6 foods most likely to sabotage your energy, according to nutrition experts

1. Sugary sodas and sweetened iced teas

Craving something cold and sweet around 3 p.m.?

That fizzy soda or “just a little sweet” iced tea might hand you an instant mood boost — but it’s setting you up for a steep fall.

Just one can packs around 10 teaspoons of sugar, enough to send your blood glucose soaring and then plummeting in short order. That rapid spike-and-crash throws your brain into a fog and makes your body feel like it’s running on empty, even if you’ve technically just “refueled.”

According to Real Simple, this effect hits harder if the drink is your only mid-morning or afternoon snack.

Without fiber, fat, or protein to buffer the sugar hit, your system goes into overdrive, producing a burst of insulin followed by the dreaded energy dip. If you’re reaching for a drink to re-energize, try flavored sparkling water with a splash of citrus or lightly brewed tea with a drizzle of honey.

Your energy will last longer, and your brain won’t rebel an hour later.

2. Energy drinks (yep, the irony stings)

Despite their name, many energy drinks act like energy thieves. The caffeine-plus-sugar combo may feel powerful at first—your heart races, your eyes widen — but the consequences show up fast: dehydration, blood sugar crashes, and poor sleep quality.

According to Verywell Health, these drinks give you a short-term jolt, then leave you worse off than before. The caffeine overstimulates your nervous system while the sugar burns off rapidly, often leading to shakiness, irritability, or what’s commonly known as “crashing.”

Even worse?

That artificial alertness wears off by bedtime — but the stimulant effects can still linger in your system, disrupting sleep architecture and making the next day feel foggy and flat.

A smarter option: green tea or yerba mate, which provide caffeine in gentler doses and come with antioxidants that can support alertness without hijacking your hydration.

3. White bread, pasta, and other refined grains

The warm bagel. The fluffy white sandwich bread. The spaghetti dinner that somehow makes you want to nap instead of rally.

Refined grains are stripped of their fiber and bran, making them super fast to digest—and super quick to spike blood sugar. Once digested, they act a lot like pure sugar in the bloodstream: fast rise, fast fall, and a lingering sensation of fatigue.

As Healthline points out, these foods flood your body with glucose, triggering a strong insulin response. That floodgate slams shut just as quickly, leaving you feeling heavy, groggy, and craving your next fix.

The smarter swap?

Choose whole grains like brown rice, farro, or sprouted grain bread. These complex carbs digest more slowly, provide steady energy, and help avoid that midday crash that has you reaching for espresso number three.

4. Fried foods and fast food

Sure, that burger and fries might taste satisfying in the moment, but don’t expect to feel energized after. Heavy fried meals slow digestion to a crawl.

Because they’re high in fat and low in fiber, your body takes hours to process them—and not in a good way.

This delay keeps blood flowing to the gut for longer, diverting it from muscles and the brain.

As a result, you get a post-meal haze that feels a lot like needing a nap.

You also get less immediate fuel from the meal since fat burns slower than carbs or protein, which means your energy boost arrives hours later — if at all. For a lighter lift, swap in oven-roasted potatoes, grilled proteins, or air-fried veggies.

You still get the texture and richness without the sluggish aftermath.

5. Nightcap drinks (including wine)

That glass of wine or whiskey might help you unwind — but it could also be the reason you feel like a zombie the next morning.

While alcohol can make you feel drowsy, it fragments your deep sleep and reduces REM cycles, the most restorative phases of sleep.

The thing is that alcohol messes with your natural circadian rhythm, meaning your body can’t fully shift into rest-and-repair mode. That’s why even if you get “enough hours,” you wake up feeling dull and groggy. Alcohol also leads to dehydration, which can further tank energy and concentration the next day.

If sleep is your goal, swap the nightcap for a calming tea like chamomile or a magnesium-based supplement. You’ll wake up more refreshed — and might even remember your dreams.

6. Candy bars and chocolate snacks

Those fun-size candy bars or post-lunch chocolate treats are deceptively draining. Like sodas and sweetened teas, they’re loaded with simple sugars that hit your bloodstream fast, giving you a brief lift followed by a steep drop.

That's because this sugar spike-and-crash can mess with not only your energy but also your mood, leaving you jittery one moment and downcast the next.

While chocolate does contain caffeine and antioxidants, the amounts in common candy bars are overshadowed by sugar, corn syrup, and added fats that offer little staying power.

So, here's the thing: if you're craving something sweet, try a few squares of dark chocolate (70% or higher), or reach for fruit paired with nut butter. You’ll get the satisfaction and a steadier source of fuel.

Final thoughts

Energy is more than calories—it’s chemistry. The way your body processes sugar, fat, and caffeine determines whether you feel sharp or sluggish. The good news? You don’t need to cut all your favorite foods.

Just being mindful of how certain items affect your focus and stamina gives you the power to swap smarter. Instead of chasing another cup of coffee or a vending machine fix, build your meals and snacks around slow-burning carbs, hydrating beverages, and just enough caffeine to spark — not scorch — your system.

Think of your energy like a bank account: the right foods are deposits, the wrong ones withdrawals. And when you start paying attention, you’ll notice how even small shifts—like skipping that second soda or swapping white bread for whole grain—can deliver big returns.

Sustained energy doesn’t require perfection. Just consistency, balance, and better choices, one bite at a time.