Eating for Energy: 9 Delicious Foods for Fuel (2024)

Food is essential for all kinds of things: sustenance, comfort, delight. We need it to live and to thrive. In essence, food is energy. So how can you eat to fuel an active, creative life?

Every cell in the body, apart from red blood cells, has mitochondria. These vital organelles function as a kind of energy factory for cell function. To understand the relationship between food and energy, it helps to know which foods help support mitochondria. (It also helps to know foods that have a negative impact on mitochondria. Chief among them: sugar.)

Trisha Cornell, CHN, an integrative nutritionist with the Sutter Institute for Health and Healing, lists these among her favorite foods for boosting energy.

Avocado

Avocados are a great source of good fats and nutrients that support hormone function. They also support heart health, brain and immune function, and are good for healthy muscles, skin and hair. Avocados are easy on the digestive system and make you feel full, so consider adding them to your diet once or twice a day.

Berries

Berries are loaded with antioxidants and low in sugar. They’re also packed with phytonutrients, which are necessary for myriad body functions. Phytonutrients help fight inflammation, which is a concern in many chronic diseases. Berries can be good for brain health, and their phytonutrients are important for digestion and support of the gut microbiome.

It’s hard to run out of reasons to eat berries. They’re delicious and healthy, either fresh or frozen. You can eat them right out of the freezer with a little bit of coconut cream on top for breakfast or as a dessert.

Butter

Grass-fed butters are metabolized differently than coconut oil. They support energy and have important nutrients that function as anti-inflammation agents, support muscle growth, help reduce belly fat and help maintain good gut health. Butters also have retinol, which can be good for supporting the thyroid and reducing adrenal stress.

Chocolate

You’ll be happy to hear that chocolate is on the list of healthy energy sources. It’s also rich in good fat if you choose varieties with at least 70% cacao content. Higher cacao content means it contains less sugar and milk. Chocolate also has phytochemicals, including one that may help improve circulation.

Coconut

Coconut is a great high-energy food that you can use in meal prep both day and night. It’s loaded with medium chain triglycerides, which convert to energy very easily. It’s metabolized quickly and is very helpful with digestion. Coconut also helps strengthen the immune system, may prevent and mitigate unwelcome yeast in the gut, and has lots of molecules that can help fight off microbes.

Coconut is good for your skin, helps maintain blood sugar and insulin balance, and helps heal damaged tissue and infection.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms are great energy sources, particularly the reishi mushroom. It helps balance many aspects of body function and supports the adrenals. You can find fresh reishi mushrooms, but they are most often available in supplements. There are quite a few teas made using powdered mushrooms. You can add packets of powdered mushrooms to hot or cold coffee if you’re not a fan of tea.

Protein

As a food group, protein stands out as a healthy provider of energy. It’s a great way to start the day for anyone suffering from fatigue. Protein can also help control blood sugar levels with the bonus of helping us feel full and satisfied.

Bone broth is a good source of energy and has many different nutrients important for digestive health. Other edible proteins include meat proteins — beef, pork, lamb, poultry, eggs, fish and shellfish. For vegans and vegetarians, pea protein powder is a reliable alternative.

Red Onion

Red onion is a very high-energy food loaded with antioxidants and flavonoids. It’s believed to help with detoxification, lower triglycerides and reduce blood pressure while helping the body fight infection.

Spinach

Spinach gives a steady release of energy and has superfood status for its wide-ranging positive impacts on health. Loaded with nutrients that support blood health, eye function, glucose metabolism for good blood sugar and insulin balance, it’s also an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Fresh spinach is a great basis for a salad packed with protein and vegetables and dressed with olive oil.

Cornell also recommends B vitamins, which help with carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Keep in mind that timing is important when it comes to food and energy. You should be especially aware of your food choices in the afternoon, when people tend to feel more fatigued. Eating foods high in carbohydrates to perk up raises your blood sugar, which triggers the release of insulin, a fat storage hormone.

Insulin can cause your blood sugar to crash, leading you to crave something sweet to raise your blood sugar again. This cycle creates an energy level rollercoaster. Try some of the foods listed here or combine several in a spinach salad as a healthy, energy-boosting alternative to sugary snacks.