Reclaim that lost energy

What you need to know:

Dr Ismail Tamale, a nutritionist at Taimex Uganda, cautions individuals to eat foods that are healthy and more suitable for their health.

Are there moments while working that you have felt your energy levels get low? Well, this should not bother you anymore as there are foods and drinks available on the market that can lift your spirits up.
Jamiru Mpiimu, nutritionist-dietitian at Victoria University Health Care Centre, says foods containing starch including bread, rice and sweet potatoes help in boosting one’s energy levels.
“Starch is converted into smaller molecules of glucose which is absorbed into the bloodstream, hence providing energy to the body,” Mpiimu says.

Other foods that are known to contain starch include breakfast cereals, bread, cassava, millet, pasta, among others.
Besides starchy foods, one can also eat foods containing carbohydrates which are one of the body’s main sources of energy.
“They are converted into glucose that later gets absorbed into the body for energy,” says Viola Anyango, a nutritionist at Mwana Mugimu nutrition unit, Mulago hospital.
Some of the foods containing carbohydrates include whole-wheat bread products such as wheat bread and oats. Other sources include legumes such as beans and peas. Chappatis (made from flour), a renowned snack is another source of carbohydrates.

The drinks
Anyango notes that juices including those made from mangoes, oranges, passion fruits can also help revitalise one’s body system.
“Juice has ready energy in the form of sugar,” she says.
Regarding the question of whether energy drinks sold in shops and supermarkets can also help boost one’s vigor, Anyango says they, too, help.
“The only problem with some of them is that they have high sugar levels which in the long run can cause one health complications,” she notes.

Do not skip breakfast
But important, Anyango advises individuals never to skip breakfast, one of the vital meals of the day.
“Take your breakfast before going to work,” she says, adding, “This is the first meal that helps pump up your system in the morning. Without it, you are dull.”
It is vital to note that as much as breakfast is an important meal, Anyango advises individuals to eat equal food proportions and not over stuff themselves. A case in point, if one is having juice, a glass is ideally enough.
However, Dr Ismail Tamale, a nutritionist at Taimex Uganda, cautions individuals to eat foods that are healthy and more suitable for their health.
“If you cannot tolerate a particular food, do not force yourself to eat it,” Dr Tamale advises. Stick to eating foods that you enjoy, he notes.

Snacks

•Sweets including chocolates have sugar that boost your system
•Cookies and Cakes whose ingredients include flour which has carbohydrates
•Cut out fruits including sugarcanes, water melons and
pineapples.

Nancy Nankya, a consultant
nutritionist