Reason No. 1: Refined Carbohydrates

We must have balanced blood sugar levels to have steady, long-lasting energy their sugar. Nutrients such as protein, fiber, and healthy fats stabilize our blood sugar levels, resulting in slow-releasing, long-lasting energy throughout the day.



Since refined carbohydrates (white sugar and white flour) are void of fiber, their sugar is highly concentrated, entering the bloodstream and quickly digesting. This unnatural, rapid influx of sugar creates a blood sugar "spike” when you'll feel a quick energy boost or a sugar high.

This quick flood of sugar forces your body to work overtime by releasing extra insulin, the hormone that brings sugar out of your bloodstream and into your cells. As insulin hurries to remove the sugar from your bloodstream, your blood sugar levels plummet, which causes the infamous energy crash (and results in another sugar craving to get your energy levels back up again).

The Solution

As you can see, refined carbohydrates prevent your body from maintaining steady energy levels throughout the day. The best way to naturally balance your blood sugar levels is by eating low-glycemic foods high in fiber and slowly releasing sugar low-glycemic into your bloodstream.

Unprocessed carbohydrates such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are acceptable to eat for energy because they contain fiber, which, as you now know, prevents sugar from being rapidly absorbed. For optimal blood sugar balance, it's best to include a good source of protein and healthy fat with every meal, which further slows the digestion of sugar to promote slow-releasing energy.



A few examples of blood sugar-balancing meals examples include:
- Quinoa with almond butter, nut milk, and a banana
- Organic eggs with spinach, tomato, and avocado
- Ground turkey with zucchini noodles, olive oil, and a tomato-basil sauce
- A smoothie with hemp hearts, spinach, berries, and brown rice protein

Replacing the white sugar in your diet with natural sweeteners is crucial to promote blood sugar balance. Natural sweeteners such as green leaf stevia, pure maple syrup, raw honey, and coconut nectar can be used in moderation because they're less processed and slower to digest than white sugar, less impacting your blood sugar levels.

And whether or not you're a breakfast person, eating breakfast with a good source of protein within an hour of waking up - even if it's just a smoothie - will also boost your energy levels by promoting blood sugar balance early in the day.

Reason No.2: You Have a Vitamin or Mineral Deficiency

Vitamins and minerals, such as iron and B vitamins, help our body convert food to energy and transport oxygen between our cells. Our cells can only produce energy as efficiently with a sufficient oxygen supply. Therefore, having low levels of either of these nutrients could be why you're always tired.

B Vitamin Deficiency

All of the B vitamins work together to convert food into energy. In particular, B12 helps produce red blood cells, which carry oxygen to our cells. And as mentioned above, the more oxygen our cells receive, the more energy they can produce.

Since all of the B vitamins work together, being deficient in just one of the B vitamins could contribute to low energy. And while it's possible to lack any of the B vitamins, B12 deficiency is most common, especially among vegans and vegetarians. This is because the richest sources of B12 are found in animal products such as fish, meat, and poultry.

The Solution

If you're a meat eater, you can increase the B12 in your diet by eating organic, grass-fed meat a few times weekly.



However, recent studies have shown that chlorella pyrenoidosa is one of the rare plant foods that can provide the body with a good source of bioavailable B12. Therefore, regularly taking Sun Chlorella® tablets can help increase your B12 levels. Add chlorella to your smoothies and raw food recipes with Sun Chlorella powder.

(If you're looking for recipe inspiration, we recommend trying the Rad Thai and Chlorella Lime Pie recipes from our Chlorella in the Kitchen raw food recipe book.)

Chlorella is also a natural energy supplement because it contains the unique nutrient Chlorella Growth Factor or CGF. CGF energizes the body because it contains nucleic acids, RNA, and DNA which help repair and regenerate healthy cells.

Since the rest of the B vitamins are found in many different plant foods, such as brown rice, quinoa, beans, legumes, mushrooms, leafy greens, asparagus, and avocado, it's easy to increase all of your B vitamins by eating a wide variety of whole foods. Veggie stir fries and rice bowls, anyone?

Iron Deficiency

Iron is a mineral your body depends on to produce hemoglobin, a protein that helps red blood cells transport oxygen throughout your body. Without sufficient iron, your body can't produce red blood cells. And without red blood cells, your body doesn't receive enough oxygen to have energy.

Iron is the most common nutrient deficiency in the US, especially among women. So, it's no wonder most Americans hardly report feeling rested. While iron deficiency anemia is a severe condition that results from iron deficiency, you can still be low in iron without being diagnosed with anemia.

The Solution

The best way to increase your iron is through food sources. It's always recommended to check your iron levels before taking an iron nutritional supplement, as high iron levels are toxic to the body.

Both plant foods and meat contain iron. Meat contains heme iron, while plants have non-heme iron.

It's suggested that the body better absorbs heme iron, but the antioxidant vitamin, vitamin C is shown to improve the absorption of non-heme iron in plant sources. Therefore, adding a squeeze of lemon to spinach (which contains non-heme iron) may help increase your iron absorption.



The richest plant sources of non-heme iron include beans, legumes, dark leafy greens, nuts, and seeds. This energizing smoothie recipe is a great way to add iron to your diet, as it contains leafy greens and vitamin C from pineapple to help improve absorption.

While B12 and iron are the most critical micronutrients for energy production, all vitamins and minerals work closely together. Therefore, a deficiency in another vitamin or mineral could also promote low energy levels.

For this reason, you may find it helpful to take a whole food supplement such as a multivitamin, which can act as an energy-boosting supplement by providing your body with several essential nutrients at once.

Reason No. 3: You're Dehydrated

Studies show that even mild dehydration causes fatigue and reduces brain function. Since water makes up most of our body, we must drink enough water to keep our cells hydrated to promote energy production.

Although water is critical to our health, it's estimated that 75% of Americans are dehydrated. While busy schedules can make it challenging to drink enough water throughout the day, making hydration a top priority could transform your energy levels.

Adding flavor from citrus, herbs, and seasonal fruit to your water can help make staying hydrated easier. You can also increase your daily water intake by eating more fruits and vegetables, such as zucchini, celery, leafy greens, apples, pears, and berries.

Here are our best tips on staying hydrated, plus nine natural vitamin water combinations you can make at home to increase your water and vitamin and mineral intake.

Reason No. 4: Your Body is Asking For More Exercise

When you're tired, the last thing you feel like doing is working up a sweat at the gym.

But exercise has been proven to naturally increase energy levels by improving circulation, allowing more oxygen flow through your body. It's also been said that regular exercise can help increase ATP production in your cells, an enzyme your body uses to produce energy. For this reason, exercise is often used successfully in chronic fatigue treatment.



Exercising regularly (at least 3-4 times weekly) could boost energy levels. Even gentle exercise such as yoga or walking can make a difference in how much energy you have during the day.

As you can see, the most effective ways to increase your energy are the main components of a lifestyle that support your overall health and wellness. By increasing the nutrients in your diet, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, and avoiding processed foods, you'll skyrocket your energy levels naturally while reaching a new level of health.