5 Foods That Boost Alert During Long Drives

by IndianAuto Team | 11/01/2019
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Long distance driving can draw your consciousness away. With these 7 alertness boosting foods, you will no longer suffer that awful condition.

Have you ever felt bored and tired during and after a long drive? Staying on the car seats for many hours can be very frustrating and may make you drowsy. However, don’t worry! You can bring along snacks or stop to rest for a while so that your body can be fully restored. Nevertheless, if having wrong snacks, you may suffer from even more drowsiness. Therefore, you need to know which foods are best for your alertness during long drives.

Also read10+ Things To Remember When Driving Long Distances In Hot Weather

Chia Seeds

chia seeds

Chia seeds are good for your health

Did you know that “chia” in the ancient Mayan language is “strength”?

Not only did the Mayan treasure the benefits of chia seeds, but the Aztecs also assumed that having enough of the seeds meant having sufficient energy. As a matter of fact, it is true that chia seeds can certainly grant you the vitality you need throughout a day because they are well-known for being one of the most nutritious foods on earth. In other words, when consuming every 28 grams of chia seeds, you are likely to take in these nutrients:

  • 131 calories

  • 11.2 grams fibre

  • 5.6 grams protein

  • 8.4 grams fats (which are mostly omega-3s)

  • 30% RDAs for magnesium

  • 18% RDAs for calcium

  • 27%  RDAs for phosphorus

  • 30% RDAs for manganese

  • Other nutrients decently contained in the same amount of chia seeds include potassium, zinc, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin B3.

juice with chia seeds

Adding chia seeds to juices will make them tastier

With such exuberant quantity of nutrients, chia seeds obviously have the ability to deliver enough alertness, concentration, and energy for any long drive. Besides, the marvellous seeds carry other outstanding and significant benefits that will boost your mood while driving. The most beneficial ones are:

  • Chia seeds help an individual lose weight in a healthy way because of having a huge amount of significant nutrients and few calories;

  • Most of chia seeds’ components are antioxidants;

  • Chia seeds may improve one’s blood pressure condition and reduce the risk of heart diseases.

Dark Chocolate

a dark chocolate bar

Dark chocolate is rich in cocoa

Dark chocolate is another nutritious food that contains a massive amount of energy besides chia seeds. When chocolate is called dark, it must contain 70-85% cocoa solids and no sugar. In case you haven’t known, cocoa has a stimulant called theobromine which is similar but less effective than caffeine. Therefore you can have dark chocolate in place of other snacks or cafe to keep you from being drowsy and unconscious on roads. What is more, there are some other magnificent benefits that dark chocolate offers:

  • Dark chocolate is in the top list of brain foods that enhance concentration and memory, which are required to be in good condition to safely drive;

  • The higher chocolate intake would reduce the risk of future cardiovascular problems (as stated in a study published in 2015);

  • Dark chocolate can help us fight against free radicals because the cocoa found in it possesses the highest level of flavonoids and polyphenols which are awesome antioxidants.

However, you should not consume too much dark chocolate, otherwise, you may suffer from acne, bloating, constipation, dental caries, etc.

Eggs

white eggs and brown eggs

You can find eggs in any market and convenience store

No need to tell people how large the amount of protein in eggs is. Not only do eggs keep you full for a quite long time, but they are also one of the foods which can make you alert during a long drive. What’s more, the choline in eggs supports the performance of your brain dramatically. In fact, adults are advised to consume around 550 mg choline and an average-sized egg-containing approximately 100 mg of it. Take one or two eggs and you are ready to drive! Besides, there are a lot of things to mention when talking about the benefits of eggs; however, you may want to take a look at these ones:

  1. Egg yolks can protect your eyes from degeneration caused by age;

Zeaxanthin and lutein in the pretty golden egg yolks are found to possess the ability to defeat the dark circles around one’s eyes and improving sight. Try to have one or two eggs per day in order to continually observe the road with a clearer vision and drive more safely;

  1. Egg-white improves your physical performance

The quality of the taken protein does wonders for your physical performances and eggs have a quite decent amount of it

  1. Eggs give you strong bones and a muscular body to control the steering wheel better

No need to tell you that Vitamin D is vital for your bones health and eggs is the easiest way to get it besides sunbathing or getting your skin under the sun. And the energy, vitamin B as well as protein in eggs will grant you a healthy body for long drives and daily activities.

Nuts

5 different nuts

You can use nuts as snacks

Walnuts and almonds are healthy and widely available snacks that you can easily bring along. Like any other nuts, they offer a tremendous source of protein and healthy fats which supplement additional energy to your daily task and keep your body from tiredness making your long drives more comfortable. If you are allergic to walnuts, you may want to try corns for the same benefits. Having an ear of boiled corn or a pack of non-butter popcorn will not only fill your stomach but also provides you with a large amount of fibre. Besides, you don’t have to worry about not having a microwave or enough cooking tools to prepare the nuts because you can easily find them on the road in any convenience store. Choosing those with flavours will perhaps make them more tasty and addictive.

Water-Rich Fruits

water-rich oranges

Orange is one of the most water-rich fruits

The final food on this list has to be fruits! Fruits are loaded with huge content of nutrients and healthy sugar. Interestingly, consuming water-rich fruits such as pineapples, watermelons, and fresh berries can help you a lot in fighting against the dehydration process of your body while driving for a long distance. Besides the outstanding water content, the vitamins and minerals they possess also benefit you in many ways including fighting against ageing, boosting your moods, as well as helping you stay alert.

*Although the water in fruits cannot compare to a glass of water but looking at these below figures can help you realise how rich is water in some kinds of fruits:

  • Watermelon: 92%

  • Strawberries: 91%

  • Cantaloupe: 90%

  • Peaches: 89%

  • Oranges: 88%

All in all, in order to stay alert for a long drive, you need to have enough energy and nutrients. Chia seeds, dark chocolate, eggs, nuts, and water-rich fruits will offer you both. However, keep in mind that you must only consume a sufficient amount of the foods, excessive consumption will lead to health problems.

Read more tips and guides from IndianAuto

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