With finals looming, knowing what foods to select to maximize your brain's potential may help you make the grade.
Chewing gum, whether mint or fruit flavored, can help increase alertness and help you focus. Whether you are a habitual gum chewer or hardly ever chew gum, the benefits are still there. Furthermore, chewing gum can help decrease stress and put you in a more optimistic mood. Pop a stick while you are studying or before the exam to help stay focused and positive.
Have a huge design project due? Drinking tea, without any added milk or sugar, can help improve work performance and keep you from getting tired. Black tea has been shown to improve alertness and attention. Try brewing your own or purchasing an 8-ounce drink.
Coffee and other sources of caffeine are the typical go-to drink to increase attention and memory. While caffeine does increase alertness, it also increases anxiety and can be addictive. If you were to drink a 16-ounce coffee every day - a total of 300 milligrams of caffeine, within three days you may see signs of physical dependence. Nonetheless, caffeine can help you stay alert. Those who rarely drink coffee will see benefits with only an 8-ounce cup, while habitual users may have to drink more.
Remember to eat breakfast on the days of your tests! Numerous studies have found that those who ate breakfast performed better than those who didn't. Furthermore, those who ate a breakfast high in carbohydrates performed even better. Some healthy ideas are oatmeal, whole wheat toast and bagels, and fruit. Even if you are in a rush, grab a cereal bar or banana to help you do better.
There also may be some brain benefits from eating a Mediterranean-style diet. This type of diet is high in olive oil, fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains. It minimizes the amount of red meat, sugar and processed foods consumed. The night before your test, try salmon with brown rice and a salad with dark, leafy greens.
Although eating healthy will help optimize your test scores, nothing can take the place of studying and knowing the material. Good luck on your finals!
Sources: webmd.com, bloomberg.com
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