Nutrients to beat fatigue
If you experience chronic fatigue or low energy, it could be that you are lacking in one or more nutrients our mitochondria need to power our bodies at the cellular level.
Here are nutrients essential to cellular metabolism and which foods have them.
B Vitamins
Broccoli is a good source of thiamin (vitamin B1). This broccoli from my garden hasn’t produced a big floret, but that’s ok. I trim the lower leaves and cook with broccoli greens just as I would collard.
B Vitamins are essential building blocks our mitochondria use to produce energy in every one of our cells.
Thiamine (B1) is found in broccoli, pork, pinto beans, watermelon, acorn squash
Riboflavin (B2) is found in liver, yogurt (plain), milk, egg, clams
Niacin/nicotinamide (B3) is found in chicken, tuna, liver, beef, peanuts
Pantothenic acid (B5) is found in chicken, beef, potatoes, oats, tomatoes, liver, egg yolk, broccoli, whole grains
Pyridoxal (B6) is found in liver, tuna, pistachios, lean red meat, lean pork, fish/seafood, poultry, sunflower seeds, hazelnuts, walnuts, hearts of palm, banana, eggs, nuts and seeds, potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, cabbage
Biotin (B7) is found in liver, egg yolks, fish, whole grains (also produced by GI bacteria)
Methylfolate (B9) is found in lentils, asparagus, pinto beans, leafy green vegetables, seeds, liver
Cobalamin (B12) is found in organ meats, clams, oysters, eggs, seafood, dairy
Other Vitamins
Tiny but sweet Sugar Baby watermelons grew in my garden this year, giving us a Vitamin C boost.
Vitamin C. Another powerful antioxidant in ingredient in cellular metabolism, Vitamin C is found in red bell peppers, oranges, kiwi, broccoli, watermelon and brussels sprouts.
Vitamin D3. A commonly deficient nutrient that plays multiple metaboilc roles, Vitamin D3 is found in cold water seafood (salmon, cod, herring, mackerel) plus fish oil, krill oil and algae oil supplements.
Minerals
Oysters are far and away the best source of zinc, and they also contain iodine, copper and magnesium. Here I am shucking oysters, enjoying one of my favorite winter time food traditions in Galveston.
Calcium (Ca) is found in sardines with bones, plain yogurt, milk, cheese; broccoli, oranges, bok choy, almonds, watermelon, kale/greens.
Copper (Cu) is found in seafood, nuts, whole grains, seeds, legumes.
Iodine is found in seafood, dairy.
Manganese (Mn) is found in Nuts, whole grains, leafy vegetables, tea.
Potassium (K) is found in acorn squash, soybeans, artichoke, potato, banana, broccoli, carrot, tomato juice, milk, watermelon, plain yogurt, pinto beans, carrots, orange, strawberries, peanuts, sunflower seeds, chicken, ground beef, tuna.
Iron is needed to move oxygen throughout our bodies, and is found in red meat, oysters, beans, spinach, eggs, asparagus, mushrooms.
Magnesium, essential for cellular energy creation in the mitochondria, is found in cashews, artichoke, legumes, dark green vegetables, seafood, cacao, and bananas. Achieving sufficient dietary intake of magnesium is difficult and supplementation may be necessary.
Selenium is an essential mineral is found in seafood and meat; also in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables depending on whether selenium is found in the soil where grown.
Zinc is an antioxidant found in oysters, crab, beef, broccoli, nuts and seeds.
Other Nutrients
Turmeric and ginger both contain energy-supportive phytonutrients.
Other mitochondria-supporting nutrients include:
C-phycocyanin found in spirulina.
Curcumin found in turmeric
Ellagitannins found in pomegranate
A-type proanthocyanidins (PACs) found in cranberries
Quercetin found in onions, apples
Sulfur (Sulforaphane) found in broccoli sprouts, broccoli, brussels sprouts
Also: Blueberries, acai berries, chlorella, garlic, ginger, cacao, almonds, avocado, tomato, green tea and panax ginseng
The foods listed above are just examples-- there are many others that contain these nutrients. Nor are the nutrients listed here the only ones our bodies need to thrive.
Don’t forget to breathe
Even though it’s not really a vitamin or mineral, Oxygen (O2) is an element essential to cellular function. Making sure our bodies get enough oxygen through deep breathing and physical fitness is also crucial to our overall energy.
What you can do
That’s a long list of foods! But choosing a diet rich in the nutrients required for our cells to thrive doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s how to start:
Write down the foods listed next to each nutrient that you and your family will actually eat. If you can’t find a single food you like above, search for others using the National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. If you have special dietary requirements, you may need to consider supplementation (always consult with a professional before starting supplements).
Now, make a new list, dividing the foods you’ve chosen up by fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, grains, etc. Just like at the grocery store.
Make copies of this list using a printer or photocopier, and bring a copy with you every time you grocery shop.
Search for recipes you love that incorporate one or more of those foods and work them into your weekly menu. Or just make sure as many of these foods as possible make it into your shopping cart on a regular basis.
If you are on a limited budget and can only make a few picks each week, or if you’re like me and often forget to grab that grocery list that was sitting right in plain sight out on the counter next to the door (you get the picture)… just remember to “eat the rainbow” by choosing a fruit or vegetable from each color of the rainbow, and pick a protein (meat, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes).
Also, get the most out of the foods you buy: Choose organic foods whenever possible, which will help avoid dietary exposure to pesticides which are toxic to our cells and can cause mitochondrial dysfunction. Similarly, choose pastured meat, eggs and dairy whenever possible as well as wild-caught seafood for the same reason.
In Conclusion
Fatigue is a complicated condition that can have multiple causes. While eating nourishing foods like the ones listed here is a step in the right direction, other factors such as sleep quality, stress, and exposure to environmental toxins can all impact our mitochondrial function and, therefore, our energy.
If you are experiencing fatigue, working with a health coach can help you holistically examine how your current conditions (lifestyle, relationships, environment and spirituality) and life history may be contributing to fatigue and set goals to boost your overall vitality in a way that puts you at the center of your care.
Sources
I didn’t just make this up, y’all…
Whitten, Ari. Eat for Energy. 2022. Carlsbad, CA: Hay House, Inc.
Whitney, Ellie and Rolfes, Sharon Rady. Understanding Nutrition. 2016. Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
National Institutes of Health. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-all/
Holistic Wellness Pathway course materials
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only. It is not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. It is not meant to replace the advice of a healthcare professional. Always consult with a healthcare professional if you have special dietary requirements.