Afternoon snacks

[KatieKins]

Hi

I tend to have fruit (apples, pears, clementines, oranges etc) in the afternoon as a snack but I've noticed that I'm frequently feeling really tired around 3-5pm and someone suggested it could be because of my choice of snack.

Does anyone have any ideas for snacks that might give me more energy? Or just stop me feeling shrivelled and old and weary. They mentioned GI but I don't really know much about that.

I usually have my lunch around 12.45pm, if that factors in to the equation!

Thanks!

[Mr Flibble]

Cookies

[KatieKins]

Thanks...I was kinda thinking along the healthy-and-satisfying lines, so I guess they'd have to be healthy-and-satisfying cookies?

[maidenofthewell]

I usually have a smoothie lately, that always picks me up and satisfies me. Put nuts/seeds in it or some greens or nut/seed/rice/soya milk, or avocado to make it more sustaining than just fruit. I find they're a great snack because they're filling but digest quickly so I'm hungry again at tea time.

[Cherry]

Nuts? Like, unsalted, mixed ones. If I have to keep going for hours, that's what I snack on because they're easier to eat while you're working than fruit and fill you up. I thought fruit would have been a good idea to combat sleepiness, but I suppose because they are (naturally) sugary you could have an energy burst then 'crash'. I think being sleepy in the afternoon is natural though, isn't it? The afternoon has always been my worst time for getting things done.

[maidenofthewell]

I think being sleepy in the afternoon is natural though, isn't it? The afternoon has always been my worst time for getting things done.

That just reminded me of a tv programme I saw a while back about sleeping and it said that you have a natural energy lull 7-8 hours after you get up.

[herbwormwood]

Post lunch dip. Google it and all will be revealed.
Its not what you eat, its the time of day.

[Cherry]

That just reminded me of a tv programme I saw a while back about sleeping and it said that you have a natural energy lull 7-8 hours after you get up.

That sounds about right

[vercimus]

Yeah people are pretty much meant to take naps I think. I don't, but I can tell when I'm supposed to, and it's about the time you are all describing

There was a really interesting documentary about the internal biological clock on the science channel called The Human Timepiece, if that's what you're talking about. I liked it.

[erynne936]

Post lunch dip. Google it and all will be revealed.
Its not what you eat, its the time of day.

darn. someone needs to create a recipe for a delicious energy boosting post lunch dip!

[Sluggie]

If you want to stick to fruit for your snack, a banana will keep you going for longer than the fruits you mentioned, as it's energy is released more slowly (though the riper the banana the faster the sugar hit, so avoid squashy ones).

That's really what GI is about: eating foods that release sugar into your bloodstream at a slow rate. High GI foods are either sugary or contain a lot of refined carbs (eg. white bread, regular pasta). Low GI foods are low in sugar and contain either protein and/or complex carbs (eg. brown rice, wholemeal bread).

[Daffodil]

That just reminded me of a tv programme I saw a while back about sleeping and it said that you have a natural energy lull 7-8 hours after you get up.

that explains my 2-3pm tired phase lol!