Not only is choosing to adopt a plant-based diet an ethical decision, it’s also a huge move in the right direction when it comes to your general health. Not only can it help with general energy issues in the short-term, it also staves off long-term health issues such as cancer and heart disease.
There’s a lot of information regarding the positives of a plant-based diet which you can find throughout the internet, but it’s good to point this out before we move onto exactly what plant-based food is!
Plant-based food is essentially what you’d expect it to be – food that come from plants rather than animals or meat. Some people feel that they would struggle with not eating meat, but you’d be surprised by how rewarding a plant-based diet can be – both for your emotional and physical state.
If you want to go slowly to see if it gives you any immediate health benefits, you can always remove meat from you diet slowly and add more and more plant foods – maybe a meal or two a week.
If it’s more the lack of meat than it is the taste or texture of plant-based food, you can always mix in various types of meat substitutes such as tofu to give your meals that extra something. Rather than just cook tofu plain, you can marinade it in various herbs and spices (such as you would a piece of meat) before sautéing or baking it.
This will allow you to start on a new routine without having to completely change how you’re eating. You’ll also find that with time, you will begin to enjoy things that you previously didn’t think were that good tasting.
Another big part of any plant-based diet is legumes – which are generally quite healthy for you – offering up high levels of nutrition and can be great to snack on. Whether you’re getting them in some form of lentil stew or snacking on them between meals, you will find that they’re one of the easiest plant-based foods to work into your diet without having to force much of a change.
And, they are definitely worth adding to your meals if you’re concerned about getting enough protein in your diet.
Last on our list are smoothies which can give you a quick hit of energy and nutrition while staying entirely plant-based. Comprised of both fruit and vegetables, add coconut or rice milk rather than milk to remain free of animal products.
I can promise you that milk alternatives such as nut milks, are generally much sweeter and healthier than cow’s milk, so they’re worth a look even if you’re not trying to drastically change your diet.
While many of you will still be skeptical of an entirely plant-based diet, it can provide you with great health benefits. You don’t have to give up meat cold turkey (pun intended), as you can always just keep throwing more and more plant-based foods into your diet to find out what you like.
Not only are you getting more nutrition from plant-based foods, it can be fantastic for your health in both the long and short-term. If you’re concerned about the effects of eating a lot of meat on your health, or how it affects your energy levels, give a plant-based diet a try.
How High Carbohydrate Foods can Make You Feel Sluggish
When our bodies turn what we eat into energy, carbohydrates are the main component that they turn to for longer lasting fuel, as opposed to sugar which kicks in fast. That being said, when you eat a lot of carbs you may feel lethargic and sluggish.
If you’re finding yourself unable to get out of bed in the morning, or that most of your afternoons are spent napping, then maybe carbohydrates are your problem.
Once you eat foods that are high in carbohydrates, you system will begin to break them down and your blood sugar will rise. If the carbs are simple, your blood sugar will rapidly spike with your energy levels and then crash horrendously, leaving you feeling tired.
If you stay away from large meals made up of simple carbohydrates, and eat only complex carbohydrates, it helps keep your energy levels high, but it will cause a problem if you do eat too much of anything, so keep your portions sensible.
This information doesn’t mean that you should cut out carbs entirely, it just means you should be careful with whatever carbohydrates you’re putting into your body and how much you are eating as well. Being mindful of your carbohydrate intake can also help you keep your weight at a consistent level while also allowing you to stay more alert and energized.
For the most part, simple carbs tend come in the form of processed foods, and any food or liquid that has a high level of sugar is likely to end up leaving you sluggish.
People ingesting a high level of carbohydrates, no matter whether they’re complex or simple, will also find that they have a higher level of serotonin in their bloodstream than those who do not eat as many carbs. These higher levels of serotonin can make you feel tired and sleepy which means that during the day you should stay away from simple carbs.
But, if you’re struggling to get to sleep at night, then a light snack that’s high in complex carbohydrates could actually help you get to sleep a lot sooner than you would otherwise.
Sometimes, it’s mere overeating that can lead you to feel tired and sleepy. Eating too much of anything can lead you to feeling incredibly drowsy. This is to do with the way your bloodstream is compromised when you eat excessively – the blood being routed to your stomach so to make sure that you can digest the food that you’ve consumed.
This means that while carbohydrates could be making you sluggish, you could try eating smaller portions so that your body doesn’t have a chance to react to the carbs negatively by being overwhelmed by them.
Many people will be surprised to learn that when they go to the doctor complaining of lethargy or fatigue that it is actually caused by their diet. While that can always be a sign of something much more serious – and we would never suggest you don’t get any health concern looked at by a medical professional – it’s amazing to see just how many people get a boost just from a change in their diet.
Just by changing the type and amounts of carbohydrates you consume can drastically change your the way you feel for the better.
Why Snacking on Complex Carbohydrates is Better than Snacking on Simple Carbohydrates
Many people struggle with eating too many simple carbohydrates from processed foods and not enough complex carbs in the form of fresh fruits and vegetables. So, it’s probably time we look into what kind of carbs you’re putting into your body and how the two different types can make a whole lot of difference on both your energy levels and overall health .
Anyone looking to lose some weight has probably heard that cutting carbs is a good way to diet and how it also can have positive health effects.
Many say that instead of getting rid of carbohydrates entirely, what you need to do is find the right ones to keep your energy levels up while making sure that your body doesn’t struggle with weight gain. There’s even a chance that you can see a serious reduction in weight by being mindful of the kind of carbs you’re eating on a regular basis.
One of the issues here is that many companies do not label their foods so that you can tell whether you’re eating either simple or complex carbohydrates, but with some effort you can figure this out for yourself. For the most part, simple carbs tend come in the form of sugars, which are added to processed food in many ways, and, yes, it will give you a quick, but short boost of energy.
As for complex carbs, they contain more fiber and digest far slower inside your body, meaning they allow for more sustainable energy levels. They’re also significantly more filling, meaning that their inclusion in a balanced diet is better for weight control.
People who ingest too many simple carbohydrates tend to snack on things such as breakfast cereal, fruit juice and biscuits. However, if you’re looking to cut out simple carbs and replace them with complex carbohydrates, then it’s time you begin choosing more traditionally healthier food such as fruit, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains to snack on instead.
As for ideas regarding complex carb snacks, you should be eating fruits and nuts during your snack breaks, while relying heavily on vegetables, whole grains and/or beans during your main meals.
With almost all foods that offer you a quick boost of energy, the crash that follows will often make you feel far worse than you did before eating them. And, they are also not good for your blood sugar levels.
If you’re looking to keep unpleasant health issues at bay, it’s important that you start to move towards complex carbohydrates. Your intestines and stomach will thank you for it in the long run, as well as providing you with lower chances of diabetes in your future.
Regarding your energy levels, complex carbohydrates will keep you going throughout the day, offering slow burning energy that doesn’t leave you with an unpleasant crash.
