Boost Your Energy On A Vegan Diet: Simple Tips

How to Increase Energy on a Vegan Diet

It's a common misconception that a vegan diet will leave you feeling exhausted and sluggish. In reality, a well-planned vegan diet can provide you with an abundance of energy and is associated with improved health outcomes. Here are some tips to boost your energy levels while following a vegan lifestyle:

- Choose Whole Foods: Opt for minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fibre, which are key to sustaining energy levels.

- Combine Food Groups: Pairing food groups, such as carbs with a fat or protein, can provide both quick energy and sustained fuel. For example, try having an apple with peanut butter or tofu with quinoa.

- Stay Hydrated: Sometimes fatigue can be a sign of dehydration. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, and consider adding lemon slices for an extra boost of Vitamin C and revitalisation.

- Manage Portion Sizes: Fruits and vegetables are high in fibre and less energy-dense than animal products. Gradually increase your portion sizes and eat more calorie-dense vegan foods like nuts, seeds, nut butters, tofu, and avocados.

- Prioritise Variety: Ensure your diet includes a diversity of plants to meet your vitamin and mineral needs. Be mindful of nutrients like vitamin B12, iron, vitamin C, vitamin D, and iodine, which play a crucial role in energy production and can be lacking in vegan diets.

- Limit Processed Vegan Foods: While convenient, highly processed vegan foods like chips, baked goods, and meat alternatives may be less nourishing and can crowd out more nutrient-dense options.

- Consider Supplements: Speak to a healthcare professional about taking supplements, especially for vitamin B12 and omega-3 fatty acids, which are predominantly found in animal products.

- Get Enough Sleep and Stay Active: Remember, energy levels are influenced by more than just food. Prioritise adequate sleep, manage stress, and incorporate regular exercise into your routine to boost your energy levels.

Eat whole foods with fibre and nutrient-dense vegetables

Eating whole foods with fibre and nutrient-dense vegetables is a great way to increase your energy on a vegan diet.

Firstly, it's important to understand the difference between a 'vegan' and 'plant-based' diet. While a vegan diet can be a type of plant-based diet, the term 'vegan' can refer to a diet that is highly processed and based on foods such as jellybeans, whereas a plant-based diet maximises calories from whole plant foods and minimises or excludes ultra-processed foods.

When following a vegan diet, it's important to ensure you're eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods. This includes produce, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. These foods provide essential nutrients that contribute to a healthy diet. On the other hand, if you're filling up on highly processed foods, you may miss out on essential nutrients, which can lead to a nutritional deficiency and lower energy levels.

So, what are some examples of nutrient-dense, whole foods with fibre and vegetables?

• Sweet potatoes are a great source of complex carbohydrates and can provide sustained energy throughout the day, especially if they are baked or microwaved.
• Dates are a versatile fruit that provides natural sweetness without causing a blood sugar spike. They are also rich in antioxidants and essential nutrients like potassium, fibre, and magnesium.
• Nuts and nut butters are a great source of antioxidants, fibre, healthy fats, and protein. They can help slow digestion and prevent a blood sugar spike, resulting in sustained energy.
• Oats are a versatile whole grain that is rich in carbohydrates and fibre. Minimally processed oats, such as oat groats and whole oats, can help lower blood glucose levels and provide sustained energy.
• Avocados are packed with healthy fats and fibre, making them a great choice for boosting energy. They can also be used as a delicious fat substitute in baking or sandwiches.
• Beans are a star of the vegan diet due to their high fibre and protein content. They provide sustained energy and can help you feel full, making them great for weight management.

By incorporating these whole foods with fibre and nutrient-dense vegetables into your vegan diet, you can increase your energy levels and ensure you're getting a variety of essential nutrients.

Combine food groups for longer-lasting energy

Combining food groups is a great way to ensure longer-lasting energy. This is because different food groups are digested at different rates, so pairing a fast-digesting food with a slow-digesting food will provide a quick energy boost that will sustain you for longer.

For example, a snack of apple with peanut butter combines carbs and protein. The apple provides carbs for instant energy, while the peanut butter keeps you going longer thanks to its protein and fat content. Another example is sweet potato toast, which can be topped with almond butter, banana, and chia seeds, or hummus, sliced olives, and cucumbers.

When creating your meals, try to pull from more than two food groups. For instance, you could have tofu and quinoa, or avocado and whole-grain toast. You don't have to cram every food group into every meal, but try to fulfil your daily needs over the course of the whole day.

In addition to combining food groups, it's important to choose whole foods that are rich in fibre and nutrients. Minimally processed foods such as produce, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds are more nutrient-dense and will provide more sustained energy than highly processed foods.

Ensure you're eating enough calories

It's important to make sure you're getting enough calories to fuel your daily activities. If you're not getting enough calories, you will likely feel fatigued. This is because your body will not have the energy it needs to function optimally.

When transitioning to a vegan diet, you might be surprised by how much you need to eat to meet your calorie needs. Fruits and vegetables are high in fibre and tend to be less energy-dense than animal foods, so you may feel full more quickly when eating a plant-based meal.

To ensure you're getting enough calories, try gradually increasing your portion sizes and eating more calorie-dense foods throughout the day. Calorie-dense foods that are suitable for a vegan diet include nuts, seeds, nut butters (e.g. peanut butter), tahini, tofu, tempeh, whole grains, lentils, and avocados. Cooking with extra virgin olive oil can also help increase the calorie content of your meals.

Another way to boost your calorie intake is to include smoothies as snacks between meals. Smoothies can be an easy and delicious way to get some extra calories and nutrients into your day, and they might be easier to consume than an extra meal. Try adding nut butter, fruit, oats, and flaxseeds or chia seeds to your smoothies for an extra calorie boost.

In addition to eating enough calories, it's important to make sure you're getting enough vitamins and minerals, especially if you're following a highly processed vegan diet or not eating enough overall. Vitamin B12, iron, iodine, and vitamin C are all important nutrients that can help prevent fatigue. If you're concerned about your nutrient intake, consider taking supplements or increasing your intake of nutrient-dense foods like pulses, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.

Stay hydrated with water and lemon

Drinking water with lemon is a great way to stay hydrated and boost your energy levels throughout the day. Lemon has several health benefits, and adding it to your water can make this healthy habit more enjoyable.

Firstly, staying hydrated is essential for maintaining optimal energy levels. Water plays a vital role in transporting nutrients and oxygen to your body's cells, and dehydration can leave you feeling sluggish and tired. Water is also necessary for the proper functioning of your body's systems, including digestion and temperature regulation. By staying hydrated, you ensure that your body can function efficiently, and you may find that you have more energy throughout the day.

Lemon is a citrus fruit packed with Vitamin C and antioxidants. Vitamin C is a vital nutrient involved in energy production and immune function. It also helps your body absorb iron, a mineral critical for energy and oxygen transport in your body. Additionally, the antioxidants in lemon provide protective benefits, helping to reduce inflammation and protect your body's cells from damage caused by free radicals.

Drinking water with lemon can also aid digestion. Lemon juice stimulates the production of bile, which helps break down fats in the foods you eat, making them easier to digest. Efficient digestion means your body can absorb more nutrients from your food, and you're less likely to experience digestive issues that can sap your energy.

To make lemon water, simply add a few slices of lemon to a jug of water or squeeze some fresh lemon juice into a glass of water. You can also enhance the flavour by adding other ingredients such as fresh mint, which has invigorating properties. Drinking lemon water in the afternoon can be a great alternative to caffeine, giving you a natural energy boost without the negative side effects of too much caffeine, such as disrupted sleep.

In addition to drinking lemon water, you can also incorporate lemon into your diet in other ways. For example, you could make a hot drink such as honey lemon ginger tea, which combines the benefits of lemon with the immune-boosting and soothing properties of honey and ginger. Alternatively, you could add lemon juice to your recipes, such as salad dressings or marinades, for a burst of flavour and a boost of Vitamin C.

Eat more vitamin C-rich foods

Eating more vitamin C-rich foods can help boost your energy levels on a vegan diet. Vitamin C plays a vital role in converting fat into energy, and a deficiency can lead to fatigue.

Citrus fruits and juices are excellent sources of vitamin C. One large orange typically contains 100mg of vitamin C, which can increase the absorption of iron from plant-based sources by up to four times. This is especially beneficial for vegans, as iron from plant sources (non-heme iron) is less easily absorbed than iron from animal sources (heme iron).

To maximise iron absorption, it is recommended to avoid consuming coffee, tea, and chocolate for at least an hour before and after meals high in iron. This is because these beverages contain tannins and polyphenols, which inhibit iron absorption.

In addition to citrus fruits, other vitamin C-rich foods include tomatoes, which are also recommended to boost iron absorption.

By including more of these vitamin C-rich foods in your diet, you can enhance your body's ability to convert fat into energy and improve your overall energy levels.

Frequently asked questions