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nuts are a better option.

* A quick energy tip: many athletes swear by the habit of eating a banana before a workout. Bananas not only have fruit sugars, but also potassium which is depleted when you exercise and perspire a lot. Berries are another excellent sweet snack. Gogi berries and acia berries are widely touted for their antioxidants, but they can be hard to find. More readily available choices are grapes, blueberries, raspberries and strawberries.

Some food surprises:

* Is less fat always better? You need fat for sustained energy. Fats are metabolized even more slowly than protein, so they help to even out the dispersal of food energy into your body, and make you feel more satisfied. You will get enough fat from meat, nuts and any oil you use while cooking, so you probably don't need to add any more; but don't try to eliminate it either. (Extremely low fat diets have even been associated with decreased performance levels in endurance athletes.)

* Are you drinking enough water? You may be surprised to learn that on a daily basis, most of us do get enough fluids. The Mayo Clinic recommends consuming one-half ounce of water per pound of body weight. Contrary to popular diet lore, fluids from foods and beverages other than water do count; and consuming excess water beyond your body's requirements has no positive effect on energy levels or on long term weight gain or loss.

* Does coffee rob you of energy? Coffee is not the villain we have long believed it to be. Most recent data reveals that in moderation it may even be good for you, but don't overdo it. Two cups a day are fine, more than five cups is too much. Avoid adding sugar and fat (cream or nondairy creamers)

* Does a good diet eliminate the need to take vitamins? Even if you have impeccable eating habits, the foods you get do not come to your plate straight from the field. They loose some nutrients in transit. For this reason, most doctors recommend that healthy adults take a daily multivitamin supplement.

We're always searching for new ways to get more energy from our food, but the more we study food, the more we discover that the old adages hold true: vegetables are good for us, whole grain bread is healthier for us than white bread, eating regularly is better than binging, and happily, most good tasting things are okay in moderation.

Learn more about this author, Ysabel J. Doran.
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