The Mitochondria Diet: A Functional Nutrition Approach to Energy

Our mitochondria within our cells are the keys to our body’s energy, so you might want to consider a mitochondria diet if your energy tank is running low. This mitochondria diet is a livable and healthy meal plan — not a crash diet. Affectionately called a mito food plan as well, I include a free food list PDF for you to download in this post.

People are so low in energy these days. This is because the cellular energy in our bodies can be lacking even despite eating plenty of food. We need to learn to fuel well, not just fuel.

In this post let’s take a look at what the mitochondria do and then explore foods and supplements that help to support healthy mitochondria. By doing so, you can optimize your overall health, achieve a healthy weight, and support energy production in your body.

What are Mitochondria?

Simply stated, the mitochondria in our cells produce energy for our bodies. This energy is called ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

Certain cell types in our body require a LOT of energy, so they will contain a lot of mitochondria. Some cells can have over 1,000 mitochondria per cell. These include heart cells, liver cells, and muscle cells — all of which need to be making large amounts of energy all of the time.

Mitochondria production and properly functioning mitochondria help to keep you lean, energetic, focused, and youthful. They also support weight loss when needed. In other words, your mitochondria are a very good thing.

In addition to making energy as ATP, the mitochondria contribute to hormonal signaling in the body.

Interesting fact: Our mitochondrial DNA is not our own — it is from bacterial origins. No one knows for sure why this is true. From a functional medicine view, it seems to me that it is because it helped us survive, and beneficial bacteria continue to help us survive today. — Heidi Moretti, MS, RD

Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Producing energy is a very oxygen-dependent process. As you can imagine, producing energy puts a lot of oxidative stress on our cells. Mitochondrial energy production can result in free radicals if we don’t supply enough healthy foods and nutrients, including antioxidants.

Mitochondrial dysfunction can lead to disease and poor health. Research suggests that many chronic diseases and premature aging are rooted in mitochondrial dysfunction.

One of my true heroes, Dr. Terry Wahls, coined the phrase Minding Your Mitochondria and wrote The Wahls Protocol. This book helps people heal from mitochondrial dysfunction and is a true inspiration for anyone suffering from chronic illness.

Related post: Best L-Carnitine Supplements + Powerful Benefits

Who Has Mitochondrial Dysfunction?

Most Americans fall short in the nutrients required to keep the mitochondria happy and functioning well. It’s nice to have a donut. And cake later because there’s a birthday at work. Hungry for a pizza and soda? Sure. A muffin and a sugary frappe the next morning. Maybe some potato chips.

Sadly, these treats become everyday foods for so many of us. This Westernized way of eating causes high amounts of vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant deficiencies that disrupt the mitochondria. Stack up the nutrient deficiencies from modern foods and it will be a mile high. This lack of nutrients causes the mitochondria to lose their ability to efficiently spin out energy — and as a result, you gain weight, feel tired, and become susceptible to diseases like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more.

Research confirms that junk foods may slow down and damage the mitochondria. Can you gain energy eating junk long-term? The answer is a solid no. Absolutely not.

Then consider that many medications rob healthy mitochondria of nutrients and antioxidants like coenzyme Q10 and carnitine — including common cholesterol drugs like statins and mood-stabilizing drugs like valproic acid and Depakote.

Can We Improve Our Mitochondria Health?

Energy-burning mitochondria in our cells are important. But the mitochondria also need to be working well to do their jobs. They need to regenerate, increase in numbers, and repair. The mitochondria need nutritional “sparks” to perform well — vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Lack of these nutrients starts to cause mitochondrial dysfunction, or rather, mitochondrial “slowing.”

A mitochondria food plan will restore energy, help balance weight, and improve vitality!

🔬 2025 Research Spotlight: New Findings on Diet & Mitochondria

Mitochondria Diet

Many nutrients are critical for mitochondrial health. They make up the structure of the mitochondria, support enzymes, and even help them reproduce and multiply.

Mitochondria Vitamins

B vitamins support the structure and function of mitochondria, energy production, and reproduction. Here is how each one works:

Other Mitochondria Diet Tips and Mitochondria Nutrients

If you can’t tell by now, the mitochondria rely on a lot of nutrients for optimal function. The following nutrients and cofactors are critical to include in your mitochondria diet as well:

• Vitamin D3 — may improve immune cell bioenergetic responses. Low vitamin D status may increase oxidative metabolism and inflammatory activation in immune cells. Best source: sunlight. Supplements of vitamin D3 are often necessary for people with limited sun exposure.
• Vitamin K2 — carries electrons and maintains ATP production. Food sources include natto and aged cheeses; vitamin K2 supplements are often necessary for adequate levels.
• Vitamin C — protects cells from oxidative stress. Citrus fruits, bell peppers, kiwi, baked potatoes.
• Vitamin E — prevents oxidative stress and restores mitochondrial function while increasing mitochondrial production volume in the brain. Sunflower seeds, almonds, paprika, annatto, spinach.
• Carnitine (L-carnitine, acetyl-L-carnitine) — acts as a fat shuttle across mitochondrial membranes and assists beta-oxidation. Supplementing with L-carnitine may prevent progression of non-alcoholic hepatitis and reduce mitochondrial toxins like arsenic. Primary food source: red meat.
• N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) — increases the antioxidant glutathione and reduces mitochondrial damage and death.
• Leucine ⭐ (New 2025) — an essential amino acid that stabilizes outer mitochondrial membrane proteins and boosts energy production. Found in meat, dairy, beans, and lentils.

Mitochondrial Antioxidants

• Coenzyme Q10 — carries electrons for oxidative phosphorylation and is a potent antioxidant in almost every cell. Read my full CoQ10 post here. Best food sources: organ meats like heart and liver.
• Mushrooms — Chaga, cordyceps, and Reishi protect the mitochondria from free radical damage.
• Creatine — may protect mitochondria and support mitochondrial function by activating AMPK and increasing PGC-1α expression. Sources: red meat and fish.
• PQQ (Pyrroloquinoline quinone) — helps move electrons in ATP production and may help grow new mitochondria. A powerful antioxidant that increases NRF2 as well. Food sources: natto, spinach, tea, bell peppers.
• Alpha-Lipoic Acid — serves as an antioxidant that is both fat and water-soluble, protecting the mitochondrial membrane and helping remove toxins. Small amounts in organ meats and vegetables like broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, yams, and spinach. If supplementing, make sure to also take thiamine.
• Carotenoids and Polyphenols — scavenge free radicals. Tomatoes, carrots, peppers, spices, olives, olive oil, apples, onions, grapes.
• Green Tea Catechins — may reduce toxin damage to the mitochondria.
• Blue Spirulina — by activating NRF2, dampens down inflammation in the body.

Mitochondria Minerals

• Selenium — this antioxidant mineral may increase mitochondrial numbers. Brazil nuts, tuna, grass-fed beef.
• Zinc — may increase mitochondrial activity. Zinc foods include oysters, crab, fish, beef, and sprouted legumes.
• Magnesium — helps make enzymes required for ATP production. Spinach, kale, broccoli, pumpkin seeds, bananas, avocados, and dark chocolate. Aim for multiple servings of magnesium-rich foods per day.
• Iron — helps make enzymes for ATP production. Beef and chicken liver, red meats, poultry, fish. Vegetarian iron sources are poorly absorbed — take with vitamin C. Important: iron supplements greater than 10 mg per day should always be done under medical supervision. Avoid if you have a history of hemochromatosis.

The Mitochondria and Processed Foods

Sweets and junk foods don’t have much — or any — of these nutrients to support energy production. As you eat junk, the energy production slows way down, causing calories to be stored as fat. This is more so than if you ate the same calories from vegetables and healthy foods.

A calorie is a calorie? I don’t buy that and never will.

New obesity research confirms this at the cellular level: when exposed to a high-fat processed diet, mitochondria in fat cells literally break apart into smaller, less effective units that burn far less fat. This is part of the biological reason why it’s so hard to break the fatigue-and-weight cycle once it starts.

The most important step you can take to support mitochondrial health is to minimize and eliminate garbage foods in your diet and eat WAY more nutrient-rich foods.

Mitochondrial Diet Plan

A mitochondrial support diet should include a wide variety of vegetables and protein-rich foods. Here’s how to think about building your plate:

Rounding out the plan: berries, fermented foods, sprouted legumes, spices and herbs, seasonal fruits, green tea, and coffee.

Mitochondria Diet PDF

Here is the free downloadable PDF of mitochondria diet food ideas. Keep in mind that these are mostly whole foods and require some cooking and preparation, so keep lots of food on hand. Following a mito food plan is somewhat similar to a keto diet food list, but it is more flexible for seasonal foods and specific health goals — not as restrictive on carbs.

Intermittent Fasting for Energy

We all intermittently fast over the night. The question is how long we do it. A typical intermittent fast will be for 12–16 hours per day. The end result is similar to calorie restriction, benefiting our mitochondria by reducing inflammatory substances in the body.

Fasting also may help prevent mitochondrial aging. It works by activating PGC-1α — the master regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis — which signals the body to build better, more efficient mitochondria. It is simple to perform an intermittent fast: eat less, a lot less, for a few days of the month. Also, eat within a window of 8–10 hours if possible. Always check with your doctor first.

People who eat less periodically often gain energy. They likely are healthier and live longer, as shown by recent work with fast-mimicking diets. You don’t need to do this all of the time — just occasionally give yourself a break from constant feeding.

Healthy Detoxification for Energy

Research shows that toxins disrupt the function of your mitochondria. Sadly, toxins are everywhere. Over 80,000 chemicals — most with minimal or no safety testing — are in our environment and homes. The toxin bisphenol A is a coating on your grocery receipts everywhere you go. Plastic chemicals are everywhere, whether you try to avoid them or not. An estimated 70% of chemicals soak right up into your body through the skin.

Coffee on Your Mitochondria Diet?

New science has discovered that coffee (and caffeine) increases the number of mitochondria per cell in the muscle and liver tissues. Translation: with coffee, you have more energy-producing units in the body.

Caffeine alone doesn’t likely work as well as coffee or tea for several reasons — caffeine-containing products like soda or energy drinks lack the co-factor nutrients and rich antioxidants found in coffee.

Coffee also triggers hormonal signaling which tells the body to start burning fat. It has at least 3 types of stimulants — caffeine, chlorogenic acid, theobromine, and theophylline — which signal epinephrine and the rest of the body to start burning fat.

One caveat: the more obese you are, the less of an effect that coffee has on burning fat — though obese people still reap about a 10% increase in fat-burning potential with coffee. Another caveat: epinephrine can trigger feelings of anxiety, and developing a tolerance over time seems to diminish the effects — so intermittent consumption might actually be best.

Are Mushrooms for Energy the New Coffee?

While it’s great to have some coffee in your life, it can cause too many sleep issues and GI upset for many people. The area of research related to mushrooms for energy and mitochondrial health is growing.

Reishi, or Ganoderma lucidum, protects the mitochondria and has a long track record as used in traditional medicines. Another mushroom called cordyceps increases ATP by double in a mouse study. Mushrooms like Chaga, Reishi, and Turkey Tail may also be helpful for balancing energy.

Best Mitochondrial Supplements

While it may seem reasonable to eat foods from the list provided above, you are still at risk of not getting enough antioxidants and nutrients to support healthy mitochondria. Here are some of the most compelling supplements I can find on the market today.

Coenzyme Q10 For Your Mitochondria Diet

Do you take cholesterol medicines? Are you over 40? Do you eat junk food? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you probably are low in CoQ10. CoQ10 is critical for mitochondrial energy production, and some of the negative research coming out about statins may be because we aren’t adequately restoring this key nutrient.

As we get older, our production of CoQ10 also goes down, making us susceptible to fatigue. Diseases linked to the mitochondria, such as Parkinson’s, seem to benefit from CoQ10 supplements. Coenzyme Q10 supplements reduced fatigue and improved mood in patients who have multiple sclerosis compared to placebo.

Vitamins and Minerals

Another mitochondria supplement to consider is an all-natural vitamin and mineral, such as Klaire Labs Vitaspectrum. Make sure to also get adequate vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. Check with your doctor before starting K2 if you are on warfarin.

PQQ

PQQ, as you may recall, is a beneficial antioxidant. Its benefits may be short-lived because it stays in our body for only about 24 hours — which is why daily supplementation may be beneficial. While research is early, it poses no known health risks and is found naturally in foods. Mitochondrial support supplements can also combine both PQQ and coenzyme Q10 together.

N-Acetylcysteine

N-acetylcysteine is an amino acid supplement that reduces toxins in the body by increasing the antioxidant glutathione. It also may reduce the damage that occurs within the mitochondria due to toxins as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

Putting it All Together

You can gain body energy and mitochondrial health with any one of the steps I mentioned above. However, you may do better if you incorporate multiple strategies to help your mitochondria regenerate and flourish. As I approach 51, I feel like I have better, more sustained energy than I did at age 25.

The point I’m trying to make is that you always can gain energy and health with some simple strategies — including eating mitochondria diet foods and taking supplements to increase mitochondria.

Mitochondrial Diet Summary