Energy Boosting Superfoods
There are plenty of easy ways to boost your energy throughout the day without having to constantly reach for another cup of coffee. There are many “superfoods” known for their energy-improving effects - think foods like spirulina, matcha, and beetroot. These superfoods are a lot more than a fad and can be an incredibly beneficial part of your workout plan. This article will cover everything you need to know if you’re looking to incorporate superfoods or superfood supplements into your exercise routine - or just to give you that extra kick during the day.
What is a Superfood?
“Superfood” isn’t a food group or a scientific term. Rather, nutritionists speak for a food that is super dense in important vitamins and minerals that your body and brain need to stay healthy and energized. Often superfoods are plant-based, but some food and dairy products often get the superfood label as well.
As you can guess, there’s no hard or fast rule for determining what a superfood is. It’s more of a determination made by individual nutritionists, judging how much nutritional “bang for your buck” you get out of a serving. Very often these are plant-based foods, but there are some dairy and fish products that are often considered superfoods. The most common way to get these nutrient rich foods are through green powders, superfood powders and various fruits and veggies in your diet.
Why Superfoods Matter For Energy
Your body is like an engine, burning what you eat as fuel to keep your brain alert, and your body ready to workout. However, your body is a particularly finicky engine that has demands for a lot of different nutrients and minerals. Superfoods are vital for energy, because they provide the widest range of nutrients, making sure your body and mind have everything they need to run at top capacity all through the day.
Examples of Superfoods
A comprehensive list of superfoods would be longer than this entire article, and what exactly makes the “cut” as a superfood varies. Here’s a quick list of some top recommended foods you’ll most often see listed with the “superfood” label, or see included in superfood supplements and many organic non gmo products.
Berries - You can’t mention superfoods without mentioning berries. You could argue that blueberries are what started the whole “superfood” craze, being filled with antioxidants and flavonoids. However, many other berries, including cranberries and strawberries, also have these
Dark Greens - Kale, Broccoli - you name it, dark leafy greens are filled with Vitamin A, C, and K, plus calcium and fiber
Nuts - Nuts pack a lot of minerals and healthy fats into a very small, filling package.
Legumes - Beans and other legumes are great places to go for Vitamin B, protein, fiber, and minerals.
Sweet Potatoes - Sweet Potatoes are packed with Vitamin A, omega-3 fatty acids, and are less fattening than the non-sweet variety.
Organic Spirulina - This superfood is growing in fame, and for good reason. This alga is stuffed with vegan protein and contains a ton of minerals and vitamins to boot.
Beetroot - Beetroots haven’t gotten the same widespread press as superfoods like blueberries, and that’s just plain unfair. Vitamins B1, B2, B3, and C, beta-carotene, potassium, phosphorous, manganese, zinc, copper, selenium, iron - beets have it all, on top of natural antidepressants.
Matcha - Matcha is another superfood that needs more attention. Its antioxidants are great for your heart. Not only does it do this, but it boosts your brainpower and attentiveness, and even helps you burn fat.
Bee Pollen - Yeah, no joke! Bees are very efficient creatures, who need to pack as many minerals and nutrients as possible into their pollen packages, which they then ferment to maximize nutrition. Humans can benefit from bee pollen just as much as the bees do.
Superfood Supplements and Blends
Meal planning is hard, let alone meal planning around all these superfoods. That’s why superfood supplements are so great. Organic superfood blends will incorporate some of the superfoods mentioned above in some way, giving you all the benefits of a mixture of great superfoods.
Picking a Superfood Supplement
Getting the right superfood supplement for your daily routine can sometimes be daunting. With so many great superfoods, how do you pick the right organic superfood blend? There are a few ways to go about this. First, you want to look at the spread of nutrients you’re getting, and how dense they are. Generally, plant-based options often include the quickest energy - Spirulina and bee pollen are among the densest organic superfood blends.
You may also want to consider how your superfood supplement is made. Green superfood supplements will be made from all-natural ingredients - healthy for you, and healthy for the environment.
You may have other dietary concerns you want to watch out for - vegans, for example, will want green superfood supplements without any animal products. If you have a nut allergy, organic superfood blends with nuts won’t be a possible option.
Check out Our Superfood Blend
Looking for a great green superfood supplement? Want an organic superfood blend with only the best ingredients? Our Energy + Focus Superfood blend is a great place to start. It’s been designed with curated superfoods that will give you consistent all-day energy, without jitters or a crash.
