From that first morning coffee to our mid-afternoon tea and biscuit fix, many of us mums find ourselves relying on sugar and caffeine as a quick pick-me-up and energy boost when we’re feeling tired.
But these stimulants could actually be hindering us more than helping, creating dramatic blood sugar highs and lows that can impact on our sleep and stop us from getting the quality rest we need.
Sound familiar? These five foods will provide a healthy energy boost and are well worth a try next time you find yourself reaching for the biscuit tin…
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Best energy-boosting foods:
Bananas
Curb your sugar cravings with a banana. Packed with fibre, potassium, and carbohydrates, it will fill you up for longer than processed snacks and provide a good source of energy while also getting in one of your five-a-day. Win-win.
Almonds
Swap your afternoon biscuits for a handful of almonds. A veritable superfood, they provide both protein and fat to fill you up and keep you going until dinner, along with vitamin E and magnesium for healthy skin from within.
If you don’t fancy eating whole nuts, you could also try spreading sugar-free almond butter on oatcakes for a more filling and nutritious snack.
Oats
Start your day with a bowl of porridge for a slow-burning energy boost that will last far longer than your latte. Supercharge your bowl with more energy-rich foods such as sliced banana and almond butter, or a sprinkle of chia seeds, to boost the nutritional properties and get your day off to the best start.
Spinach
It’s important to ensure we eat lots of iron-rich foods for energy, particularly if you’re breastfeeding. Spinach is just one way to meet your quota; add to an omelette, blend into a juice or add to your salad for a healthy dose of vitamins and antioxidants, including vitamin K and magnesium.
Top tip: combine with a vitamin C-rich food such as peppers or oranges to aid absorption.
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Eggs
With six grams of protein in each one, eggs are a great food to incorporate into your diet for a satiating energy boost. Swap white toast for wholegrain toast with a boiled egg for a more filling breakfast option, or swap your lunchtime sandwich for an omelette for easy ways to keep tiredness and hunger at bay.
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