It takes a variety of foods to make a healthy diet that provides good nutrition, the right amount of calories and energy. Refined sugar found in sodas, pastries, cakes, and candy provides a quick boost of energy that leaves you more tired and hungry than before. So-called superfoods are different. They not only boost your energy, but they also sustain it because they take longer to digest and slowly provide energy while giving you good nutrition to boot. Here are just five of the many available superfoods.
Berries
Fresh or frozen, berries are nutritious, sweet and tasty and are high in antioxidants. They provide fiber and can be eaten plain or with muesli, yogurt, and smoothies. They are a good combination with oatmeal, another superfood that is slow to digest. While berries satisfy your sweet tooth, they don’t have the high-calorie content and major energy letdown that you get from a candy bar or doughnut.
Did you know that pineapples are actually a group of berries that have grown together? They got their common name from what they look like, not from what they are. Pineapples are very sweet, but also low in calories. They contain vitamins, antioxidants, and enzymes that support the immune system. The healthiest berries are blueberries, raspberries, goji berries, strawberries, bilberries, cranberries, acai berries, and grapes.
Yogurt
Yogurt is loaded with protein and calcium and contains probiotics that fight harmful bacteria in your gut. Yogurt contains carbs as the simple sugars lactose and galactose that provide quick energy. The protein in yogurt slows the digestion of the carbs, which slows the release of sugar into the blood. Watch out for flavored yogurt because it may contain a lot of unwanted sugar. Just add some of your berries to healthy, plain yogurt and you have a great snack for sustained energy. You can also use yogurt to make smoothies that provide a quick, healthy breakfast when you add a banana or berries.
Muesli
Don’t confuse muesli with granola. Usually roasted and with high sugar content, fat and salt, granola is not your top choice for a sustained energy boost. The best muesli brand provides raw ingredients that digest slowly while boosting energy. Muesli can be eaten as a hot or cold cereal with milk or mixed with the above mentioned plain yogurt for added taste, crunch, and energy. Healthy muesli is made from whole oats, whole grain wheat, organic flax seeds, raisins, cranberries, dates, and coconut. Each one of these ingredients is tasty by themselves and combined they provide a superfood to help boost your energy.
Apples
Apples have been a popular fruit since the ancient Greeks, and probably before. They contain healthy carbs and fiber. The natural sugars and fiber in apples provide a slow and sustained energy release. Apples also have a high antioxidant content that slows the digestion of carbs, which is the main reason they release energy over a longer period of time. Some added benefits of apples are they promote weight loss and gut health and may lower the risk of developing diabetes and cancer.
Apples are easy to carry with you in a purse or backpack, so you can grab and bite exactly when you need the energy. No need for a knife, just eat the whole apple for the fiber and nutrients in the skin.
Dark Chocolate
Chocolate is such a popular food, the term chocoholic was coined to describe people who simply can’t avoid it. If you are one such person, consider dark chocolate. It has less sugar than milk chocolate and has been shown to improve brain function and mood. It also contains antioxidants that lower blood pressure, improve blood flow, and protect cells.
Dark chocolate contains caffeine and theobromine, both will give you energy, but small portions won’t give you an energy crash. It does contain fat, which is another reason to keep the portions small. The chocolate that contains the least amount of sugar is 70 percent or higher.
These are just five superfoods for quick and sustained energy. There are many more such as bananas, avocados, and nuts. If you choose these foods when you need an energy boost, you will never have to experience that sugar rush and crash again.
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