The keto diet might be good for fast weight loss but experts don’t rate it for health, as not getting enough carbohydrates can sap your energy levels. Overall, a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, with fish, lean meats, wholegrains, nuts, seeds and olive oil is best for health and energy. A study by Saint Louis University found a Mediterranean diet increased exercise endurance in just four days.
The British National Health Service (NHS) recommends eating at regular times – three meals a day and a snack if you need it – to keep energy levels on an even keel. Worried about putting on weight? Try following the 400-600-600 rule which suggests having roughly 400 calories for breakfast, 600 for lunch and 600 for dinner, leaving space for up to two healthy 200-calorie snacks.
Oats count as a low GI carb that releases sugars into your system over a slower period than refined carbs like white bread and many breakfast cereals. The result is better energy levels through the morning. If you’re avoiding cows' milk, soya is the best alternative as it has a similar amount of satiating protein – most milk alternatives don’t have as much protein.
Kickstart your morning with our brilliant porridge topping ideas
Filling one third of your plate with fruit and veg is a good rule of thumb. “Don’t underestimate the power of fruits and vegetables to boost vitality,” says registered dietitian Helen Bond. “They facilitate higher energy levels through providing a host of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that promote good health, but also by crowding out other less nutritious foods which may contribute to a general feeling of lethargy and fatigue."
Vitamin C is your anti-fatigue friend in several ways. It helps improve the uptake of anaemia-protective iron from your diet, it's involved in normal energy-releasing metabolism and helps keep the immune system healthy so you are less likely to fall prey to seasonal sniffles that wipe you out. Boost your levels with tasty stuffed peppers – just half a red or green pepper provides all your daily requirement of 80mg.
Tuna is a great source of protein (or you could go for chicken, prawns or Quorn). “To help minimize the afternoon energy dip, having some protein at lunch is always a good idea,” explains registered dietitian Helen Bond. “Numerous studies show it improves that feeling of fullness after eating and protein-rich foods also contain B vitamins, iron and zinc which help us to efficiently process the energy we get from food."
Standard potatoes have a high glycemic index (GI) so the body digests them rapidly, causing blood sugar and insulin to surge and then dip. Sweet potatoes have a much lower GI, providing a much more steady supply of energy.
Get the recipe for sweet potatoes with lentils (for prolonged energy and appetite control) here
Both white and wholegrain pastas have a low GI thanks to the complex structure of carbs they contain, which the body can only digest slowly. Cooking then cooling the pasta creates resistant starch which lowers the GI even further so a pasta salad can keep you going for hours.
Get the recipe for chili, avocado, mint and feta pasta salad here
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If you're able to lie down for 20 minutes in the afternoon, a small-scale study shows a caffeine nap can make a big difference to your alertness, getting over that afternoon slump and helping you to stay more lively late into the evening. To take a caffeine nap, drink a strong coffee immediately before getting 20 minutes shut-eye. When you wake, the caffeine kicks in and you feel extra refreshed. Whether it's entirely proven or not, we're on board.
Red meat is the best choice for boosting iron levels. According to the British Nutrition Foundation, 27% of women have low iron intakes and one in 20 has low iron deficiency anaemia and low body iron stores, which can lead to debilitating tiredness, shortness of breath and dizziness. The World Cancer Research Fund recommends ditching all processed meat but says up to 500g (17.6oz) of cooked, unprocessed red meat (three average steaks) per week is fine.
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Half a can of baked beans on grainy toast is super quick to make and contains low GI carbs for sustained energy. This serving of beans also provides a fifth of the daily requirement of fatigue-fighting iron and a sixth of your daily requirement of magnesium, an important energy mineral.
Protein-rich sardines help keep energy levels stable, stave off hunger pangs and are packed with the important omega-3s that make up brain cells. They’re also another great source of iron, containing a sixth of the daily requirement.
According to the NHS, tiredness is one of the symptoms of dehydration. Don’t get so busy that you forget to get your recommended six to eight glasses of fluid daily. Most drinks (apart from alcoholic ones) count but water is best.
All types of liver contain off-the-scale levels of vitamin B12 and folate – B vitamins help red blood cells stay healthy so they can do their job of carrying energizing oxygen around the body. You only need a portion every couple of weeks to up your levels. If you aren’t an offal fan, liver and mushrooms on toast could convert you, or enjoy a portion of pâté instead. Liver is also a great source of zinc, important for cognitive function.
A month-long study of 24 volunteers with sleep problems found that eating two kiwis before bed meant people slept 13% longer and the amount of time it took to fall asleep decreased by 35%. This small study needs to be scaled up but the fruit is certainly worth a try. Kiwis are rich in healthy antioxidants and contain some calming serotonin, so there's some logic to eating them.
Montmorency cherries contain natural melatonin, a substance with sleep-regulating properties. A pilot study found that drinking one 227ml (7.6floz) serving of the juice in the morning and another in the evening modestly improved sleep in older adults with insomnia. More research is needed but it's definitely worth a try.
Eating fiber is associated with more restorative slow-wave sleep, according to research in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine. Fiber controls the blood sugar surges that can lower levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. Get a fab fiber boost from beans, vegetables and wholegrains like quinoa and wholewheat flour.
Get the recipe for chicken, black bean and quinoa burritos here
Packed with protein, fiber, iron, essential fats and magnesium, nuts are a healthy, energizing and satiating snack. The National Sleep Foundation says almonds and walnuts are particularly great for tired people as they also contain melatonin, helping regulate your sleep/wake cycle.
Bananas are the classic energy-boosting snack, with good reason. Not only are they packed with natural sugars that release relatively slowly, the bendy fruit will also provide you with 10% of the daily recommended intake of magnesium and 14% of your vitamin B6 needs, both involved in releasing energy from food.
The protein in eggs helps to keep energy levels steady by ironing out the peaks and troughs you’d get from a more sugary breakfast. There’s a bonus for your waistline too. Research, led by the University of Surrey in England, found that men who had eggs on wholegrain toast for breakfast ate a smaller lunch and dinner that day than those who ate breakfasts of cornflakes and toast, or croissant and orange juice.
If you’ve made all the lifestyle improvements you can and yet you still feel tired all the time, see your doctor. There can be medical conditions that contribute to fatigue and it’s important that you get your health checked out.
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