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Foods that cause fatigue might be hiding in plain sight on your plate. Have you ever felt like you needed a nap after eating certain meals? That tired feeling in the afternoon could be because of what you’re eating, not just how much sleep you got.
What you eat and how much energy you have are connected. It’s good to know which foods give you energy, but it’s also important to know which ones might make you tired.
Let’s talk about foods that make you tired. We’ll look at what you eat and how it can make you feel sleepy instead of energetic. I’ll also show you how to change your diet to have more energy all day.
Why Are You Feeling Fatigued After Eating?
Before we talk about certain foods, it’s good to know why what you eat affects how you feel. Your body is always changing food into energy, but not all foods do this the same way.
Imagine your metabolism is like a campfire. Some foods are like small sticks that give you a quick burst of energy, but it doesn’t last long (like when you eat too much sugar!). Other foods are like big logs that burn slowly and give you energy for a long time.
If you mostly eat “small stick” foods, you’ll feel tired and then want more quick energy. This can become a hard cycle to stop.
1.Ultra-Processed Foods: Foods That Drain Your Energy
That convenient packaged snack might save you time, but it could make you less productive later.
Ultra-processed foods can make you feel tired in a few ways:
- They can cause swelling in your body, which is linked to feeling more tired.
- These foods don’t have the important nutrients your body needs to make energy well.
- They usually have processed sugars that make your blood sugar go up and down quickly.
The facts show that these foods mess up how your body works and can affect your brain and immune system. This makes you feel tired all the time.
Foods to Watch Out For
If you want to have energy all day, think about eating less of these foods that are made in factories:
- Snack cakes and cookies that come in packages
- Many breakfast cereals
- Fast food
- Ready-to-eat meals from the microwave
- Chips and snacks like them
2.When Your Blood Sugar Goes Up and Down
When your blood sugar goes up and down quickly, it can make you feel really tired. Eating foods with a lot of sugar and processed grains makes your blood sugar go up fast, giving you a quick burst of energy. But then, it drops, and you feel even more tired. This often happens in the afternoon and can make it hard to get things done. Eating protein or healthy fats with these foods can help keep your blood sugar from going up and down so much.
Studies show that eating whole grains instead of processed grains can help you feel less tired. This is because whole grains give you:
- Fiber that takes a while to digest and gives you energy slowly.
- Vitamins B are important for making energy.
- Keep your blood sugar steady all day.
Foods with refined grains to eat less of.
- White bread and pasta
- White rice
- Lots of cakes and pastries
- Most breakfast cereals you buy in stores
3.Liquid Energy Drainers
The drinks you choose are just as important as the food you eat for having energy.
Fruit Juices: Not Always a Good Choice
Even though whole fruits are full of good nutrients and can give you energy, fruit juice might not be so great. Experts think of fruit juice mostly as a source of sugar. This can cause health problems and make you feel tired suddenly.
When you make juice, you lose the fiber, which means:
- Sugar gets into your body quickly.
- Your blood sugar might go up and then you could feel tired.
- You won’t get the long-lasting energy that whole fruits give you.
Studies show that whole fruits give you energy for a longer time than fruit juice, even though both are good for you.
Caffeine: The Double-Edged Sword
This is where it gets tricky, and your own experiences matter. Too much caffeine can actually make you feel:
If you drink too much caffeine, it blocks the part of your brain that makes you feel tired. This can backfire, making you feel even more tired and making it tough to sleep well.
4.How Much You Eat and When You Eat Are Important
It’s not just about the food. It’s also about how much you eat and when you eat it.
Do you ever feel sleepy after a big meal? There’s a reason for that. When you eat a lot, your body sends blood and energy to your stomach to help digest the food. This means there’s less energy for other things.
Eating several small, healthy meals during the day can help you have steady energy. This is better than eating a few big meals, which can make you tired.
5.How Food and Inflammation Are Linked
Certain foods can cause more inflammation in your body. This inflammation is linked to feeling tired.
Red meat and processed meats
That tasty burger or bacon could be making you feel sluggish in the afternoon. A study called the Women’s Health Initiative found that people who ate fish instead of red meat and processed meats felt less tired.
Why? Because these foods:
- Have a lot of unhealthy fats, which take a lot of energy to break down.
- Promote inflammation
- Usually have chemicals added to them that make inflammation worse.
Foods You Might Be Sensitive To
Sometimes, the foods that make you tired aren’t what you’d expect. If you’re sensitive to certain foods without knowing it, this can cause your body to get inflamed, which can make you feel tired.
Studies on the “leaky gut diet” show that gluten and milk might make some people tired. This is because they can affect how well your gut works.
If you’re always tired, even after trying other things, talk to a doctor about possible food allergies.
6.Lack of Tiny Nutrients: The Secret Energy Drainers
Sometimes, you feel tired not because of what you eat, but because of what your body doesn’t get.
Some important nutrients affect how much energy you have:
- Vitamin B12 (in foods like clams, milk products, and eggs)
- Folic acid (is found in things like dark green leaves and oranges).
- Iron (is in foods such as meat, beans, and some cereals).
If you don’t get enough of these nutrients, your body can’t make energy well. This can make you feel tired all the time.
Also, if your diet doesn’t have enough foods with antioxidants, you might feel tired. Antioxidants help protect your body. Studies show that people who aren’t tired eat more foods with things like carotenoids, vitamin A, and vitamin C. These nutrients help fight inflammation and protect your body.
How to Boost Your Energy Through Diet and Lifestyle
It’s Easy to Forget, But Staying Hydrated is Important for Energy
We’ve talked about food, but don’t forget that not drinking enough water can also make you feel very tired.
Drinks with sugar and alcohol can make you tired. Sweet drinks change your blood sugar like sugary foods. Alcohol can make you feel down and tired.
Studies show that water, black coffee without caffeine, and tea without sugar are good drinks to avoid tiredness. Drinking enough fluids does more than just stop thirst. It helps move nutrients to your cells’ energy makers, called mitochondria. These cells change food into energy.
The Mediterranean Diet: A Plan for Lasting Energy
If you want a diet that helps you have energy all day, the Mediterranean diet might be good for you because it helps reduce swelling in your body.
This diet focuses on:
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Fish
- Lean meat
- Dairy
- Olive oil
- Fruits and vegetables
This diet is good for you because it has a lot of healthy fats, fiber, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and plant stuff. Olive oil is especially helpful. It has oleic acid, which can turn into things that fight swelling in your body.
Making Changes to Your Food Choices for More Energy
Instead of just cutting out certain foods, try these easy changes to boost your energy:
| Instead of This | Try This |
| White bread | Whole grain bread |
| Fruit juice | Whole fruits |
| Large, heavy lunches | Smaller meals with the right foods, eaten all day |
| Processed meats | Fish, chicken, or protein from plants |
| Sugary snacks | Nuts, seeds, or fruit with yogurt |
| Drinking lots of coffee | Green tea or alternating with herbal tea |
The Bottom Line
What you eat affects how much energy you have. Eating healthy foods like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables gives you more energy than processed foods.
Pay attention to how different foods make you feel. This can help you eat in a way that keeps you energized. Try small changes, like eating whole grains instead of white bread, and drinking enough water. Also, getting sunlight in the morning can help you feel more awake.
The goal is to find what works for you. You might feel more energetic just by changing a few things you eat!
