Forget what you know about energy, stay your hand when it comes to snacking and start reaching for the foods that will give you long-lasting energy.
Good Chef Bad Chef host and celebrity nutritionist, Zoe Bingely-Pullin, is busting common myths about food and energy to help you be at your best every day.
Text: The Australian Women’s Weekly
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Feeling lethargic? Eating infrequently or skipping meals can leave you feeling tired, as it causes a drop in sugar levels.
It’s really important to have a healthy eating routine that fuels you consistently throughout the day. Try and commit to eating a nutrient-rich breakfast and small frequent meals such as a banana, nuts or small tub of low-fat yoghurt, to make sure you’re full of energy.
Try this Asparagus With Poached Egg And Parmesan for a healthy start to your day!
Like all foods, fruit is a good source of fuel in moderation, however, an all-fruit diet isn’t the best way to keep your body feeling strong and energised.
Though fruit provides the body with complex carbohydrates, fibre and many vitamins and minerals (such as vitamin A and vitamin C) it doesn’t contain many other essential nutrients such as proteins and fats that are needed to help the body function.
How about a Orange Chicken With Watercress And Grapefruit Salad instead?
The most common food myth of them all is obsessing over the consumption of carbohydrates. When people avoid carbs, they’re depriving their bodies of its main source of energy. You need sufficient amounts of complex carbohydrates to maintain your energy levels.
Brown rice is natural and minimally processed, perfect for slow releasing energy to keep you feeling full and energised throughout the day. For an extra boost to get you through the day, try a combination of rice and quinoa.
Foods containing carbs are also a source of prebiotics, which is the fuel used to help gut bacteria flourish. This, in turn, supports a healthy gut environment, increases the uptake of minerals such as calcium and may support immunity and overall general well being.
Try making this Brown Rice Spaghetti & Chicken Katsu Served With Japanese Curry
If you’re eating for energy, strategies like low-calorie diets definitely won’t ward off fatigue.
If you’re consuming too few calories, the body will compensate by slowing you down and functioning in a lower gear.
You could also be depriving your body of essential vitamins, minerals, nutrients, proteins and complex carbohydrates. These are all big-time players in processing energy.
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When we’re tired, it can be super tempting to go for a quick fix, like a coffee or an energy drink, which in the long run will leave you feeling even more lethargic and zapped of energy. Be wary of drinking too much caffeine as it will give a quick burst of energy, but when the artificial high dies down, energy levels will crash with it.
Also try steering clear of excessive alcohol consumption, as habitual drinking can lead to unnecessary dependency, and potentially poor sleeping patterns and quality of sleep. If you’re in need of a pick-me-up, opt for herbal tea, or a food alternative such as a small bowl of rolled oats (how about a bowl of Bircher Muesli?), which still taste delicious and will give you a hit of antioxidants instead!