5 Foods That Robbing Your Energy

We need energy food. It’s our fuel to keep us going, but could you be fueling your body with the wrong kinds of food and actually be draining energy instead? In this article, we will explore some common culprits of “energy snatchers.” You’re eating at least two of these every day, and for many, maybe more. Let us take a look at the five foods that could be robbing your energy.

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Energy is produced primarily from glucose. We produce this from the food that we eat. Our cells take in the glucose and then convert it to energy. The other way our bodies produce energy is from fat. We store fat almost everywhere in our bodies. The body’s preferred source is glucose, and we will always use this first.

Food #1

Carbohydrates are the first foods that you may be eating that Is robbing you of your energy. When we eat foods that will make our blood sugars very high, such as a diet high in carbohydrates, there will be too much glucose than what the cells require. What happens is, it either gets sent to the liver and is stored as glycogen. If it is not used, it will eventually be stored as fat. That is how a fatty liver is born. If it is not stored in the liver, it gets stored as fat elsewhere in the body, usually around our middle. This can lead to increased triglycerides and cholesterol. So, if you are primarily sitting down and eating carbohydrates on your plate, your body ends up with more glucose than it needs,  and these are the scenarios that take place.

Furthermore, the constant work that we are putting on our pancreases to balance blood sugar with insulin production can profoundly impact health-related consequences. The key is to balance our macronutrients at every meal; proteins, fats, and carbs/fibers. 

Food #2

Now, glucose is “sugar,” but not the kind of sugar we get from eating a candy bar. This is the kind of sugar that is #2 on the list. Getting too much processed sugar will cause your blood sugar to have massive spikes. This over time can cause you to, become resistant to insulin. Becoming insulin resistant will cause the glucose not to be able to get into the cells. The cells are then not able to convert glucose to energy. When this occurs, it will then be stored as fat or triglycerides.

Now, another thing we become resistant to when it comes to processed sugar is the feeling of being “energized” from the sugar intake. We metabolically become dysfunctional and no longer feel that “sugar high.”

Now, having your blood sugar on a crazy roller coaster ride has a major impact on your health. Insulin imbalance is a major contributory factor in chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, chronic fatigue syndrome, heart disease, and even cancer.

I heard a metaphor about sugar by a practitioner. She explained it as processed sugar being like shard glass in the body. Too much sugar and not enough fiber spike those insulin levels and causes inflammation, which will take away your energy and increase your risk for disease.

Food #3

Processed foods are the next food that could be robbing you of your energy. These include processed oils, pastry, and processed packaged baked goods. These are all extremely risky because what’s occurring here is the fat molecules, when broken down after ingestion, will be transported into the cells. Here they can cause damage at a cellular level. This takes us back to our mitochondria, the powerhouse of the cell, and where energy is created. Additionally, these fat molecules take a whole lot longer to break down, affecting that blood sugar.

Now, the lowest quality fat you can be ingesting is trans-fat. These fats were created to make foods taste good and increase their shelf life. Most of them are human-made and have been shown to lower HDL, which is your good cholesterol and decreases your heart disease and stroke risk. But, unfortunately, these fats have also been shown to accelerate aging and have even been linked to cancer. Here’s the thing. The label regulation in the US is so lax and vague that even if the product states “0 trans-fat”, it can legally have up to 0.5 g of trans fat per serving. So, how many servings are in that packaged coffee cake you had for breakfast?

Food #4

Proteins are needed, and most of us may not look to them as something that might be robbing us of our energy. But although you need protein for energy, the type of protein you are consuming may not be serving you and your individual body well. There is also the possibility that you’re getting too much protein. Too much protein can be one of the foods that are robbing your energy.

Signs of too much protein

• Constipation
• Bad breath
• Body odor
• Weight gain
• Feeling tight, stiff, or tense
• Signs of kidney insufficiency

Protein Categories

Proteins are into 2 categories. There are plant proteins and animal proteins. You may have grown up on meat and potatoes for your whole life, and this is the staple of your diet, but could this be what is causing your fatigue? The other thing to consider with this diet is your meat sources. This becomes particularly important when we discuss the toxins we consume every day. Many times when animals are raised for meat, they are injected and fed hormones and antibiotics. We have concluded that this is now an issue for the human body, on so many levels, and do not get me started on the antibiotic resistance problem we have in America. As a nurse, I have seen all the new “superbugs” popping up all the time that we cannot treat because of antibiotic resistance issues.

As for plant proteins, you must head the warning about pesticides, folks. This is a big deal. These pesticides are a huge risk to us and in the long term. They start changing our cells and can lead to a boatload of health issues. So, the type of protein, as well as the amount, may not be serving you and your energy levels.

The bottom line is, everyone is different, and everybody is different. The type of protein that might be best for one individual may not be right for the next. Your body has the answers to find out what it needs. A great way to this is by conducting a little experiment to determine what type of protein is the right one for you. You can do this with my 4-day energy experiment here.

Food #5

The fifth type of food isn’t exactly one specific food, but rather a type of food or foods that you may be sensitive to or allergic to. If you have a food sensitivity, this is going to contribute to your energy level high. You can become chronically inflamed. The entire gut ecosystem becomes affected. Your gut health is key to not only your physical health but also your emotional health, such as your mood. When the gut can heal, you can reintroduce and possibly be more tolerable to the food you were sensitive to. You may not even know you are sensitive to something because the inflammation is so chronic, your body has been driving that way for so long. Let’s be clear; sensitivities are not necessarily allergies.

When you are allergic, the symptoms are typically severe enough that you will definitely know it. The most common allergies are from gluten, dairy, nuts, and eggs. If you react to things like lettuce, for example, that is probably more of a sensitivity. Again, with the proper gut healing, you may be able to reintroduce those things. Either way, food allergies, and sensitivities really wreak havoc on our body’s energy levels.

What’s really causing this is inflammation. So you need to start thinking about what is going on in there. You need to take care of your gut microbiome and your intestinal health, decrease inflammation, and start repairing your cells and digestive system. There is no way you can be well and feel well without focusing on these areas.

So other than getting enough sleep and managing your stress, be mindful of what and how many of these common foods you are putting on your plate? Ask yourself, “why am I so tired?”  It may surprise you when you really stay mindful of what you’re consuming vs. how you feel! When making food choices, keep these foods that are robbing your energy in mind.