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You are what you eat!
And what you eat affects what you do and how you do it. So, when the exam season is upon us and we’re frantically trying to get in as much information as we can, no matter how comforting it is to down bag after bag of chips and cans of sodas, they will negatively affect your performance in the exam. The oil in fried foods will leave you feeling lethargic and too much sugar will give you a sugar-rush and then sugar-induced fatigue.
What if we told you that the food you eat can affect your retention of information along with your overall performance?
Here are some healthy brain foods for studying to consume the night before the big test:
Leafy Greens
Your mom wasn’t wrong to force you to eat your greens. Dark and leafy greens like kale, broccoli and spinach are loaded with vitamin K that are proven to stimulate memory and help in brain functions. Load up on some greens the night before the exam and see the wonders it does for you!
Green Tea
No, it’s not just used for weight loss. Caffeine helps you stay up for longer but what acre your usual go-tos? Coffee and energy drinks?
Your best option to consume caffeine along with antioxidants is green tea. It truly is a brain foods for exams!
Dark Chocolate
YES, please!
Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants which boost clarity and alertness of the brain by improving blood flow. This helps your cognitive functions like solving problems. Not just that, dark chocolate is also a stress buster since they release chemicals like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin in the brain – the chemicals that make us feel happy. What’s more? It is low in calories. Dark chocolate is indeed your go-to food for brain power.
Fresh Fruit
Late night revisions always leave us snacking. Our first choice would be easy-to-grab-easy-to-eat fried chips or sugar filled candies. But both will leave you lethargic. So how do you sate your cravings? Fresh fruit is the answer. Bring some cut up fruits with you to munch on while you study. High on natural sugars, fruit gives you a boost in energy. Grab some easily available options like apples, bananas, oranges and grapes.
Eggs
Probably the most versatile brain foods for exams.
High on protein, eggs keep you fuller for longer and help your brain cells build networks to communicate with each other better. Choline in eggs aids memory, mood, muscle control and most nervous system functions.
In conclusion, eggs are probably the best supplement brain foods for studying you can get your hands on!
Water
Obviously!
The importance of staying hydrated has surfaced widely in the recent past and it is not without reason! Our bodies are made of water and water is needed to help the blood flow normally. It helps transport oxygen to various tissues of your body and mind and this keeps you alert.
So, make sure you have your bottle with you while you study. If it helps, set a reminder every half hour to take a two-minute break from studying and hydrate!
It can be easy to give excuses to yourself and lay hands on the nearest bag of potato chips but once you make the shift to brain foods for studying, you will see the difference vividly. So grab that bowl of fruits and get on with the next chapter.
This article is a source of inspiration, I recommend it.