5 Healthy Snack Ideas to Keep Your Mind Energized and Focused

The food we eat plays a big role in the way we think, feel, and perform. It can play an important role in determining our overall mood, memory, concentration, and outlook on life. That’s why it’s a good idea to focus on eating a wide variety of plant foods every day to ensure you are getting in as many nutrients as possible.

How Food Affects Our Focus

We know why plant-based foods boost productivity: eliminating toxic waste, protecting our brains from free radical damage due to high antioxidant levels, and decreasing the levels of stress hormones circulating throughout our bodies at any given time. Now, let’s focus on the types of veggies that are particularly potent for these tasks. Here are just a few of the countless options when it comes to brain-boosting plant-based foods!

1. Sea Moss Banana Smoothie

Source: Sea Moss Banana Smoothie

Though bananas are high in sugar, they’re also great for mental focus and energy. So long as you eat mostly yellow bananas, they’re lower in sugar than fruits like apples and pineapple. Bananas are also rich in Vitamin B6, magnesium, fiber, Vitamin C, potassium, and water. Their carbohydrate and B vitamin content will help give you plenty of energy without causing you to crash later on in the day, like refined bread or sugary dried fruit can. Have a banana with a handful of almonds for a snack mid-day, and you’ll feel refreshed and ready to go!

2. Almond Cashew Coconut Energy Bites

Source: Almond Cashew Coconut Energy Bites

Feeling sluggish mid-morning or mid-day? Have a few raw almonds, and you’ll feel much better. Almonds are rich in magnesium, which improves mental focus, reduces stress, and aids in healthy nervous system function. Almonds are also high in fiber, they help lower your blood sugar, and they’re high in protein and B vitamins. Not a fan of raw almonds? Make your own almond-based recipes instead!

3. Coconut Spirulina Superfood Smoothie

Source: Coconut Spirulina Superfood Smoothie

Spirulina is an amazing gift from nature in so many ways. Due to its Vitamin B12, protein, and iron content, spirulina is one of the best focus foods you can eat. It helps to optimize your mood, relieve stress and tension, assist in healthy digestion, so you stay energized, and improve mental clarity. Add a teaspoon to a morning smoothie with some cacao, spinach, almond butter, and blueberries. You’ll never taste it – promise!

4. Raw Superfood Energy Bars With Cacao

Source: Raw Superfood Energy Bars With Cacao

Cacao is also the highest source of magnesium of all foods, which makes it great for fighting those morning nerves we all have. Cacao is also high in sulfur, which keeps your skin and liver in great shape, and it’s a good source of fiber and iron. Plus, you get to eat chocolate as brain food– what else can you ask for? Okay, if you need another reason, it’s also high in chromium, a mineral that helps improve your blood sugar and mental focus, along with warding off fatigue and diabetes.

5. Tahini Maca Latte

Source: Tahini Maca Latte

This superfood is usually linked to energy and hormones, but maca is also fantastic for mental focus. Maca can help reduce stress and fatigue, which both get in the way of your focus abilities. It’s also a wonderful source of amino acids (protein), which improves blood flow to the brain, reduces stress, and wards off low blood sugar. Nix that second or third cup of coffee and have a maca latte or a morning maca smoothie instead.

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