Eat to Boost Your Energy

Oats are one of nature’s super foods. They’re low on the Glycemic Index (GI) scale, which means they don’t cause a fast sugar high and then a dip that makes you feel tired, plus healthy amounts of protein and fiber.Like other wholegrains they contain high levels of B vitamins, magnesium, selenium and iron which all are important for energy production.

Nuts are high in energy – 50g/2oz of mixed nuts provides you with 300 calories of energy, and over half of that 50g is fat. But don’t worry about fat, because the fat is the heart-healthy unsaturated kind, and the mixture of ‘good’ fats and protein in nuts means they’re a low-GI, slow-burn food. Grab a packet of unsalted nuts instead of a Danish pastry as a snack. They contain about the same quantity of calories, but the nuts will keep going for longer.

Dried fruits such as raisins and sultanas provide strong sweetness without the blood sugar spike-and-crash you get when you guzzle chocolate and sweets. All the secret is in the fiber because it slows down the digestion of the fruit, keeping you full for longer.

Brown Basmati rice is the variety of rice with the lowest Glycaemic Index as brown rice is always lower-GI than white. So brown basmati is the lowest of the low, which is what you want for sustained energy. Brown rice is also a great source of B vitamins, which act as catalysts to spark off the reactions needed to liberate energy from your food.

Lean red meat (and especially liver) is rich in iron. While iron doesn’t actually give you energy, if you don’t get enough, you’ll end up very weak. Your body needs iron in order to make hemoglobin – the chemical found in red blood cells that ferries oxygen around your body. It you haven’t got enough hemoglobin, you’ll end up anemic, with symptoms like sleepiness, lethargy and a lack of energy