The foods and drink making you tired: Nutritionist reveals why everyday favourites including burgers, biscuits and coffee are draining your energy
- An Australian dietitian outlines the foods and drinks that deplete energy levels
- Nutritionist Susie Burrell said these food groups are often high in sugar
- While we enjoy eating burgers and drinking coffee, these can be detrimental
- Too many sugary or fatty foods can lead to fatigue or high spikes in insulin
An Australian dietitian and nutritionist has listed the five common types of food and drinks that could drain your energy after being consumed.
Susie Burrell, founder of Shape Me, said these food groups are often high in sugar or caffeine, providing a quick fix and a tasty treat but then a reduction in energy.
Her list included coffee, fast food, biscuits, jelly lollies and instant noodles.
Australian nutritionist Susie Burrell (pictured) has outlined the five common types of food and drinks that drain your energy after being consumed
Coffee is only good for a short term fix
While having a cup of coffee is a morning ritual for many, it can also drain your energy levels due to the caffeine it contains.
‘Caffeine itself is a known performance enhancer, the benefits of which known to last for 30 to 60 minutes post consumption. The issue with using large amounts of coffee and caffeine to help boost our energy levels is that the effect is short term,’ Susie said on her online blog.
Adding sugar or syrups to your coffee will further contribute to the drop in energy levels throughout the day.
Drinking multiple coffees can also lead to dehydration and headaches, which isn’t ideal for a busy workday.
‘Caffeine itself is a known performance enhancer, the benefits of which known to last for 30 to 60 minutes post consumption,’ Susie said (stock image)
Fast food has no nutritional value
Eating greasy, fat foods containing no nutritional value may satisfy your craving – but will make you feel sluggish.
Fast foods such as burgers, chips and pizza can leave you ‘vulnerable to fluid retention’, which is a shift of blood flow to the digestive system as a result to the large calorie loaded meal.
Susie explained how there is ‘nothing energising’ about fast food besides the initial sugar rush.
Too many biscuits can spike insulin levels
They’re delightful with a cup of tea or coffee, though eating frequent amounts of biscuits can be detrimental to energy levels.
‘The mix of white flour, hydrogenated fats and sugars that are easily consumed daily with a few cups of tea or coffee but which offer little nutritionally,’ Susie said.
‘The refined flour and sugar sends blood glucose levels soaring which is in turn coupled with a sharp decline within the hour. Such an ingredient combination also plays havoc with our insulin levels over time.’
Increased levels of the insulin hormone in our body can lead to fatigue and low levels of energy.
Susie explained how there is ‘nothing energising’ about fast food besides the initial sugar rush (stock image)
Instant noodles are high in carbs and salt
Most are surprised to realise two minute noodles can cause a negative effect on our body’s energy levels.
Susie explained how the popular quick meal often contains a similar amount of processed carbohydrates as four to six slices of bread and the sachet flavouring often possesses a ‘daily upper limit of sodium’ known as salt.
‘The effect of this is significant fluid retention leading to bloating, discomfort and fatigue an hour or two after consumption,’ she said.
Jelly lollies contain high amounts of sugar
Popular among children and some adults, jelly lollies contain an average of two teaspoons of sugar per piece.
‘When the body is exposed to a large amount of sugar in a single setting, our insulin levels sky rocket followed by a subsequent drop,’ Susie explained.
‘The other issue with regularly eating lollies is that it is virtually impossible to stop eating them which means you can consume 100 [or more] grams of sugar in a single setting.’
By eating less amounts of these food and drinks and more natural, healthy forms of sugar and carbohydrates will significantly impact energy levels.