Whether you’re trying to lose weight, conquer tiredness or being more energetically boring in the pub, these foods will give you added oomph.
1/ Cottage cheese
Its rich casein protein content keeps energy levels high. A study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that casein protein stays in your blood stream for over seven hours. This is because casein-rich foods clot in your stomach and cause a slow and prolonged release of energy.
2/ Whole wheat bread
The trick to beating your 4pm crash. Whole wheat bread’s made from wholemeal flours, which contain the entire wheat grain. This gives you additional fibre and nutrients such as magnesium, fibre and B vitamins, which keeps you alert. Remember: a diet rich in fibre leaves you satiated without having to eat a large meal because your blood sugar levels aren’t going yo-yo.
3/ Soba noodles
Regular noodles get rapidly flushed out of your system in huge butt bombs, Dambusters-style. But soba noodles are made from buckwheat, which is very high in fibre, protein and iron, meaning they’re healthy and they hang around longer.
Researchers at Lund University, Sweden found that having two tablespoons of vinegar on your food lowers your blood sugar by 23% when eaten with a high-carb meal. Like chips. Naughty! This was supported by a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which, when not boring the arse off its readers, found that us humans are less hungry a few hours after consuming vinegar with bread as opposed to eating just the bread on its own. Nice.
5/ Bran flakes cereal
Start the day with a generous helping of bran, and feel a surge of energy, despite being overcome by depression at the sight of its brownish packaging. Bran flakes are incredibly rich in B6, a vitamin whose main role is releasing energy from food. Research in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism also found that it’ll give you the power to run eight minutes longer than if you ate cornflakes to start your day.
6/ Olive oil
A Spanish study in Diabetes Care found that las personas who ate olive oil with their bread experienced muchos smaller spikes in their blood sugar than they did when they ate it with butter or margarine. Eliminating peaks and troughs in your blood sugar is the secret to lasting energy because they’re what leave you feeling lifeless on Easter Sunday as you devour the beaky face of a whole chocolate hen. Qué lástima! Oscar de la Hoya!
A study in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism (wow, stop with the fun!) got male cyclists to ride until their muscles were spent. They then rested for four hours, and then biked again until exhaustion. However, during the second bout of exercise, the cyclists who drank a glass of chocolate milk were able to bike 50% longer than those who had an energy drink. “The findings suggest that chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles,” the study concluded.
8/ Fish and chicken
The Washington School of Medicine found that people who ate a high-protein diet staved off hunger pangs, ate less throughout the day and had more energy. So eat one gram of protein per pound of body weight each day from varied sources like chicken, fish and nuts. But avoid red meat as this digests slower and causes blood to be diverted to your digestive system, away from your muscles and brain.
9/ Green tea
Coffee gives energy a rollercoaster of ups and downs, but switching to green tea will keep levels equally high. A study in the American Journal of Physiology discovered that drinking four cups a day increases endurance by up to 24%. Further research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that it helps you burn more calories, yielding more energy, which in turn helps you lose weight.
The superstars of the energy world, as evidenced by their sparkly capes, fretless bass guitars and platform shoes. A study by the US Dept of Agriculture found that they’re the richest antioxidant source available, while another study in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry found that they’re also very rich in fibre and iron – the main vitamin that gives you a sustained energy supply. Add them to a bolognese sauce or serve on a baked potato.