A recent Gallup poll reveals that 20% of adults in the U.S. manage only five hours or fewer of sleep each night.
While experts stress the importance of sufficient sleep for feeling recharged, certain foods can also help boost your energy. Nutritionists recommend four specific types of foods that are particularly effective at increasing energy levels.
Here are the four energy-boosting foods as advised by nutrition experts:
- Complex Carbohydrates
According to Dr. Nancy Rahnama, a clinical nutritionist and internist, while simple carbohydrates like white bread break down quickly into sugars causing rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, complex carbohydrates have a different effect. “Anything that spikes will also crash,” Rahnama explained, noting that these sugar highs and subsequent crashes can lead to fatigue, mood changes, headaches, hunger, and cravings throughout the day.
Complex carbohydrates, on the other hand, are digested more slowly, providing a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream, as stated by the American Heart Association.
Eating complex carbs for breakfast can help maintain energy throughout the day, says registered dietitian Maya Feller. Foods such as wheat bread, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, pumpkin seeds, apples, and chickpeas are among the recommended options for sustained energy.
