Regardless of the diet or lifestyle you follow, there’s no denying that food is fuel. Your body and brain need sustenance to function, and the quality of what you put in will dictate the output. While many things contribute to your energy levels, such as sleep, stress levels, hormone balance, etc, the food you eat plays a significant role.
Many people maintain that protein is the key to energy and insist you need meat to eat enough. While it’s true that protein is a contributor to high energy, it’s beyond easy to get more than enough on a vegan diet. That being said, protein isn’t the sole energy source - you need carbs, fats, and a little sugar, too.
Read on to learn more about maintaining great energy levels and the easy, delicious vegan foods that can help you! .
Key Takeaways
Fruits
All fruit contains natural sugar and some carbs, both of which are essential for an energy boost. For starters, bananas are dense and filling, giving you a boost while helping you feel full. Apples are another great energy source as they’re low in calories but offer complex carbs and are high in fiber.
Oranges are another great option as they’re high in vitamin C, which can help maintain your mental energy. Mental energy is just as important as physical - if your mind gets tired, your body will have difficulty keeping up!
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are an excellent source of complex carbs, with about 41 grams in one cooked cup. This cup also features four grams of protein and around 180 calories. Sweet potatoes are an excellent side dish that you can season any way you want. They also do well as the main attraction with some other vegetables and a bit of protein.
A baked sweet potato or some homemade sweet potato fries also make a great, fairly easy snack for an afternoon pick-me-up if you’re feeling sluggish. If you’re pressed for time, you can chop them up, boil larger batches of sweet potatoes, and freeze them for easy meals later.
Nuts and Nut Butter
Nuts are nutrient-dense and high in protein. A handful of nuts or a few spoonful's of peanut butter can give you a nice little boost, especially during the classic afternoon slump. If you’re allergic to peanut butter, many other nuts like almonds and cashews make a delicious snack - especially roasted!
You can spread nut butter on toast, bagels, crackers, and much more - they’re even great for dipping an apple or banana! Many nuts are also high in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linoleic acid, which can boost your energy while simultaneously fighting inflammation!
Beans and Lentils
Legumes like lentils and beans are high in many nutrients, including complex carbs, protein, fiber, magnesium, and iron. The combination of high protein and complex carbs means you’re getting a sustained energy boost, and the fiber content helps you feel full for longer.
Beans are great at most times of the day. For an afternoon pick-me-up, use them in your lunch or dinner before an evening workout. You can also add them to a nice breakfast burrito for an early morning boost.
Lentils are similar to beans but a lot smaller. They come in a few different forms with different flavours, meaning you can mix it up a little. Lentils can also be cooked in various ways or used more creatively.
Some have experimented with blending lentils up and using them to make a homemade tortilla batter or even some “lentil tofu.” the energy boost options are plentiful with lentils.
Dates
Dates are extremely high in complex carbohydrates, with two Medjool dates providing 36 grams. They are also pretty high in sugar, which contributes to their incredible ability to boost energy.
Dates are sweet with a thick, chewy texture. Many enjoy a few plain dates as a quick and easy snack. They’re also delicious with a smear of nut butter for some protein—this is a great way to boost yourself before a workout!
Dates are also an excellent ingredient for some fun energy-boost recipes. For little energy bars or bites, you can mash or blend them with nuts, seeds, butters, oats, or other sweeteners like vegan chocolate or maple syrup. Roll them into balls or cut them into bars—make big batches and put them in the fridge or freezer for the days ahead.
Oats
Lastly, oats are another great source of carbs and fiber that will keep you full for a long time. Oats make the perfect breakfast for those who feel sluggish in the morning. You can enjoy them plain or with a sweetener like maple syrup or brown sugar. Or, you can pump them up with some fruit, nuts, nut butter, seeds, and more. The options are endless when it comes to oats, and you can enjoy them hot or cold!
A fantastic breakfast idea for busy people is overnight oats. This involves mixing some plant milk into a bowl of oats and adding your desired toppings. This can be anything - berries are a popular choice, or you can do a filling peanut butter banana combination - endless options! Mix everything together, seal or cover it in a container, and stick it in the fridge for the night.
You’ll have a ready-made, energy-boosting breakfast with a flurry of flavors for a delicious and easy start to your morning.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Maintaining optimal energy levels can be hard regardless of your diet and lifestyle. It's easy to become fatigued and sluggish, especially if you’re trying to juggle multiple facets of life, such as work, school, friends, family, and more.
The list of foods here is fairly basic and the foods are generally easy to incorporate into your meals. Many make great snacks, and some have meal-prepping options that make it easy to plan ahead. Make energy balls for the week, prep your morning oats every night, or whip up a high-protein dinner to help you finish out the day - whenever you need a boost the most!
Combining these healthy, energetic foods with proper hydration, good sleep, and good self-care and stress-relief routines, you’ll see a huge difference in your energy levels.