Eight foods to help you sleep

Avocados

Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats, Avocados give our body energy that will last for hours. They contain lots of fibre, keeping our blood sugar stable so we can avoid those sugar highs, followed by the lows. 

Watermelon

Even minor dehydration can cause you to wake up not feeling your best. It’s important to pack your diet with high water-containing foods (think fruits and veggies), and watermelon is one of our best sources. This yummy fruit is 90 percent water, provides a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, and houses the amino acid L-citrulline, which may help reduce muscle soreness. 

Almonds

A great source of high quality proteien fibre, and healthy monounsaturated fats almonds are packed with B vitamins which help your body convert food into energy, and are rich in magnesium which helps fight muscle fatigue. Add almonds into your morning granola or grab a handful as a mid-morning snack.

Kale

Loaded with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that we need for energy, Kale is a great plant-based source of iron which carries oxygen to our tissues and cells which is needed for us to thrive. Kale is also a wonderful source of calcium, folate, and B vitamins. Throw this cruciferous veggie into your morning green juice or smoothie, or add it to an omelette and skip that second cup of coffee! 

Bananas

Bananas are your go-to fuel when on the run. This potassium-packed fruit includes a good amount of fibre, which slows down the release of sugar into the blood stream and provides a great source of magnesium and B vitamins. Add banana to your breakfast or grab a whole banana as an easy snack on the go. A ripe banana will provide more readily available energy in the form of sugar, compared to an unripe banana. They should be freckled and yellow rather than green. That’s how you know the starch has converted into sugar you can properly digest and use for energy. 

Spinach

A great source of vitamin C, folate, and iron, the vitamins and minerals found in spinach are essential for energy production. Lower levels of iron in particular can cause major fatigue. Pair your morning eggs with sauteed spinach and add a squeeze of lemon juice to enhance iron absorption. 

Dates

In addition to their amazing, sweet flavour, dates are easily digested by the body and provide an instant boost of energy. They’re a great source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, zinc, and iron. Add chopped dates to your morning fruit plate, throw a couple into your smoothie for extra sweetness, or dip them into almond butter for a yummy snack. 

Eggs

One egg contains high-quality protein and healthy fats, which in combination keeps us satiated and offers sustained energy throughout the day. Eggs are a great source of a variety of vitamins and minerals, including iron, choline, vitamin D, and vitamin B-12. Don’t forget to always eat the whole egg! The yolk is the most nutritious part, containing the majority of the egg’s vitamins and minerals and a good amount of the total protein.

If you’re worried about cholesterol, don’t be. Research has shown that cholesterol coming from food isn’t correlated with cholesterol in blood.