

· Beans, lentils, chick peas and soybeans

· Liver

· Artichokes

Kefir is good stuff! Less digestive troubles....I find that for some reason my mood is better, I'm more energetic overall and feel lighter on my feet. I'm bummed my local store doesn't carry it and won't order it. :(

Yerba mate' tea is good too, especially when that 3 p.m. slump hits.

Lots of good choices here for energy! I would like to add (or take away, depending on your feelings on the matter...;))

limit caffeine, sugar and alcohol - alcohol dehydrates you, sugar has an unfortunate energy boost for a short time but once the spike in blood sugar is gone it can make you feel worse than before, and caffeine can cause you not to sleep as well, and unfortunately encourages calcium to leave one's body.

I keep a little pack of almonds and raisins at my desk to munch on during the day at work. It curbs the "desk munchies" (you know, when you sit at a computer all day and get bored so eating seems to be the logical thing to do... maybe it's just me?) and gives me a little boost.

I also take a set of vitamins each day (A with E, B12, C, Coral Calcium, Cranberry concentrate, Iron, Flax, and fish oil), and about an hour later, I feel pretty good.

I am going to seriously recommend a plant based diet. I have so much more energy than when I ate meat and dairy.

eat nuts like almonds, grains like quinoa, and fruit and veggies to give you the vitamins you need. and make sure you're hydrated. water is your best friend.

I second a plant-based diet! Everyone's different of course but I found out that I was much more alert and had so much more energy when I was eating nothing but vegetables.

I third the plant based diet or a fancier word would be "microbiotic". Fruits, veg, nuts, beans. I have recently revamped my diets to 1700 calories a day, low sugar, low salt and I feel soooo good! I feel full but light and have tons of extra energy. I am sleeping better as well. I think staying properly hydrated and taking vitamins helps as well. I use ediets dot com as my "nutritionist" so I don't have to do the math with calorie counting, they do it for me.
Good luck!

Originally Posted by Darbla

Other than just eating healthy in general, are there foods that are better for giving you energy than other foods?

Every food has energy but it depends on the consumer that what kind of energy he/she wants. For example protein diet gives you energy in the form of protein but also decreases your weight.

If you're having consistently low energy levels, there's a chance there could be a medical issue, so it could be worth checking with a health care professional.

One thing that can lower a person's energy is low thyroid function. Iodine promotes healthy thyroid behavior, and you can get iodine from iodized salt.

I had a brief "oh no I might have diabetes" scare a month ago or so, so I looked into the diet for diabetes. One thing they recommended was combining protein with your carbs at each meal. I found that adding some protein to my normally carb or fruit heavy meal selections REALLY made a difference in the amount of energy I felt like I had. This COULD be a pregnancy issue, but I plan on maintaining a protein plus carb diet after the baby is born, just to see.

It's something to consider.

Originally Posted by Darbla

Foods containing iron:

· Dark, leafy greens (spinach, collards)

Spinach is one of my favourites, unfortunately though, the iron contained in spinach isn't a sort that the human body can absorb :( It's still a tasty and healthy addition to your diet, but don't count on it to supplement iron intake.

From wiki:
"spinach contains iron absorption-inhibiting substances, including high levels of oxalate, which can bind to the iron to form ferrous oxalate and render much of the iron in spinach unusable by the body"

Originally Posted by miss_charlie

Spinach is one of my favourites, unfortunately though, the iron contained in spinach isn't a sort that the human body can absorb :( It's still a tasty and healthy addition to your diet, but don't count on it to supplement iron intake.

From wiki:
"spinach contains iron absorption-inhibiting substances, including high levels of oxalate, which can bind to the iron to form ferrous oxalate and render much of the iron in spinach unusable by the body"

Add some citrus
If you saute spinach before you cook it will it still have nutritional value
"Here is one tip for getting the most nutrients from spinach specifically: Iron and calcium in plant foods are not highly absorbed by the body. Spinach contains a chemical called oxalic acid, which binds with iron and calcium and reduces the absorption of these minerals. To improve iron absorption, spinach should be eaten with vitamin C-rich foods such as orange juice, tomatoes, or citrus fruit.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/If_you_saute_spinach_before_you_cook_it_will_it_st ill_have_nutritional_value#ixzz1aWjg1oxe"

Originally Posted by theothershimmytwin

I am going to seriously recommend a plant based diet. I have so much more energy than when I ate meat and dairy.

eat nuts like almonds, grains like quinoa, and fruit and veggies to give you the vitamins you need. and make sure you're hydrated. water is your best friend.

I tried a totally plant based diet for a year. I just lost my taste for meat and decided to go totally veg. I was always tired. When I introduced just a small bit of meat a few times a week this improved my energy level.

Just goes to show that we all have different constitutions.

IF you wanna get some energy through your foods in a natural way then try to eat some protein foods because protein foods will more energy to your body . Foods like boiled eggs , peanuts , Almonds , cashews , bananas and fish . Best of luck

Fish, meat, fruit, vegetables, fresh juices, dairy products and dry fruits all are very good for the energy and to get a healthy life.

I'm very sensitive to what I eat, I can always tell exactly when I've been looking after myself and when I had too much/too little of some nutritient. I'm vegan, by the way.

What I find is that I do better if I have five to six small meals a day instead of three big ones. I make sure to have a good, hearty breakfast (often oatmeal with molasses syrup, the latter also contains lots of iron), then something to heat up at work (usually leftovers of last night's dinner) and in the evening I cook something but don't eat massive amounts of it. If I feel hungry in between, I eat something small. Nuts are excellent for keeping up my energy levels, nuts and raisins. Anything with carbs too: bread, pasta and rice are my best friends. Pay attention to get whole grain! Simply carbs result in less long-time energy, leaving you tired much quicker.

slight tangent but related.. Food Matters | Watch Free Documentary Online

My #1 recommendation is adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet. That definitely helps with looking better and feeling more energetic.

#2 is dong quai (angelica root) tea -- great stuff for women! I love it so much. They also sell Dong Quai in capsules, but the tea tasted good and makes a great substitute for coffee/regular tea. It helps with mood swings and food cravings, too.

Yes Eating for Energy is good for health.If we follow this rules we can maintain our health.

Originally Posted by Darbla

Other than just eating healthy in general, are there foods that are better for giving you energy than other foods?

I'm a big believer in natural, whole foods. I crash, get moody and irritable when I eat processed, nutrient stripped food. That said, I do a lot of my own baking at home- I never buy pre-made baking, that way I know what goes into my sweets when I do have them! Lots of fruit and veges are key for me, and I eat meat about 3 times a week.

Eating food is important for our Energy.It is a diet plan that is based upon the increasingly popular raw foods diet. We are provide beat food and in time.We will we all the vitamins and minerals used

Try injera bread made of teff wheat. It is gluten-free and higher in iron and calcium than wheat, rice, millet or oats. It is also a rich source of other minerals including magnesium, boron, copper, phosphorous and zinc.

Also quinoa is a quick grain high in protein and cooks up faster and less stick than rice on the stove.