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Best High Energy Foods

Fight Off Fatigue With These 10 Energy-Boosting Foods


Despite best efforts to relax more, let’s be realistic—you’re always working. At home, the gym, the office, you’re on 24/7 and that requires endless energy. While food isn’t the ultimate fix (you do need to make sure you’re logging enough sleep), you can hack your diet to help reduce fatigue.

First, you should identify and eliminate the foods that make you feel sluggish, explains Lindsey Pine, a Los Angeles based registered dietitian and founder of Tasty Balance Nutrition. For most people that means limiting the amount of sugar, refined flours, artificial ingredients, and trans fats, she notes. Then start filling your plate with nutrient-dense foods that are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and fiber.

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So what should you actually be adding to your grocery cart? You don’t have to get #fancyAF with your meal plan. “Some of the simplest foods are the most nutrient dense including vegetables, fruit, fish, poultry, nuts, and whole grains,” Pine adds. Keep it simple, clean, and fresh — start with the 10 suggestions below.

Remember, your diet isn’t a quick-fix for fighting fatigue, but it is a step in the right direction. “Evaluate your diet over the past few days. How we feel is often a result of dietary patterns and habits, not a one-time meal,” adds Pine. If symptoms persist, always check in with a doctor to rule out any medical conditions or vitamin deficiencies.

1. Water

Dehydration is the ultimate energy drainer, explains Pine. (Consuming too few calories can be at fault, too.) Research published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that even mild dehydration can cause a dip in cognitive performance and mood and increased fatigue. A no-frills way of checking your hydration status is by looking at the color of your urine — the clearer (or more pale yellow), the better.

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2. Spinach

Getting enough iron in your diet is key to keeping energy levels humming all day. The mineral plays a key role in making red blood cells, and they are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that men over the age of 19 consume 8 mg of iron daily and two cups of dark, leafy spinach (about the amount in a large salad). Spinach is also rich in folate, and a deficiency in this vitamin has been shown to cause fatigue and irritability.

3. Salmon

Salmon is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, explains Pine, and these polyunsaturated fatty acids have been shown to boost your mood, brain health and help prevent heart disease. Omega-3s are crucial to cell membrane structure and will help ward off the mid-day slumps thanks to their anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation, it should be noted, has been pointed to as a marker of chronic fatigue. Omega 3s are also considered essential fats, meaning your body doesn’t make them naturally, and you need to consume them from food, like salmon, or supplements.

4. Greek Yogurt

Hunger can also zap your energy levels and eating enough protein is a great way to keep you satiated. This macronutrient is essential to the muscle-building process and will help keep you feeling fuller longer. Greek yogurt is a portable snack that contains a hefty amount of protein per cup, Pine notes. Greek yogurt also contains probiotics, which improves gut health (which has been linked to brain health benefits), and will boost your mood too.

5. Eggs

Protein-rich eggs have a lot going for them: The protein will help keep you feeling satiated (hunger can lead to fatigue), and the yolk is rich in choline. Choline is a nutrient that plays a role in your metabolism and is needed to produce the neurotransmitter acetylcholine — a major player in brain functions such as memory, muscle, and mood, notes the NIH.

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6. Sweet Potatoes

Your body needs carbs to fuel your workout and your day. However, there are two types of carbs — simple and complex — and if long-lasting energy is your goal, you want to focus on the latter.

Simple carbs, like fruit or syrup, convert to blood sugar quickly, providing a burst of energy followed by a crash. Complex carbs, like your good friend the sweet potato, are absorbed more slowly preventing these spikes and dips in your blood sugar levels, leading to fatigue.

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7. Berries

While berries contain natural sugars and fibers, they rank relatively low on the glycemic index, meaning they won’t cause blood sugar spikes, explains Pine. “Berries have also been shown to boost brain function and protect against age-related cognitive disorders,” she adds. Blueberries have been specifically noted for their potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties—the fruit derives its blue color from the polyphenolic compounds anthocyanins, which play a role in neural signaling and memory function.

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8. Green Tea

This is a no brainer, but caffeine can give you an energy boost. If you’re looking for a jolt without the jitters, Pine suggests brewing up and enjoying a cup of green tea. “It can increase mental clarity and alertness,” she adds. The Mayo Clinic notes that an eight-ounce cup of coffee has between 95-165 mg of caffeine compared to 25-29 mg found in a cup of green tea. And yes, coffee does the trick, too.

9. Oatmeal

Oatmeal is your secret weapon for all-day energy. This whole grain delivers a healthy dose of fiber, which helps slow down digestion meaning carbs aren’t being absorbed in a quick burst, but rather over time. This also helps keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time and keeps blood sugar levels normalized. A fiber-rich diet also helps to keep bowel movements regular and contributes to overall heart health.

10. Nuts

Almonds, cashews, and walnuts are rich in the fatigue-fighting mineral magnesium. The body requires the nutrient for energy production and it assists with endless bodily functions including blood glucose control and muscle function. Research has also shown that people who worked out in a low-magnesium state needed more oxygen and their heart rates increased by about 10 beats per minute—meaning the body had to work harder to complete the exercise.


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