Final exams are coming, and eating healthy and maintaining a well-balanced diet may be the last thing on your mind. Eating certain foods may improve not only your physical well-being, but also help you succeed on your finals.
According to a 2008 study, students with an increased fruit and vegetable intake are significantly less likely to fail exams than those who consume food with a huge amount of fat daily.
No single food is nutritionally complete, so variety of food is needed during the exam period to maintain good mental and physical health.
Here is what a perfect day of eating during the final exam period could look like:
Breakfast
The old adage goes, “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper.” A 2008 study shows that university students who regularly have breakfast perform better on final exams than their peers who skip meals.
For breakfast, it is essential to include slow-release carbohydrates and protein to keep the blood sugar levels more stable between meals, and to help you feel more satiated so that you can reach and maintain a healthy weight.
The typical breakfast during the final exam period would be a toast with scrambled eggs and salmon, boiled eggs with rye bread toast or muesli with nuts and fruits.
Lunch
Omega-3 fatty acids, fibre and iron are very important for the optimum performance of the brain, as they boost concentration, memory and focus. A lack of Omega-3 fats have been associated with depression, poor memory, learning disabilities, dyslexia and ADD.
Important foods to consume for lunch are fish (salmon, fresh tuna, sardines), red meat and dark leafy greens like avocado, kale, spinach, broccoli and lettuce.
Dinner
A heavy meal right before the bedtime is not the best idea because it can interfere with sleep. Dinner should be the lightest meal of the day, as our bodies do not require a lot of energy at night.
An example of a typical dinner during the final exam period would be a bowl of high-fibre cereal like porridge, a bowl of cottage cheese with honey and a banana or a glass of warm milk.
Snacks
Sugary snacks like cereal bars and milk chocolates are good for boosting energy. However, be aware that sugar leads to fast energy peaks and troughs. It is better to replace cereal bars and chocolates with fruits, as they not only boost energy, but also provide our bodies with Vitamin C needed for the immune system.