So, ever since my last post on exercise and energy, I’ve been researching foods that increase energy. And now that over a week has gone by, I realize that I can’t procrastinate any longer and I just have to tell you the truth:

No one food, on its own, is really going to increase your energy that much.

Now I know that’s not what you want to hear, but you come to Prayers and Apples for mind/body/spirit science, not mind/body/spirit brainwashing.

Healthy foods fix a lot of problems, but let’s keep it real – a wheatgrass smoothie isn’t going to change your life.

That being said, food does play a huge role in the energy equation. But my point remains: one magic food off an “energy list” isn’t going to make you feel like you drank a Red Bull. Which is why, as much as I love a good list, I just couldn’t bring myself to call this post, “The Top Ten Energy Foods!”…even though I seriously came like this close.

(Oh and by the way: don’t drink Red Bull!)

How the body processes different types of foods, the combination in which nutrients enter the digestive system, the timing of various meals – these are the factors that make food important to energy. I don’t care if you eat halibut for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and, like the Red Bull: I wouldn’t recommend it) – no one food is going to turn you into a super hero.

(Unless it’s spinach and you’re Popeye – in which case, yes, that will definitely 100% happen.)

Even though it’s really interesting (I promise!), figuring out how your body breaks down food can take a while. And so, instead of going into all that today, I thought we could talk about magnesium because that sounds like so much more fun? because that way, we can still make a list! And everybody knows: when you read an article about food and energy – or food and anything – you’re really just looking for the list of foods at the end (don’t worry – I do the same thing!).

Let’s talk Mg2+! (That’s what the cool kids call magnesium… in another universe where cool kids sit around and talk about magnesium.)