Eating for health and energy

The foods we eat have an effect on our brain, which can influence the way you think, feel and behave. If you are aiming for energy, the best approach is to eat foods with a low glycaemic index (GI). Foods with high GI raise your blood sugar levels, which increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes, and are responsible for weight gain. It also affects your energy levels as the rush of energy you experience straight after eating is soon followed by a lull, so you get hungry and eat more. This makes it harder to lose baby weight because your body will use this energy first rather than your body fat. Eating low-GI foods will make you feel fuller for longer so you will avoid snacking and sugar craves. Low-GI foods include:

• bran cereals
• apples
• oranges
• pears
• porridge
• beans
• peas
• lentils and pulses.

Sometimes eating high-GI foods is OK – for instance after exercise, you need to restore your blood sugar levels quickly, so eating something with a high GI, such as a banana, will benefit you.

As well as eating low-GI foods, it’s important to have a balanced diet including foods from all the main groups: carbohydrates, proteins, fruit and veg, dairy and fats and sugar. Carbohydrates include bread, rice, potatoes and pasta. Protein-rich foods include fish, meat, eggs, nuts and beans. Dairy products include cheese, milk and yogurt. Fats and sugar should be eaten in moderation and make up the smallest part of your diet. Eating a small amount of unsaturated fat will help your immune system by keeping your cholesterol levels low and providing fatty acids. Unsaturated fat is found in avocados, nuts, seeds, oily fish (salmon, fresh tuna and mackerel) and olive/sunflower oils. Sugars can provide instant energy but they should be limited.

If your body doesn’t get enough iron, you are not only at risk of anaemia, you will be feeling lethargic and overtired. So include iron-rich foods such as red meat, green and leafy vegetables, pulses, eggs, dried fruit (apricot, figs) and fortified breakfast cereals.

Eating at regular intervals is also important, alongside getting as much rest as you can and exercise regularly. Caffeine should be limited as it might make you feel anxious, irritable and restless.