5 foods that affect your productivity at work

Photo: 123rf

Ever had days when you woke up all fresh and ready to go, but felt yourself falling into a slump after breakfast? The culprit could lie in what you ate for breakfast. According to nutritionists, some foods can alter your moods and threaten your brain health. Continue reading to find out which culprits have been making you less productive at work.

1. Processed meat 

Photo: 123rf

Processed meat can be really convenient when you're too busy to cook a meal for your family but consume it in moderation.

The high salt and preservative content in such foods can really alter blood sugar levels and cause slight inflammations in your body. All of this can result in mood swings and feeling slightly irritable. 

ALSO READ: HOW EATING THE RIGHT FOODS CAN BOOST YOUR MOOD

2. Dairy 

Photo: 123rf

According to research, 75 per cent of people cannot actually process dairy well. 

Dairy can sometimes cause inflammatory reactions in the body and most commonly, stomach upsets.

3. Nightshades

Photo: 123rf

Nightshades are foods like potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. While they don't always cause an inflammatory reaction in people, nightshades contain a natural occurring chemical known as alkaloids and not everyone is naturally able to digest and break them down. 

Ultimately, this causes an inflammatory response and stresses your body out even more than it has to be.

4. White rice

Photo: 123rf

Foods with high glycemic-index tend to increase the risk of depression and causes your body to increase its blood sugar levels rapidly.

In turn, once your body is done processing this "sugar high" it ends up hitting a slump and you'll end up feeling even more tired than usual.

5. Alcohol

Photo: 123rf

We're all aware of the ill effects that alcohol has on the brain. To put it simply, alcohol impairs the brain's basic functions (which is why most people who are drunk end up doing things they regret). 

This article was originally published in The Singapore Women's Weekly. With additional reporting by Hidayah Idris from CLEO.

ALSO READ: 8 HANDY TIPS TO KNOW FOR AVOIDING A FOOD COMA AT WORK