Whether you’re working out or grinding games, staying energized should always be a top priority.
We all know that a healthy diet is the secret to staying powered up through the day but sometimes we all need some high energy foods to keep us going.
This isn’t something that’s exclusive to fitness buffs. Whether you’re at your desk working, going for long gaming sessions, or doing an intense workout, keeping energy levels up and avoiding fatigue is important to everybody.
To that end, we’ve got five high energy foods that you should keep around whenever you need to refuel yourself.
Carbohydrates
While everybody always says we need to watch how much carbs we take, the better thing to watch out for is what kinds of carbs we take. Carbohydrates are the body’s primary source of energy, so we need to eat the right kinds to stay topped up.
Oats, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread are high energy foods that are rich in fiber. This ensures that the food is digested gradually, giving us more energy throughout the day. Starchy vegetables like potatoes fall under this category as well.
Lean Protein
Of course, you can’t just eat whole-wheat bread by itself. You need to put something in between it and that’s where the proteins come in. Essential for muscle repair and sustaining energy, lean proteins are key to sustaining your blood sugar and keeping hunger at bay.
Chicken breast, white meat, and lean beef are easy choices. Salmon and tuna provide healthy fats and plant-based proteins like tofu can world just as well.
Nuts and Seeds
Fats get a bad reputation but they’re important for high energy foods. Because they take longer to burn they release energy at a more even pace instead of spikes. You just need the right kind of fats and you can get them from all sorts of sources.
Nuts and seeds like almonds and chia seeds give both carbs and fats that’ll keep you energized the whole day. Try to get unsalted and unprocessed versions to get the most out of your snack.
Fruits and Vegetables
As proven time and again, leafy greens and natural sugars are a surefire way to stay both healthy and energetic. Spinach and kale provide your body with iron to help fight fatigue. Bananas are a staple energy booster along with all kinds of berries.
What’s even better is that it’s not that hard to turn them into a delicious snack. A simple salad or fruits mixed in yogurt are just a few ways you can maximize these high energy foods.
Dark Chocolate
This may seem like cheating but a bit of dark chocolate can go a long way in keeping you active throughout the day. What you’re looking for is 70% cocoa or higher as the caffeine in the chocolate helps keep you alert. And the less sugar the better as that helps prevent crashes later in the day.
Just remember to take it in moderation. Caffeine is not a substitute for the actual energy from food that your body needs. You may get that buzz that helps you keep going but you’ll pay for it later if you’re not careful.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The recommended categories are complex carbohydrates (like oats and brown rice), lean proteins (like chicken and salmon), nuts and seeds (like almonds and chia seeds), fruits and vegetables, and dark chocolate (70% cocoa or higher).
Complex carbohydrates, such as whole-wheat bread and brown rice, are rich in fiber. This allows for slower digestion, providing a steady, consistent release of energy throughout the day rather than the quick spikes and crashes associated with simple sugars.
While fats sometimes have a negative reputation, healthy fats from nuts and seeds take longer to burn, which provides a more even, sustained energy release throughout your activities instead of short bursts.
Dark chocolate (specifically 70% cocoa or higher) contains caffeine, which helps maintain alertness. It also contains less sugar than milk chocolate, which helps avoid the dreaded post-sugar crash. It should be consumed in moderation as a supplement to, not a replacement for, proper nutrition.
You can maximize these foods by adding fruits to yogurt, preparing simple salads with leafy greens for iron, or choosing unsalted, unprocessed nuts as a portable snack to keep you energized during work, gaming, or exercise.
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