Edited by an expert:
Nadezhda Primochkina, nutritionist - 10.18.2021
The food we eat every day is not only a way to quench hunger and thirst, but also a source of strength and energy. It is with food that our body receives substances that provide energy for the normal functioning of organs and increase our ability to withstand physical and emotional stress.
Nuts
Almonds are a high-energy source of vegetable protein that keeps you feeling full for a long time. Nuts contain riboflavin, which saturates with energy and maintains its level. Pistachios are a low-calorie product that controls hunger due to the presence of fats and vitamin B. Walnuts have a positive effect on metabolism and support the heart. Omega-3 fatty acids provide these properties.
Ginseng
Ginseng is a popular herbal supplement well known for its energy-boosting properties.
It has also been shown to stimulate brain function, making it a popular choice for improving athletic performance and mental performance. Panax ginseng (lat. Panax ginseng) is the most studied species in human studies (). Ginseng contains compounds including ginsenosides, eleutherosides, and qivujianosides, which are believed to give ginseng its energy-boosting properties ().
A number of human studies have found that taking ginseng improves physical performance in both sedentary and active people, has anti-fatigue properties and increases mental alertness ().
Doses of 200–1000 mg per day have been associated with positive effects on energy levels, concentration, and mood in adults (, ).
Be aware that consuming ginseng may cause side effects including insomnia, diarrhea, increased heart rate and blood pressure. Additionally, this herbal remedy may interfere with common medications, such as those used to treat diabetes, depression, and heart disease ().
Conclusion:
According to research, ginseng contains compounds that can help improve alertness, energy levels and focus.
Greenery
Tops, compared to root vegetables, are low in fats and carbohydrates, but can also give you energy. Greens are a supplier of fiber, substances that improve energy metabolism. Spinach is rich in iron, vitamins B, C. They help extract energy from food. A glass of this green contains a third of the daily requirement of folic acid necessary for the metabolism.
Bacopa monnieri
Bacopa monnieri (Latin: Bacopa monnieri) is a plant that grows in wet, wetlands throughout South Asia. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat various ailments including anxiety, insomnia and memory problems ().
The cognitive-enhancing effects of bacopa monnieri are attributed to its concentration of triterpenoid saponins, which are known as bacosides and have neuroprotective and cognitive-enhancing properties ().
Research shows that the plant may help improve brain function and alertness.
One review of 9 studies involving 518 people found that taking about 300 mg of Bacopa monnieri extract daily improved brain function, especially processing speed and reaction time ().
Bacopa monnieri is generally considered safe, but it can cause side effects such as digestive problems in some people and interact with some medications (,).
Conclusion:
Bacopa monnieri is a concentrated source of triterpenoid saponins, which are known as bacosides and may have stimulating effects on the brain.
Eggs
This product provides long-term saturation and promotes rapid muscle recovery after exercise. Eggs contain protein and amino acids, which provide a powerful burst of energy. To overcome fatigue and feel a surge of energy, it is useful to eat 1-2 pieces for breakfast or dinner. Nutritionists recommend eating boiled chicken eggs.
Vegetables
To increase your body's energy, eat plant-based foods. The daily menu must include carrots, cabbage, and other vegetables. Beets contain natural nitrates, which the body converts into nitric oxide. This compound activates the delivery of oxygen to tissues. To maintain energy for a long time, you need complex carbohydrates, which are abundant in sweet potatoes. This tasty, satisfying vegetable increases stamina for a long time and gives strength.
Sauerkraut
Products with probiotics help you stay energetic and healthy. The microorganisms that sauerkraut contains speed up the process of food digestion. The energy used for breaking down food is conserved. Due to this, the threshold of fatigue is pushed back, the person feels a surge of strength. Add sauerkraut to meat dishes or boiled potatoes without salt.
Ginger
Mental activity requires a lot of strength and energy. To maintain efficiency and attention during times of increased intellectual stress, it is useful to consume ginger. The root of the plant improves blood circulation. To get a quick boost of energy, you can eat a small piece of raw ginger. It is better to prepare tea, which it is advisable to drink before lunch.
Oatmeal
Porridge contains simple and complex carbohydrates that quickly replenish energy reserves. A breakfast of oatmeal with milk and honey will keep you full all morning. In addition to carbohydrates, porridge is rich in fiber, magnesium, phosphorus and vitamin B. Oatmeal is slowly absorbed by the body and keeps sugar levels high. This helps keep you alert for a long time.
Sage
Research shows that sage may have impressive positive effects on cognitive function in adults. It is rich in many potent plant compounds, including luteolin, rosmarinic acid, camphor, quercetin and apigenin, which give it impressive medicinal properties ().
When used as a supplement, sage has been shown to improve mood, alertness, attention, memory, and word retention in healthy young and old adults ().
For example, a study of 36 healthy adults found that treatment with 50 microliters (µL) of clary sage essential oil resulted in improved memory and attention. Additionally, it reduced mental fatigue and increased alertness over a 4-hour period ().
Interestingly, sage acts as a potent acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitor. It is an enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in brain function, including memory, attention and motivation ().
AChE inhibitors help increase the availability of acetylcholine in the brain, thereby improving cognitive function ().
Conclusion:
When taken as a supplement, sage may help improve mood, alertness and concentration, and reduce fatigue in adults.
Dried fruits
To quickly replenish lost energy, a sweet snack is suitable. Good sources of energy are dried apricots, raisins, prunes and dried pears. Simple carbohydrates, which include fructose, are absorbed 5-10 minutes after consumption. In addition to them, dried fruits contain fiber, which speeds up the digestion process.
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Bananas
If you start your day with a fruit breakfast, you can feel strong and energetic until lunch. It's good to eat bananas. They contain potassium, which affects the functioning of the nervous system and skeletal muscles. Thanks to its low calorie content and slow carbohydrates, bananas are quickly digested and instantly give you strength. The product is useful to use after physical activity.
Coffee: to drink or not to drink? Pros and cons of caffeine
When you're dead tired, caffeine can be an instant antidote, energizing you and helping you focus in those crucial moments. Caffeine, a mild central nervous system stimulant, also increases heart rate, relaxes smooth muscle, increases gastric secretions, and has a diuretic effect.
The positive effects of caffeine include increased levels of neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, adrenaline and glutamate, which in turn have a positive effect on alertness, concentration, mood and memory, reducing fatigue. Additionally, caffeine may cause a slight increase in metabolic rate, and regular consumption may reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease and type 2 diabetes.
But in too much quantity, caffeine becomes an energy-sapping substance. It can increase blood pressure and cortisol secretion, cause tremors in the hands and anxiety, contribute to insomnia and delay falling asleep. Plus, if you have a caffeine addiction (which can develop from coffee, energy drinks and energy bars, as well as “natural” diet pills), the constant waxing and waning of its stimulant effects are often accompanied by mild dehydration and withdrawal symptoms—not a good combination.
This can lead to serious problems with the energy balance in the body. Believe me, I experienced them myself! During my second year of medical school, when I was drinking a pot of coffee a day, I became so immune to caffeine that within an hour or two of taking another drink, I would begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, including fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and headaches.
The energy boost you get from a cup of coffee is not real energy. This is the effect of caffeine, a drug, and it is short-lived. When the effects of caffeine wear off and your body realizes that it has no source of real energy, you are likely to feel exhausted and possibly hungry.
At this point, you probably decide that you need even more caffeine, or you choose to eat, but end up overeating because you are in a state of energy depletion. In either case, the unhealthy cycle, which can lead to further energy drain, begins again.
The lesson is: use caffeine wisely and pay attention to the total amount of caffeine in your diet. For many women, a cup of coffee in the morning is enough, and only occasionally during the day as a stimulant that temporarily increases concentration before an important meeting or long-distance trip.
If you find that you need extra stimulants throughout the day, it's time to consider other ways to increase your energy levels: you might take a walk, or take a short nap, or breathe in a stimulating scent like peppermint, or splash your face with cold water. Extra caffeine is not the answer.
Fish
To overcome depression, improve your mood and vitality, you need to eat fatty foods. It is only important to choose the right products. It is useful to include sea fish in your diet. Salmon, halibut and tuna are high in monounsaturated fat and lean protein. Fish is rich in iron, which raises the level of hemoglobin in the blood, prevents anemia and weakness.
Freshly squeezed juices: to drink or not to drink? The benefits and harms of juices
Unlike many doctors, I am not a strict opponent of the juice diet. But it is very important not to go to extremes and be aware of what is good and bad about such diets. Here's the basics: This diet involves limiting your diet to only fresh fruit and vegetable juices and water for a few days or longer. Proponents of juice fasting claim that it cleanses the body, helps you lose weight, and also prevents almost everything from colds to autoimmune diseases and various forms of cancer.
Over the years I have taken a number of different juice courses. My best impressions came from a short (two to three days) course of vegetable juices. (Who would have thought I could eat so many pounds of kale?!) During the fast and for about a week after, I experienced less cravings for fatty and salty foods (suddenly potatoes seemed much less appetizing and cheeseburgers looked like food for dogs). In addition, I began to sleep better and feel a little more alert, as if I had increased my vitamin dose by 4000% (although this was not the case).
But there are also disadvantages. For some people, juice fasting or cleansing is contraindicated. People with diabetes may experience high blood sugar levels from drinking too much fruit juice, and those with kidney disease may suffer from potentially life-threatening electrolyte imbalances. Juice diets will neither help you lose weight nor stop weight gain if you do manage to lose a couple of kilograms. And there is no scientific evidence that “detoxing” helps prevent any disease; in fact, our liver, kidneys and intestines cleanse the body naturally every day.
If you want to try a juice diet, avoid extreme options and don't stay on any of them for more than three to four days. Juice fresh fruits and vegetables yourself or buy freshly prepared juices that have not been pasteurized. Of course, pasteurization kills potentially harmful bacteria, but it also kills beneficial microorganisms and reduces the content of some vitamins and minerals. To get the maximum benefit from a juice diet, you should drink only freshly squeezed juices.
Green tea
Caffeine helps to quickly overcome fatigue and drowsiness. This substance contains leafy green tea. It contains minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. The ability of tea to invigorate depends on the brewing method. To get a boost in energy, you need to soak the leaves in boiling water for no more than two minutes. If you brew tea longer, the effect will be the opposite.
What is metabolism? What does it depend on?
Biochemical reactions responsible for the performance of body systems of their functions belong to metabolic processes. Their essence lies in the breakdown of complex substances into simpler components to obtain energy resources, as well as in the transformation of the resulting simple compounds into complex ones. When the body is in a healthy state, it does not store the received substances and trace elements, converting them into subcutaneous or visceral fat. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats supplied to cells are used as energy necessary to carry out various tasks. The rate of biochemical reactions depends on gender and age, as well as on hormonal levels. Lifestyle and eating behavior are also factors influencing metabolism. At the same time, metabolic processes slow down as age-related changes occur. Using vitamins to speed up metabolism will help change the situation.
Black chocolate
High-calorie foods provide maximum saturation of the body with energy. To avoid health problems, you should not overuse such products if you are overweight. A good start to the day would be a piece of dark chocolate for breakfast. Cocoa powder contains magnesium, iron, calcium, vitamins B, E, PP and natural energy sources - caffeine, theobromine.
Greek yogurt
Fermented milk products regulate the functioning of the nervous system. Natural yogurt without additives saturates the body with B vitamins, protein, calcium and magnesium. These substances are needed for full recovery after physical or mental stress. A good energizing breakfast or snack option is whole grain toast with Greek yogurt.
Cottage cheese
The absorption of protein by the body occurs in 2–3 hours. This gives you twice as much energy for a period of time. Cottage cheese is a source of protein, which additionally contains calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins. To increase the energy value of the product, choose fatty varieties. For those who are losing weight, dietary cottage cheese is suitable. The casein contained in it will ensure a feeling of fullness for a long time.
Rules for eating foods for energy and vigor
To get the maximum benefit from food, you need to consume it in accordance with certain rules. Since most of them are high in calories and nutritional value, it is better to eat them in the first half of the day. It is during this period that cells need energy replenishment. Overeating does not contribute to the appearance of vigor. Therefore, it is extremely important to monitor the amount you eat.
It is necessary to pay attention not only to recommended, but also to prohibited products. They should be completely excluded from the diet. Otherwise, the benefits of the necessary food will be incomplete. It is advisable to avoid the following products:
- carbonated drinks;
- smoked meats;
- alcohol;
- fatty meats;
- canned food;
- sweets containing trans fats.
The listed products contain a minimal amount of useful substances. Alcoholic drinks contribute to the accumulation of toxins, which require a lot of energy to remove. The body also spends too much energy on breaking down the sugar in confectionery products.
For dinner, it is advisable to eat a protein product with herbs or vegetables. They will speed up the process of fiber breakdown without overloading the digestive system. It is not recommended to consume confectionery products, side dishes and fatty foods before bedtime. This will lead to insomnia and lack of vigor during the daytime. 2 hours before going to bed you should stop eating. Additionally, you should adhere to the following rules:
- do not abuse alcohol;
- exercise;
- drink more fluids;
- practice walks in the fresh air;
- treat chronic diseases in a timely manner.
