How to manage your nutrition for an energy boost

These expert tips will help you get the most out of your diet to feel great every day

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Nuffield Health

Food is an energy source which, used well, will maintain a steady energy level throughout the day. However, used badly, your energy levels will peak and trough, along with your ability to function properly.

Many of us spend hours every day thinking about what we’re going to eat – it’s often our first thought of the day – but despite all the hours spent daydreaming about food, how many of those hours are used to consider the correct balance of foods our plates?

It passes many people by that food is, first and foremost, our source of energy. Your food affects how you will perform throughout the day.

The blood sugar rollercoaster

This is how your blood sugar – which provides you with energy – responds when you eat certain food groups:

• Slow–releasing carbohydrates: blood sugar rises gradually over a few hours.
• Proteins with carbohydrates: blood sugar rises slowly over a few hours.
• Sugary foods/fast-releasing carbohydrates/sugary drinks: blood sugar rises within minutes followed by a dramatic fall.
• Missing a meal: blood sugar drops. Missing breakfast can have a dramatic effect because there is a long gap between dinner today and lunch tomorrow.

Nutrition tips for maintaining high energy

Maintaining a consistent level of energy throughout the day will improve your resilience. The key to this is balancing your blood sugar. You can do this in a number of ways:

Never skip a meal – this will help prevent blood sugar drops that lead to energy lags and binges.

Eat little and often – the aim is to eat before you get hungry and this should mean eating something balanced no more than three hours apart.

Combine carbohydrate and protein (vegetable or animal) at each meal – and, if you want a snack, make sure it has approximately half the amount of protein to carbohydrate.

Avoid sugary snacks and processed ready meals with high sugar content – there are hidden sugars in many processed foods, including cereals and juice drinks, so always look at the packaging.

Stay hydrated – water makes up around 60% of our body so, when our supply is depleted, it’s no surprise our energy levels will dip too. Drink lots of water throughout the day to sustain energy levels.

Drink less caffeine – drinking more, doesn’t mean drinking more coffee though. Caffeine raises blood sugar and provides a false sense of energy. The long-term effect of drinking too much caffeine is a depletion of the body’s energy. Try to reduce your caffeine intake and swap the odd coffee for a glass of water instead.