In an energy slump? Has your get up and go got up and gone? Got no energy to exercise, never mind cope with your nine to five? Apart from a good nights sleep, what else can you do to increase your energy levels? Well, these days we all know what an impact the food we eat can have on our bodies and that is true for the amount of energy we have too.
The process our body goes through to extract energy from food is complex.
Macro nutrients (carbohydrates, fats and proteins) and micro nutrients (vitamins, minerals and amino acids) are released from food during the digestion process.
These are then used by the body to either make new molecules for growth or produce energy for the body.
The main macro nutrients used to produce energy are carbohydrates and fats (protein is only used to produce energy when absolutely necessary for example during periods of fasting) Carbohydrates are basically sugars, some are made of a single molecule (monosaccharides) or complex molecules (polysaccharides or oligosaccharides).
Carbohydrates are vital for our energy production and should make up most of the food that we eat every day.
These should be in the form of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains (bread, pasta, oats), fruit, vegetables and legumes (lentils, beans, chick peas).
These are low GI carbohydrates, or foods with a low glycemic index and release their sugars slowly over a period of time giving your body sustained energy.
Fats are also important for energy production.
But they should be in the form of healthy fats, such as fish, nuts, seeds and their oils.