The three most common dietary drivers of fatigue in adults over 35 are blood sugar instability from refined carbohydrates, iron insufficiency from low plant iron intake and poor absorption, and chronic systemic inflammation from ultra-processed food consumption. A whole food plant-based dietary pattern addresses all three simultaneously: whole food carbohydrates produce stable blood glucose, legumes and leafy greens provide non-haem iron with vitamin C from plant sources improving absorption, and the reduction in ultra-processed food reduces the inflammatory burden.
The Energy-Relevant Nutrients in Plant Foods
- Iron from legumes and leafy greens: non-haem iron absorbed more efficiently when consumed with vitamin C from fruits and vegetables; soaking legumes before cooking reduces phytate and improves absorption
- Magnesium from dark leafy greens and pumpkin seeds: required for ATP synthesis in every mitochondrion; deficiency is the most common dietary cause of fatigue
- B vitamins from whole grains and legumes: B1, B2, B3, B5, and B6 are all required for the conversion of carbohydrate and fat into ATP in the mitochondria
- Iron absorption and vitamin C: including a vitamin C-rich food with every iron-containing meal doubles non-haem iron absorption; dark leafy greens provide both
- Polyphenols and mitochondrial function: plant polyphenols including quercetin and resveratrol improve mitochondrial biogenesis and function, potentially addressing fatigue at the cellular energy production level
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