Top Four Foods For Energy
Dec
23
2015
Dear Hungry Girl,I always find myself feeling sluggish midway through the day. I'll sometimes have coffee to get me going again, but it often makes me jittery. Do you have any better ideas for a pick-me-up?
Feeling Fatigued
Hi Feeling Fatigued,Great question. I love coffee, but it rarely wakes me up. Instead, I find that smart meals and snacks keep my energy level up. Food is fuel! Here are my top four energy-enhancing food picks...
Old-Fashioned Oats
One of my favorite ways to start the day is with HG-style growing oatmeal or an HG oatmeal bake. They're both made with old-fashioned oats, which rank low on the glycemic index. That's a good thing -- the lower the glycemic index, the slower the food releases energy. The oats are also high in soluble fiber, which prolongs the digestion process. (Read: long-term energy.) Recipes ahead...
Spinach
Okay, I know it's kind of hard to get excited about spinach, but it's one of the best things you could possibly eat if it's energy you're after. Spinach is packed with iron (which you probably already know, thanks to Popeye). And lack of that essential mineral causes fatigue. Like oats, spinach has a low glycemic index. So eat a spinach salad for lunch to help you ward off that afternoon slump. Ready for recipes?
Red Bell Pepper
Red bell pepper is loaded with vitamin C -- around twice as much as an orange! (Green bell peppers have a lot of C, too, but not as much as red.) Why does this matter? Because vitamin C helps your body burn fat for energy. If you don't get enough vitamin C, your energy level may drop. Not a fan of bell peppers? Try broccoli, kale, or strawberries. As for recipes, check these out...
P.S. WATER. Make sure you're sipping on H2O throughout the day. Dehydration can definitely make you feel tired. If you're bored with plain agua, grab some sparkling water, or zazzle it up with lemon or cucumber slices. So refreshing!
Chew on this:
Happy Festivus, December 23rd! If you're not familiar with Festivus, you need to buy yourself this Seinfeld box set on Amazon. Then make this meatloaf.
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