Natural Ingredients that Boost Energy
Ingredients that could Boost Energy without the crash!
Green Tea:
We have seen that Green tea could be a potentially useful ingredient for people with active lifestyles (athletes, weekend cyclists etc).
Green Tea with Exercise can reduce fat. This is useful for 3 reasons:
- Preparation for an event could be aided by this functionality (i.e. teaching the body to burn fats)
- Losing weight is ultimately a good idea particularly for endurance sports (cyclists, long distance runners)
- An optimal Body Mass Index will reduce all sorts of health complications in the long run (heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc.)
Green tea can also protect against exercise-induced oxidative damage. It is very important that the stresses of sport are modulated and Green tea could help to stave off longer term issues with arthritis etc and in the short term help with day-to-day recovery….so you can get out there and train again!
In an animal model researchers have demonstrated that triterpenes from Centella asiatica have an antidepressant activity in a swimming test. Imipramine and total triterpenes from Centella asiatica reduced the immobility time and ameliorated the imbalance of amino acid levels.
Cinnamon:
It is well documented in clinical studies and research that Cinnamon has an effect on blood sugar.
Here we resume the evidence. Cinnamon:
- May improve blood glucose after fasting. This may also have some positive impacts for the control of diabetes.
- Could reduce lipids, cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol.
- May have a positive effect on hypoglycaemic activity and sugar control.
- Improves inflammation related intestinal dyslipidemia (abnormally high levels of lipids).
- Improves glycaemic control.
Why could this boost energy? Cinnamon helps in the digestion of carbohydrates and fats. This modulation of blood sugar and lipid levels could assist in the avoidance of glucose blood spikes and help to maintain energy levels over a longer period of time – think about the difference between digesting pure sugar versus eating complex carbohydrates.
Moreover, a healthy diet which contains antioxidants like cinnamon, will reduce inflammation and cardiovascular risk. If the thought of this doesn’t boost your energy nothing will!
Liquorice:
- Results showed that glabridin, a compound found in Liquorice, significantly inhibited fatigue in an animal model.
- Liquorice compounds enhance fat breakdown and digestion. This anti-obestiy effect has been reported by other researchers.
- Liquorice has cardio-protective functionality.
Ginger:
Ginger has been implicated in the reduction of inflammation and pain and the improvement of digestion. But could it boost energy too?
- Ginger may attenuate the day-to-day progression of muscle pain therefore in the long term the reduction of pain may psychologically give you a lift and give the perception of energy boost!
- Ginger has also been shown to augment the digestion of fat in an animal model system.
Hibiscus:
- Hibiscus extract appears to have a blood lipid lowering effect.
- Hibiscus, when incorporated into the diet, lowers Blood Pressure.
- Hibiscus could also be useful in maintaining a healthy weight and help to modulate blood sugar levels.
Hibiscus could help to maintain energy levels in three ways: maintaining a healthy weight, efficient metabolism of fats and the maintenance of a healthy blood pressure.
Lemongrass:
In terms of Lemongrass’ energy enhancing properties we’d like to highlight 2 of many:
- Lemongrass extracts can exert an anti-inflammatory action and may be involved in the inhibitory effects on cytokine production.
- Lemongrass may help to relieve stress and anxiety.
“Energy boosting ingredients are important and while we all need an energy boost from time to time, an energy drink may not be the best way to get it.
Most of the energy from these drinks comes from the sugar and caffeine
Calories from sugar can add up quickly and after the initial sugar buzz has worn off you can get an energy crash.
Large doses of caffeine can be very dehydrating so be careful.
So, natural herbal ingredients like Green Tea, Liquorice etc are a healthy alternative and will give you a natural long-lasting energy boost without the crash in combination with a healthy & suitable diet for exercise and sportr!” Dr. Andrew Ward (InnOrbit)
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