Contributor's Corner: Food for the Brain
Alejandro Moschella
A lot of college students have terrible eating habits. They skip meals or eat junk food simply because it is the fastest way to have a meal. These habits get a lot worse during midterms and finals. What a lot of students don’t consider is the fact that their eating habits effects their academic performance. Eating well is very important for your mental and physical health. There are certain nutrients and vitamins the brain needs that aren’t found in pizza or hamburgers. That is why it is important for students to develop healthy eating habits to maintain a healthy, happy brain. Some meals can even give you a mental boost to help you study.
To concentrate you need the adequate amount of energy. Eating carbs like pizza, pasta, and bread may lead to sleepiness, fatigue and mental dullness. There are other options to eat that have the opposite effect. For example:
· Salads made with leafy greens like spinach stimulate your brain, which could mean better grades for you. I know a lot of people are not fans of spinach, but you can mix it with your morning eggs or make a smoothie with other fruits and vegetables to add it to your diet. Onions, especially red onions, also have the ability to improve brain functions. Also, try to include whole grains in your salad. Whole grains give you the extra energy you need from a healthy source.
· Fish is commonly recommended as a brain food because of its high concentrations of omega-3.
· Chocolate is great for your memory. Dark chocolate especially has been proven to increase blood flow to the brain increasing your alertness and clarity.
· Chewing gum can be also help when performing stressful tasks. It can keep you alert while studying. For some people chewing the same flavor of gum during a test as they did while studying helped them remember the material better.
· Fruits! Never forget fruits. Try eating an apple, a banana or mix some peaches and strawberries in a salad as a snack while studying instead of chips and candy.
So change your eating habits while studying and you will notice a great difference in your energy, concentration and eventually your academic performance.