Need energy? Find it in your food

AOL Health has the secret for energetic living. It's as easy as eating well -- and avoiding foods that zap the life out of us. Here are some of them.

• While not everyone will get sleepy after a turkey sandwich, turkey (and milk, corn, brown rice, and legumes too) contain an amino acid called tryptophan that can be both relaxing and exhausting. If fatigue is a problem for you, you might want to steer clear of these foods.
  
  
• Sugar may seem to give you a burst of energy, but that's all it is -- a burst. Long-lasting energy will never come from sugary foods. The body metabolizes sugar too quickly and then leaves you feeling just plain "blah."
  
  
• Any food with lots of fat takes longer to break down in your body and won't leave you feeling perky.
  
  

For more eating-for-energy secrets -- Hint: sports drinks may not be all they're cracked up to be -- check out this AOL site.