What do you eat for lunch and energy? Definitely, light. All right, no light bulbs, obviously (I got this response on Twitter , you can follow me there as well).
In the summer, we often feel sluggish and tired during the day. Add on the extremes of temperature, smells and heat radiating from buildings and the disaster -- a slow-down in function -- is almost perfect. (Not in a good way!)
Therefore, lunch becomes a critical point. Can you take some needed energy into your system that doesn't make you tired, drag you down or make you sleepy?
You might think about eating some lean protein. But here are the facts: Protein takes longer to digest than fruits. Fruits contain simple carbohydrates that contain vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Don't mistake it with simple carbohydrates such as white sugar. Fruits are digested in the stomach for 30 minutes before they move into the duodenum. The breakdown of protein into amino acids takes longer as there are more chemical processes involved. In the duodenum, long chain polypeptides are reduced to short chain polypeptides, tripeptides, and dipeptidases. They are absorbed across the gut wall into the portal vein to transport the amino acids to the liver, the principal site of protein metabolism.
So, for quick, easy energy, fruits are the way to go. Try this recipe for a refreshing lunchtime soup. You can prepare it the evening before in three minutes:
Spicy Energy Soup:
1 peach (51 calories)
2 kiwis (52 calories each)
1 piece of ginger (thumb size)
Wash all the fruits. If they are organic, you can keep the peel on. Otherwise, peel them.
Cut the fruits and place into a blender with the peeled ginger.
Blend for 1 minute then smooth.
Serve with some fresh mint leaves to add additional freshness to this spicy energy soup.
High in flavor, this recipe is also low in calories (155 calories). A great strategy to reduce your calories naturally for natural weight loss.
Stay focused,
Stefan
P.S. Sign up for your Free weight loss updates and solutions at www.stefanaschan.com