When it comes to boosting your metabolism and energy levels, there are a handful of foods you should be eating daily that help you look and perform better, as well as give you more energy and a faster metabolism for faster weight loss.

The following foods are rich in energy-boosting nutrients and contain antioxidants that help speed recovery from training and fight and prevent illness and disease.

If you suffer from low energy levels and have a slow metabolism, start eating these foods daily to get the most benefit from them. You don’t have to eat all of these foods every day, but eating most of them daily is the best way to go.

So, without further ado, here are four standout tasty foods to eat often for more energy and a higher metabolism.

Food #1: Berries

Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries are amazing fruits that boost metabolism and energy levels. You see, most fruits are high in natural sugars that can slow down and prevent fat loss.

However, unlike most fruits, berries are very low in natural sugar, making them perfect for eating anytime. Berries are loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and plant nutrients called phytonutrients, which help boost energy levels by improving cellular health.

To get the most health benefits from berries, eat a fruit bowl containing strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries several times a week. This combo packs a powerful antioxidant punch that strengthens your immune system and helps speed up your metabolism and boost your energy levels.

Mixing berries with low-fat or fat-free Greek yogurt makes for a delicious snack or breakfast. Always put fresh berries in your yogurt instead of buying yogurt that already contains fruit.

Flavored yogurt or fruit yogurt contains too much added sugar and too little fruit, which means you won’t get the energy and health benefits you get from eating fresh berries.

Since berries absorb a lot of pesticides, I recommend that you spend an extra dollar or two and opt for organic berries, as they do not contain any harmful pesticides.

Food #2: Nuts

Walnuts are my favorite food to boost energy levels at any time of the day. Walnuts are an excellent source of vitamin E, fiber, and ALA, an essential omega-3 fat for healthy hair, skin, and nails. In addition, they are very low in carbohydrates, which means that you can snack on them at any time of the day.

Although nuts are high in fat, the fat comes primarily from monounsaturated fat, which is a good fat that doesn’t damage arteries or cause inflammation, which is a leading cause of heart disease.

For best results, eat a small handful of walnuts between meals, 60 to 90 minutes before bed, or anytime you need an energy boost. Nuts make a good pairing with fresh and dried fruit, just be sure to limit your fruit intake as most foods are high in natural sugar that can interfere with weight loss.

Meal #3: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are far superior to white potatoes when it comes to nutrients and fiber. Sweet potatoes are a nutritional powerhouse as they are loaded with vitamin A, vitamin C, and dietary fiber and several other important nutrients.

Most people tend to prefer the taste of sweet potatoes to regular potatoes as they are sweet and can be eaten with many different foods for both lunch and dinner.

Eat sweet potatoes with lean meats and fibrous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, tomatoes, spinach, and other raw vegetables several times a week.

The complex carbohydrates in sweet potatoes give you sustained energy without the crash you’d get from other carbohydrate-rich foods, especially sugar.

Food #4: Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a true superfood and has countless health benefits in addition to boosting your metabolism and energy levels so you can power through your workouts.

Coconut oil contains a large number of unique fats called medium chain triglycerides. These fats are considered fat burning fats and can greatly accelerate the burning of body fat.

Coconut oil can be used in cooking, as a sauce or dressing, and in shakes and smoothies. For a quick, tasty energy-boosting snack, I like to spread a tablespoon of coconut oil on a brown rice cake, then spread with almond butter and top with raspberries or blueberries and sprinkle with cinnamon.

This absolutely delicious snack contains healthy fats and antioxidants along with fiber and plant nutrients that boost energy during workouts and protect the immune system from exercise-induced stress.

Coconut oil can be eaten and consumed in many different ways and with many different foods, don’t be afraid to experiment and find the best way to eat coconut oil.

There you have it, incorporate the above four foods into your diet on a weekly basis and you will notice a nice energy boost along with a higher metabolism, leading to better workouts and better results.