Health & Wellness

10 Healthy Foods That Help You Wake Up

It's 6 a.m. and the alarm goes off, and you feel as if you didn't get a wink of sleep. It's time to look for foods that help you wake up.

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Healthy eating super foods - chia seeds and fruits. Dream79/Shutterstock

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds help fight off the fatigue with omega-3 fatty acids and will help speed up your digestion since they absorb any liquid they’re made with. Add chia seeds to your breakfast by chowing down on this Lemon Chia Seed Parfait.

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Taste of Home

Eggs

Hard boiled or sunny side up, eggs are a top-notch breakfast choice. The yolk is filled with protein and vitamin B12, which are responsible for promoting energy. If you like your eggs scrambled, toss in some spinach and mushroom for added nutrients.

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Healthy Homemade Oatmeal with Berries for Breakfast Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

Oatmeal

Oatmeal is breakfast staple, providing your body with slow-digesting carbohydrates so you won’t crash later. Bonus: It can be paired with any type of fruit and toppings, which will give you an added morning buzz.

Psst… You can add oats to pancakes, too.

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Ripe red apples on wooden background Africa Studio/Shutterstock

Apples

Some mornings the brain fog is bad. Apples contain quercetin, an antioxidant that helps protect your brain cells from damaging free radicals. You’ll be thinking clearer A.M. thoughts with these amazing apple breakfasts.

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dark chocolate chunks in wooden bowl, on oak table; GCapture/Shutterstock

Dark Chocolate

Chocolate in the morning? Yes! Just make sure the dark chocolate contains 60-70% cacao or more. Cacao is responsible for fighting stress and boosting energy and focus. Give your basic morning granola new life by coating it in dark chocolate.

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Glasses of water on a wooden table SedovaY/Shutterstock

Water

It’s as simple as it sounds. Drinking a glass of water right when you wake up can help fight fatigue, especially if you’re feeling dehydrated. You’d be surprised at what drinking eight or more glasses of water a day can do!

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Baby spinach leaves in a bowl on dark background colnihko/Shutterstock

Spinach

Spinach contains a significant amount of iron, a micronutrient that carries oxygen throughout the body. If you have low iron, it could be why you’re feeling more lethargic than usual in the morning.

Pro Tip: Foods rich in vitamin C help increase iron absorption.

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Drink Tea relax cosy photo with blurred background. Alex Yuzhakov/Shutterstock

Peppermint

Peppermint has been found to help increase alertness and decrease fatigue. Instead of having coffee in the morning, try some peppermint tea. (Peppermint chewing gum may also help ward off the afternoon slump.)

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Mix of nuts in plate . pecan , hazelnut , pistachios , cashew and peanuts AlexeiLogvinovich/Shutterstock

Nuts

Nuts contain protein, healthy fats and fiber, which can help boost energy levels in the morning. Since nuts are high in protein and fiber, they also help make you feel fuller for longer.

It never hurts to start your day with a high-protein breakfast!

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Greek yogurt in a ceramic bowl with spoons on wooden background mama_mia/Shutterstock

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt is higher in protein compared to regular yogurt, allowing for better energy stores for the day. It also contains probiotics, which are known to boost the immune system and energy levels.