The Foods You Eat Could Be Zapping Your Energy

The energy needed to sustain life comes from the food we put in our body and the beverages and fluids we drink. There is a lot of controversy when it comes to eating carbs, but carbohydrates play a big role in our diet to provide our bodies with energy. Just be aware that like everything else too much of a good thing is not necessarily a good thing.

The foods you eat could be zapping your energy. Familiarize yourself with the glycemic index to make sure you are eating the right kind of carbohydrates. High-glycemic foods can make you fatigued and sleepy, while low-glycemic foods are much less likely to cause fatigue.

Foods that are rated at levels of 55-100 in the Glycemic Food Index Chart are known as high-glycemic and those that have a level of below 55 are the low-glycemic. Foods that have the low rating will keep the blood sugar from rising whereas any foods on the food index level above 55 up to 100 will play a part in a person's blood sugar count rising.

Foods such as cold cereals, sugar, soft drinks, chocolate bars, white potatoes and white and bread are in the high-glycemic category. Eating these types of foods make your blood sugar rise because the food that you are eating gets digested too fast. Foods that are high-glycemic cause the brain to over produce serotonin which is what helps up sleep at night. When you eat too many high-glycemic foods tour energy levels crash and all you want to do is find a place to sleep.

During Thanksgiving and Christmas we all sit down and enjoy turkey with dressing and then twenty minutes later everyone hits the couch when they become sleepy. All of the meats, gravies and cheeses that we all eat during the holiday season are all fatty high-glycemic foods that make the blood in our bodies much thicker. The thicker blood makes people become sleepy.

Consuming foods that are low-glycemic have a much easier effect on your body and insulin levels. Oatmeal, rye bread, pasta that is made with white or whole wheat flour, beans, peas, apples, prunes, pears, and sweet potatoes are a great choice of low-glycemic foods.

When choosing a snack to give you energy, avoid pastries and candy because they are high calorie foods and are also high in carbohydrates. You can choose snacks that are not only healthier for you but they are low in carbohydrate but will still provide you with enough energy to get you through your day. Healthy snacks that give you energy is anything that is low-fat, low salt and low sugar. Some smart choices to choose for a snack are bananas, carrots, eggs, fish, milk, nuts, yogurt, spinach, raisins, lemons, limes and juices. Replacing sodas with water, herbal teas or vegetable and fruit juice is another way to give your body the necessary carbohydrates it needs for your energy level.

Some people resort to drinking energy drinks such as Red Bull, Thrive, Monster, Wired, Who's Your Daddy, and Jolt to give them oomph. The only things these energy drinks do is to make you feel energized all at once with a sudden burst of get-up-and-go, but when that burst wears off you are back to where you started from. You are better off eating the right foods that will provide you with the energy you need for the day.

The best steps to having more energy are to stay away from fatty high carb foods, avoid caffeine and sugar, get plenty of rest every night, and exercise daily. Doing all of this should provide you with plenty of energy that will last throughout your day.

Sources:

www.active.com

www.becomehealthynow.com

/www.lowglycemicdiet.com