Foods That Give You Energy: What to Eat to Stay Energized

Every food gives you energy in the form of calories, but the foods that help you feel steadily energized are the ones that cover the nutrients people commonly run low on, such as iron, vitamin B12 and magnesium, eaten as regular, balanced meals. The NIH lists tiredness, weakness or lack of energy among the signs of low iron, low B12 and low magnesium (NIH ODS iron); (NIH ODS B12); (NIH ODS magnesium). This guide lists the foods that supply each one, how to build them into a day of eating, and where caffeine fits.

It is educational, not medical advice.

Key Takeaways

• Iron foods: lean meat, seafood and poultry, fortified cereals and breads, white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, peas, nuts and raisins (NIH ODS iron).
• Pair plant iron with vitamin C: citrus fruits, strawberries and sweet peppers help your body absorb iron from plant foods (NIH ODS iron).
• B12 foods: fish, meat, poultry, eggs and dairy, with clams, oysters and beef liver among the best sources, plus fortified cereals and nutritional yeast (NIH ODS B12).
• Magnesium foods: legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, leafy greens such as spinach, fortified cereals, milk and yogurt (NIH ODS magnesium).
• Caffeine in moderation: the FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults (FDA).

Why Some Foods Leave You More Energized

All food supplies calories, so in a strict sense every food gives you energy. What changes how you feel is whether your meals cover the nutrients your body needs every day and whether they arrive in a steady rhythm. Running low on certain nutrients is one common, fixable reason people feel worn out: the NIH lists weakness, tiredness and lack of energy among the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia (NIH ODS iron), feeling tired or weak among the signs of low B12 (NIH ODS B12), and fatigue and weakness among the symptoms of low magnesium (NIH ODS magnesium).

Meal size matters too. Very large meals can leave you sleepy afterward; our guide to why you feel tired after eating explains the post-meal dip, and how to get more energy covers the habits around food, such as sleep and movement.

Iron-Rich Foods

Iron helps carry oxygen around your body. Food iron comes in two forms, heme iron from animal foods and nonheme iron from plants and fortified foods. Your body absorbs plant iron better when you eat it with meat, poultry or seafood, or with vitamin C foods such as citrus fruits, strawberries and sweet peppers (NIH ODS iron).

Iron foods	Pair with
Lean meat, seafood and poultry	Any vegetables
Iron-fortified breakfast cereals and breads	Strawberries or citrus
White beans, lentils, kidney beans and peas	Sweet peppers or tomatoes
Spinach	Citrus dressing or peppers
Nuts and raisins	Fruit as a snack

Adult men and anyone over 50 need 8 mg of iron a day, and women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg (NIH ODS iron). Teen girls and women with heavy periods, pregnant women, frequent blood donors and people with some gut conditions are more likely to run low (NIH ODS iron), so talk to your doctor before taking iron pills rather than guessing.

Vitamin B12 Foods

B12 is found naturally in animal foods: fish, meat, poultry, eggs, milk and other dairy products. Clams, oysters and beef liver are some of the best sources, and some breakfast cereals and nutritional yeasts are fortified with it (NIH ODS B12). If you have low B12, you may feel tired or weak (NIH ODS B12).

Vegetarians and vegans, many older adults, and people with some stomach and gut conditions can have trouble getting enough (NIH ODS B12). Our full list of vitamin B12 foods has amounts, and our guide to sublingual B12 compares supplement forms.

Magnesium Foods

Magnesium is involved in many processes in the body, including muscle and nerve function, blood sugar, and making protein, bone and DNA. It is found in legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and green leafy vegetables such as spinach, in fortified breakfast cereals, and in milk, yogurt and some other milk products (NIH ODS magnesium). Adult men need 400 to 420 mg a day and adult women 310 to 320 mg (NIH ODS magnesium). Low magnesium can cause loss of appetite, nausea, fatigue and weakness (NIH ODS magnesium).

A Day of Energy-Friendly Eating

You do not need special foods. Build each meal around one or two of the nutrient sources above, and spread your eating across the day instead of one heavy meal.

Meal	Example	What it covers
Breakfast	Fortified cereal with milk and strawberries	Iron, B12, magnesium, vitamin C
Lunch	Lentil and spinach salad with sweet peppers	Plant iron with vitamin C, magnesium
Snack	A handful of nuts and raisins	Iron, magnesium
Dinner	Fish or chicken with whole grains and greens	Iron, B12, magnesium
Anytime	Yogurt or eggs	B12, magnesium (yogurt)

Sources for each food: (NIH ODS iron); (NIH ODS B12); (NIH ODS magnesium). For the vitamins themselves, see our guide to vitamins for energy.

Where Coffee, Tea and Cacao Fit

Caffeine does not supply nutrients, but most people use it for a lift. The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults; a 12 ounce brewed coffee has about 113 to 247 mg and a 16 ounce energy drink 54 to 328 mg (FDA). Our guides to how long caffeine lasts and the caffeine crash cover timing, and our list of coffee alternatives has lower caffeine swaps.

Cacao and cocoa are another option many people enjoy in place of a second coffee; our guide to cacao vs cocoa explains the difference between the two.

When Tiredness Needs a Doctor

If you feel tired most days despite eating well and sleeping enough, see your doctor rather than changing your diet on your own. Low iron and low B12 are checked with simple blood tests, and the NIH notes that numbness or tingling in the hands and feet can be a sign of low B12 (NIH ODS B12). Our guide to why you might be tired all the time covers other common causes.

Where Our Products Fit

Food comes first. If you want to add to a balanced diet, the Energy Stack pairs NAD+ Nasal Spray, Forage and our Methyl B-12 Nasal Spray (408 mcg of vitamin B12 as methylcobalamin per two-spray serving) in one daily energy routine. Our Mushroom Cacao is a mushroom hot chocolate made with cocoa and cacao, with 500 mg each of lion's mane and cordyceps per serving, 0 g sugar and 15 calories. Learn more on our methyl B12 ingredient page and in our non-stimulant energy and focus hub. Talk to your doctor before starting a new product if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or take medication.

Frequently Asked Questions

What foods give you the most energy?

All foods supply calories, but meals that cover iron, B12 and magnesium help you avoid the tiredness linked to running low on them: think lean meat and fish, beans and lentils, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, whole grains, eggs, dairy and fortified cereals (NIH ODS iron); (NIH ODS B12); (NIH ODS magnesium).

What should I eat when I feel tired?

A balanced snack such as nuts with fruit, or yogurt, is a better choice than a very large meal, which can leave you sleepier. If tiredness lasts, see your doctor.

Which foods are high in iron?

Lean meat, seafood and poultry, fortified cereals and breads, white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, peas, nuts and raisins (NIH ODS iron).

How can I absorb more iron from plant foods?

Eat them with vitamin C foods such as citrus fruits, strawberries or sweet peppers, or with meat, poultry or seafood (NIH ODS iron).

What are the best foods for B12?

Clams, oysters and beef liver are among the best sources; fish, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy and fortified cereals also provide B12 (NIH ODS B12).

Can low magnesium make you tired?

Fatigue and weakness are listed among the symptoms of magnesium deficiency (NIH ODS magnesium). Legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains and leafy greens are good sources.

Is coffee good for energy?

Caffeine can help you feel alert, and the FDA cites up to 400 mg a day as not generally associated with negative effects for most adults (FDA). Stop early enough in the day to protect your sleep.

Sources

1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Iron: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS iron
2. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin B12: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS B12
3. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Magnesium: Fact Sheet for Consumers. NIH ODS magnesium
4. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spilling the Beans: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much? FDA

Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for education only and is not medical advice.