28 February 2024 , 19:34
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If you find yourself running out of energy in the middle of the day, one surprising snack could help.
We all live pretty busy lives these days, so it's no wonder that many of us start to run out of energy shortly after lunch and have to spend the last few hours of our workday crawling toward the finish line so we can go home and rest. But according to TV doctor Michael Mosley - who is known for popularising the 5:2 diet and creating the Fast 800 diet - there is actually a snack you can munch on to help give you a mid-afternoon energy boost.
Dark chocolate could give you an energy boost (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Speaking on his Just One Thing podcast, Dr Mosley explained that eating "small portions" of dark chocolate, as well as nuts, could help benefit short-term memory, fluency, and attention, giving you a much-needed boost if you find yourself "flagging" in the afternoon. You should aim to eat around 15 to 30 grams of nuts and two pieces of dark chocolate as an afternoon snack, and while that might not seem like much, the benefits are huge.
The expert said: "Like coffee, both nuts and dark chocolate are high in polyphenols and have beneficial cognitive effects, such as boosting short-term memory, fluency and attention."
Dr Mosley even claimed that the "right amount" of nuts and dark chocolate could carry other long-term health benefits, with studies showing that nuts can reduce the risk of cancer and diabetes as well as slow down the ageing process. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, can help improve the elasticity of your blood vessels, insulin sensitivity, and cholesterol levels in women with type 2 diabetes.
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And it's not just munching on chocolate that can help your energy levels either, as Dr Mosley also recommended that those feeling low on energy should try going for a walk in the morning, having a cold shower, and taking regular breaks from their work to stretch and get active - especially if they work at a computer.
The diet guru isn't the only person who has advocated for dark chocolate either, as Laura Southern, nutritional therapist at London Gynaecology, previously explained that the treat's ability to bump up our energy levels comes down to the antioxidant content that can help reduce inflammation and increase brain function. She added: "Chocolate contains caffeine which is a stimulant and can increase focus, alertness and therefore energy levels."