If you’re feeling low on energy these days, you’re not alone. Nearly 40% of people struggle with low energy levels at least four days a week.1 Persistent low energy impacts more than just your focus and motivation. It can lead to compromised immune function, irritability, mood swings, and other symptoms that significantly affect how you show up in life.
One of the most effective strategies for combating low energy is changing what’s at the end of your fork. Eating the right foods can supply your body with essential nutrients for maintaining steady, sustained energy all day. These foods offer protein, fiber, and healthy fats—what I call the trifecta—for stabilizing blood sugar and maintaining energy throughout the day.
This way, you can maintain higher productivity, enjoy consistent mental clarity, and engage more positively in your daily activities, enhancing your overall quality of life.
9 Best Foods to Boost Your Energy
1. Wild-Caught Salmon
Wild-caught salmon is an excellent food for boosting energy, thanks to its omega-3 fatty acids and high-quality protein. Omega-3s boost brain health by making cell membranes more flexible. This improvement helps nerves transmit signals more efficiently throughout your body and brain, enhancing alertness and reducing mental fatigue.2 Omega-3s also help reduce chronic inflammation, a common drain on energy. Fighting inflammation boosts metabolic efficiency and ensures your energy levels remain steady.3
The protein in salmon increases your stamina and helps stabilize blood-sugar levels, providing a steady flow of energy and preventing the sudden drops often associated with high-carbohydrate meals. This constant energy supply helps keep you alert and active.4, 5
Try this Salmon and Roasted Pepper Protein Bowl. It contains 44 grams of protein and 18 grams of fiber, both of which slow the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream, preventing spikes and crashes.6
2. Pastured Chicken Breast
Pastured chicken breast is an excellent choice for boosting energy levels thanks to protein. It also provides B vitamins and iron to combat fatigue. B6 and B12, in particular, play a vital role in converting food into energy, as well as other chemical processes that help your body function properly and increase your energy levels.7 Iron further supports this by ensuring that your muscles and tissues receive enough oxygen, reducing fatigue and keeping your energy steady throughout the day.8
This Grilled Chicken & Orzo Salad offers 41 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber per serving.
3. Pasture-Raised Eggs
Pasture-raised eggs are an excellent source of high-quality protein, healthy fats, and essential nutrients to boost energy. Healthy fats in pasture-raised eggs offer a long-lasting energy source and help stabilize blood-sugar levels, preventing energy dips and sustaining energy for longer periods.9
Pasture-raised eggs are also rich in choline and B vitamins, enhancing brain function. Choline improves cognitive abilities and neural communication, while B vitamins help convert food into energy.10 This combination energizes you and ensures you remain mentally sharp and physically capable, making daily tasks more manageable.
Chipotle Deviled Eggs are delicious, protein-packed, and perfect for on-the-go or at your next cookout. The smoky chipotle flavor adds just the right hint of spice without overwhelming heat. I’ve included a Sugar Impact Mayonnaise recipe to ensure these deviled eggs are delicious and healthy.
3. Gluten-Free Oats
Oats are naturally gluten-free, however, some facilities process them with other foods that contain gluten, so look for a gluten-free label to avoid cross-contamination if you are sensitive. Oats provide an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber, contributing to a slow and steady release of glucose into the bloodstream.11 Gluten-free oats are also rich in B vitamins for sustained brain energy, keeping you alert and focused.
These easy, delicious Cinnamon Almond Overnight Oats are a great energizing breakfast. They combine protein, fiber, and healthy fats to keep you full and fueled through the morning. Cinnamon helps stabilize blood-sugar levels, preventing energy spikes and crashes. Best of all, you can prepare this the night before, keep it in the fridge, and have a wholesome and satisfying meal to break your overnight fast that supports your energy levels.
4. Blueberries
Blueberries are a powerful source of energy-boosting nutrients and antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals. This minimizes cellular damage, allowing cells to produce energy more efficiently.12 Blueberries are also high in vitamin C, which supports immune function and helps ward off energy-draining illnesses.13 With a stronger immune system, your body can maintain optimal energy levels, keeping you healthy and energized.
These Blueberry Power Muffins are a nutritious twist on the classic coffee-shop treat, packed with protein, fiber, and antioxidant-rich blueberries. Gluten-free oats and ground raw almonds give these muffins a substantial protein boost to energize you. Chia seeds and freshly ground flaxseed add extra fiber, making these muffins a delicious, wholesome way to support steady energy levels.
5. Leafy Greens
Leafy greens like kale are high in iron, which supports oxygen availability to your muscles and brain and boosts energy. Kale is also a good source of B vitamins, which are crucial for metabolism.
Greens also contain magnesium, which supports your body’s energy production and helps maintain steady blood-sugar levels.14
Our Stir-Fried Kale with Ginger combines this powerhouse green with garlic and spicy ginger to boost circulation and aid digestion, which helps ensure that your body efficiently transports and absorbs nutrients essential for maintaining high energy levels. Coconut oil and coconut aminos add extra flavor and help you absorb energy-providing nutrients like vitamins A, C, and K, as well as iron and calcium.
6. Almonds
Almonds are a great source of B vitamins and magnesium, which help convert food to fuel and support muscle function. The combination of healthy fats, protein, and fiber in almonds helps moderate blood-sugar levels as well, preventing rapid spikes and subsequent drops that can lead to energy slumps.15
These Smoked Paprika and Cayenne Roasted Almonds are a flavorful, energizing way to boost your protein intake at meals or as a quick emergency snack. Cayenne pepper enhances metabolism and circulation, ensuring your body efficiently transports nutrients and maintains stamina.
7. Chia Seeds
Thanks to their high fiber and protein, chia seeds are a great energy-boosting choice. These nutrients work together to ensure a slow and steady release of energy. Chia seeds are also rich in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a plant-based omega-3 fatty acid that helps manage inflammation and promotes heart health.16 A healthy heart helps sustain high energy and optimal physical performance.
Kickstart your day with this delicious Berry Chia Seed Pudding.
8. Quinoa
Quinoa is one of the few plant foods considered a complete protein, offering all nine essential amino acids needed for energy production and overall health.17 This combination of protein and complex carbs in quinoa ensures a prolonged release of energy, helping to prevent the common midday slump and sustain endurance. Quinoa is rich in iron and magnesium for efficient muscle function and peak performance.
This Savory Quinoa Breakfast Bowl is the ultimate breakfast choice to energize your day with 44 grams of protein and 9 grams of fiber in every serving. Its hearty blend of cooked quinoa, nutrient-rich purple sweet potatoes, and flavorful ground turkey makes your morning brighter and energizes you all day.
9. Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of sustained energy, primarily due to their complex carbohydrates and fiber. The body slowly digests the complex carbohydrates in sweet potatoes, providing a steady, prolonged release of energy, which supports enduring stamina and minimizes the risk of energy crashes. Additionally, sweet potatoes are high in potassium, which helps nerves send signals properly.18 This supports smooth, coordinated movements, keeping your body energetic and active.
Fuel your day with this hearty Chicken Sausage Sweet Potato Hash, which packs a powerful 35 grams of protein and 11 grams of fiber in every serving.
Start Your Day With Protein to Feel Focused and Energized
Starting your day with protein can transform how you feel and function. Optimal protein intake optimizes muscle, metabolism, and insulin sensitivity—all of which support steady, sustained energy levels.
My Loaded Smoothie Cookbook provides over 60 delicious ways to boost protein intake. Every recipe offers at least 30 grams of high-quality protein, healthy fats, and fiber, ensuring you kickstart your metabolism and keep your energy levels soaring throughout the day. Beyond smoothies, you’ll find recipes for pudding, cookie bites, muffins, and other delicious, energizing ways to break your overnight fast and start your day right.
Download your FREE Loaded Smoothie Cookbook here.
References:
- IslanderNews: Study explores how exhausted Americans battle burnout
- Healthline: How Omega-3 Fish Oil Affects Your Brain and Mental Health
- Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Belury MA, Andridge R, Malarkey WB, Glaser R. Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation and anxiety in medical students: a randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun. 2011 Nov;25(8):1725-34. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2011.07.229. Epub 2011 Jul 19. PMID: 21784145; PMCID: PMC3191260.
- Health: How Does Eating Protein Help You Build Muscle?
- Medical News Today: Foods for stabilizing insulin and blood sugar levels
- Healthline: 14 Easy Ways to Lower Blood Sugar Levels Naturally
- Tardy AL, Pouteau E, Marquez D, Yilmaz C, Scholey A. Vitamins and Minerals for Energy, Fatigue and Cognition: A Narrative Review of the Biochemical and Clinical Evidence. Nutrients. 2020 Jan 16;12(1):228. doi: 10.3390/nu12010228. PMID: 31963141; PMCID: PMC7019700.
- National Institutes of Health: Iron – Health Professional Fact Sheet
- Medical News Today: Foods for stabilizing insulin and blood sugar levels
- Linus Pauling Institute: Choline
- Cleveland Clinic: Carbohydrates: What They Are, Function & Types
- Healthline: 10 Proven Health Benefits of Blueberries
- Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials: 5 Health Benefits of Blueberries
- Healthline: What Are the Health Benefits of Magnesium?
- Healthline: 9 Evidence-Based Health Benefits of Almonds
- Bertoni C, Abodi M, D’Oria V, Milani GP, Agostoni C, Mazzocchi A. Alpha-Linolenic Acid and Cardiovascular Events: A Narrative Review. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Sep 20;24(18):14319. doi: 10.3390/ijms241814319. PMID: 37762621; PMCID: PMC10531611.
- Harvard University: Quinoa – The Nutrition Source
- WebMD: What Does Potassium Do in Your Body?
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration. Products mentioned are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The views in this blog by JJ Virgin should never be used as a substitute for professional medical advice. Please work with a healthcare practitioner concerning any medical problem or concern.
