Does fatigue overwhelm you in the afternoon, making it hard to concentrate, and do daily tasks require more and more effort? Many associate this with age, poor sleep, or a slowed metabolism. However, nutrition specialists point to another possible cause – overly restrictive carbohydrate intake, writes “Parade.”
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According to nutrition specialists, carbohydrates themselves are not the enemy. They are one of the main sources of energy for the body, so completely giving them up can cause fatigue, reduced physical endurance, and difficulty concentrating.
Why does energy start to run low?
Over the years, due to hormonal changes and decreasing muscle mass, controlling body weight can become more difficult. For this reason, some people resort to a very low-carbohydrate diet.
Dietitian and author of the book “The Little Book of Game-Changers,” Jessica Cording, emphasizes that fear of carbohydrates can have the opposite effect than expected.
“Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body, including the brain. I meet people who are afraid to eat them because they think they will gain weight. But in the end, they feel tired,” the specialist explained.
Carbohydrates obtained from food are broken down into glucose in the body, which cells use to produce energy. According to dietitian Sonya Angelone, if carbohydrates are severely restricted, the body may start to lack easily accessible energy.
This is especially noticeable in physically active people. Movement uses glycogen stores accumulated in muscles and the liver. If these are insufficient, muscle fatigue and exhaustion may occur more quickly during training.
It is important not to give up, but to choose properly
Reintroducing carbohydrates into the diet does not mean eating sweet pastries, white bread, or heavily processed snacks more often. Such products can quickly increase blood glucose levels, but then it also rapidly decreases, so the energy surge may soon be replaced by fatigue.
A much better choice is products containing complex carbohydrates and fiber. They are digested more slowly, so glucose enters the blood gradually, and energy levels remain more stable.
Nutrition specialists recommend choosing more often:
- whole grain cereals and other whole grain products;
- beans, lentils, and other legumes;
- vegetables;
- fruits with higher fiber content, such as berries, apples, and pears.
To make food provide satiety and energy for longer, it is advised to combine complex carbohydrates with proteins and healthy fats. For example, porridge can be eaten with natural yogurt and nuts, fruits with nut butter, and legumes or whole grain cereals with vegetables and a lean protein source.
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