“When I wake up in the morning, the first thing I usually think about is what I want to eat – and once I finish one meal, I’m already planning the next one.” It is an idea that may be repeated by many people.
This tendency to look to the future is very common, according to Nate Wood, a culinary medicine researcher at Yale University School of Medicine and a chef. However, he argues that we rarely think about what we actually ate and how that food made us feel, unless it has already rotted in our stomach.
He points out that understanding how our diet affects us can help us understand which foods give us energy and which foods make us lethargic. It can also help us eat for longer lasting energy on a daily basis.
The task is simple: notice how the foods you eat make you feel. One and a half to two hours after eating a meal or snack, write down any sensations you feel: Are you full, tired, hungry? Then rate your energy level from one to five.
Why should you wait an hour or two after eating?
This happens when digestion is going well, explains Wood. As the meal breaks down, glucose enters the bloodstream and the pancreas secretes insulin, which cells use to absorb glucose for energy. When your brain and gut send signals to each other about how to process food, you’ll be able to get an idea of whether the food has provided you with energy or is making you feel depleted.
Not only should every meal be viewed as fuel for the tank, but of course the food should be fun too. But paying attention to what you eat can help you feel better in the long run. Some questions to ask yourself are: Does this meal consist primarily of carbohydrates? Was there too much sugar? Did you eat any protein?
A tracking day should give you an idea of how different foods affect your energy. To get a more accurate assessment, the expert suggests trying this exercise for three days. So, if you want, you can use these tips to focus on the foods (and food groups) that give you energy.
If you want to get more energy from your meals, there are small adjustments you can make. Filling your plate with foods high in fiber, complex carbohydrates and protein can slow the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream and help prevent fatigue.according to Wood. If you can include these three food groups in your meals and snacks as much as possible, you may feel more energetic.
When asked how to improve eating a low-protein breakfast, such as a fruit smoothie or a slice of whole-grain toast, he suggests adding avocado with shredded chicken and Sriracha (a type of hot sauce) to the toast, or protein powder or a spoonful of nut butter to the smoothie, so the energy lasts much longer.
“Lunch and dinner foods are often healthier than breakfast foods and can be easier to combine with vegetables,” notes Wood.
This has made me feel really good, as one of my colleagues recently inspired me to start eating leftovers for breakfast. These are things like quinoa with cooked chickpeas and tomatoes. Now I plan to “eat” breakfast more often.
For midday snacks, Wood recommends keeping lean protein sources on hand to pair with complex carbohydrates, such as whole-grain crackers with hummus or cheese.
Lunches and dinners should follow the same formula. He suggests lunch be a tuna salad sandwich with curry and arugula on whole-grain bread, along with a handful of berries. Dinner might consist of three chili peppers with Greek yogurt and green onions, with roasted sweet potatoes with cinnamon on the side.
Wood explains that this exercise is not about deprivation, but rather about finding a formula for a more stable energy supply. For most people, making small changes “leads to more sustainable changes,” he adds.