What foods make us sleepy?
Ever noticed how some foods make you feel sleepy? It’s no coincidence. And understanding which foods make you slow and sluggish could be the key to warding off an afternoon slump – and keeping energised throughout the day.
Here are 5 foods that could be making you tired
White bread
Nutritionally, white bread is empty food. That is, it is nutritionally void of any good stuff that keeps you alert and fighting fit. And it’s all thanks to white bread being a high GI (glycemic index) food, which lacks fibre and so is digested swiftly, leaving you hungry very soon after eating.
If you want to eat bread, stick to a nutritionally dense and low GI bread like a fibre-packed spelt or wholemeal variety. Same goes for rice – stick to brown rice, not the high GI white stuff.
Oats
Oats have been marketed as a healthy breakfast option. However, oats stiulate insulin production, sending your blood sugar soaring, and leaving you sleepy and unfulfilled. They are also packed with melatonin, which turns on the sleep switch. Stick to a high-protein diet instead, like eggs and avocados.
Red meat
While meat gives our body iron and other essential nutrients, a huge slab of steak is a digestion dilemma for your body. So while your body tries to break down the fat in the meat, you’re left feeling flat. For days when you need energy, opt for fish at lunch with another protein source like salad with seeds and nuts.
Sugar and honey
We all know by now that sugar is bad for us, and even science has joined th team that says sugar is poison. But if you need another reason to limit your intake of sugary snacks, it’s this: glucose encourages your brain to turn off a chemical called orexin, which makes us alert.
Eating sugar is also a bad idea if you need your energy. Like oats, sweet foods spike insulin to leave you drowsy after an initial high.
Processed foods
It’s interesting that when feeling low and slow, we often turn to processed meals and snacks. However, these foods have little nutritional value and are chock full of preservatives and chemicals. A better idea is to make meals from whole fresh foods – a sure-fire way to stay alert and energised from morning to night.
