What An mbg Functional Nutrition Training Graduate Eats For All-Day Energy

An inner glow, long-lasting vitality, continuous strength—what comes to mind when you think of eating strategically? For me, it is all about balance, self-awareness, and, most importantly, having the right educational tools to understand how to support my body.

Because the human body produces energy at a cellular level, getting an adequate supply of minerals, protein, fat, carbs, vitamins, amino acids, and phytonutrients is crucial for leading a healthy, resilient life. Besides their diverse amount of energizing compounds, plant-derived foods can also be paramount to providing the body with the abundance of nutrients, fiber, and, yes, the protein it requires. 

But when it comes to plant-based protein sources, variety is critical to attain all nine essential amino acids and support cellular energy production. Some of the go-to protein bites I include in my everyday repertoire are hemp hearts, plant-based protein beverages, beans, and nutritional yeast.

Touted as one of the best functional foods, dark chocolate for breakfast is integral to my morning routine—to promote energy levels and overall inner bliss. Chocolate's heart-protective flavonoids are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, better cognitive function, glucose homeostasis, and less intestinal inflammation1, among other potential benefits.

Apart from the almost daily dark chocolate toast I eat to fuel me up, here are a few other ways I incorporate chocolate into my routine: hot chocolate oatmeal, dark chocolate truffles, cacao smoothies, or seeded chocolate-tahini bark.

Packed with nutrition, colorful, and immensely diverse—what's not to love and celebrate about nature's edible gifts? Including a wealth of fruits and vegetables in my diet allows me to give my body the right mix of energy-producing nutrients it needs.

While the culinary possibilities are endless, I tend to opt for fresh, organic fruit for a tasty midday snack or a quick work-from-home bite. Because I wholeheartedly enjoy veggies in all of their forms, I am generally pretty creative (and seasonally focused) when it comes to my produce creations. A few delightful recipes I keep in my repertoire: asparagus salad, mushroom consommé, veggie quiche, green machine smoothie, warm winter roots salad, easy black bean burger, and radish-top pesto.

Finding the best foods to eat for sustained energy is an ever-evolving journey of exploration and curiosity for the power of nutrition. While fruits, vegetables, dark chocolate, and plant-derived protein sources are some of my personal energy-supporting favorites, it's essential to find foods that work for you. mbg's Functional Nutrition Training Program helped equip me with the training and expertise to better understand the world of functional nutrition and everyday vitality—and I'm confident it could provide a valuable set of tools for you, too.