If you’re experiencing fatigue, dietary changes may help boost your energy levels. Fatigue can be caused by a lack of nutrients in your diet. Magnesium, protein, vitamin B12 and iron are just a few of the nutrients you need for sufficient energy levels. By incorporating some of the foods below into your daily meals, you’ll be able to boost your nutrition, and you might notice increased energy levels, too. Always visit your doctor if your fatigue is severe or persistent.

Pumpkin seeds are high in magnesium, a mineral that can improve your sleep and reduce your stress levels. If you have low levels of magnesium in your blood, you’re more likely to feel fatigued on a regular basis. Pumpkin seeds have 90.6 milligrams of magnesium per 100 grams, and they’re also high in tryptophan, an amino acid that has been used in the treatment of insomnia. Try sprinkling some pumpkin seeds on a salad, or eat some as a pre-bedtime snack. Pumpkin seeds are also ideal as a topping for soups.

Milk and fortified non-dairy alternatives are excellent sources of vitamin B12 (cobalamin). Getting enough vitamin B12 helps prevent megaloblastic anemia, a health issue that makes you feel very tired and weak. Adults need 2.4 micrograms of vitamin B12 each day. A one-cup serving of whole milk will give you 46% of that amount. Studies show that the vitamin B12 in dairy products is easier to absorb than the vitamin B12 that’s in meat and eggs. If you’re vegan, a one-cup serving of soy milk provides you with 2.1 micrograms of vitamin B12, roughly 86% of your recommended daily allowance. To add more milk or non-dairy milk to your diet, consider drinking a glass of milk at breakfast. You could try adding milk to your coffee, tea or hot chocolate, too.

With its high iron content, brown rice could help you prevent iron-deficiency anemia, a condition that’s associated with significant fatigue. If you’re a man or a menopausal woman, you need 8 milligrams of iron each day. Menstruating women need 18 milligrams each day. Brown rice provides you with 47.6 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. If you use an updated rice cooker, you can have your brown rice ready to eat in 30 minutes. Try using brown rice in your next stir-fry, or experiment with using brown rice flour in your baked goods. At breakfast, you might even want to swap your regular cereal for one made with brown rice.

Oranges are rich in vitamin C, a nutrient that helps your body absorb iron. With enough vitamin C, your adrenal system stays healthy, and this keeps you from getting fatigued when you’re under physical or emotional stress. Men need 90 milligrams of vitamin C each day, and women need 75 milligrams daily. Depending on its size, a whole orange can have anywhere from 50 to 100 milligrams of vitamin C. A one-cup serving of raw orange juice provides 124 milligrams of vitamin C. Since cooking reduces vitamin C content by an estimated 25%, experts recommend eating raw oranges if you can. If you’re watching your sugar intake, it’s best to choose whole oranges, or you could make your own orange juice. Adding oranges to salads and smoothies is a great way to get more of this fruit into your diet. You could also enjoy raw oranges as an afternoon or evening snack.

Potatoes are a good source of potassium, a mineral that can prevent muscle fatigue. Potassium regulates muscle contractions. If you get enough potassium, you’re likely to have better grip strength than people who don’t get enough of this mineral. Potassium also helps with keeping your heart rate healthy. Although there is no recommended daily allowance for potassium, most health organizations in the United States recommend that you aim for an intake of 4,700 milligrams per day. Cooking methods can alter the amount of potassium in potatoes, and different types of potatoes have different amounts of potassium. A large (3 to 4.5 inches in diameter) white potato with the skin can have up to 1,627 milligrams of potassium when it’s baked. If you boil a medium (2.5 inches in diameter) white potato with the skin on, you’ll get 515 milligrams of potassium. Potatoes are perfect in salads, soups and stews. You can also enjoy fried potatoes at breakfast, and mashed potatoes are ideal with lentils, vegetables or meat.

Packed with beta carotene, carrots could give your immune system a boost. Having a weakened immune system makes it more likely that you’ll experience fatigue, and beta carotene may help prevent this. Beta carotene keeps your red blood cells healthy, and it increases the activity of your body’s T-cells so that you can fight fatigue-causing infections more easily. One cup of raw carrots provides you with roughly 10,604 micrograms of beta carotene. There’s no recommended daily intake for beta carotene, so ask your doctor how much you need to consume. To incorporate more carrots into your day, add some to a smoothie at breakfast, or eat a handful of baby carrots as a snack. You could also roast carrots with potatoes and cabbage for dinner.

Soybeans and tofu are excellent sources of protein. In fact, soybeans have more protein than any other beans or legumes. Protein helps keep your energy levels high, and it’s essential in making new cells and carrying oxygen around your body. Your recommended daily allowance of protein is based on your weight. To find yours, multiply your weight in kilograms times 0.8 grams. For example, if your weight is 68 kilograms (150 pounds), your recommended daily allowance of protein is 54 grams. Soybeans have 67.8 grams of protein in one cup, and one cup of tofu provides 20 grams of protein. Try using soy milk with your favorite cereal, and add baked tofu to your noodles or sandwiches.