How Can Diet Help Improve Your Focus During Exams?

Remember how, as a kid, we were fed with curd and sugar before leaving for an exam. Then, we would deem it as a superstition, but of course, there are logical reasons why we follow a certain tradition concerning our nutrition. It is the time when parents and students both are under tremendous stress. The mental stress is not just limited to exam pressure but extends until you get the results in your hand. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure your health is in excellent form. Besides, good health improves your academic performance and memory power, the same way it improves your productivity at work or helps you achieve your fitness goals.

While one should follow an overall healthy diet, it is more important to fill yourself up with nutritious food during exams as it prepares your body to face arduous tasks. Several types of research have identified certain food items that are extremely helpful in boosting brain health and mental performance.

Foods to sharpen your memory during exams. Here’s a list of five foods that students should incorporate into their diet.

5 Brain Foods To Improve Focus And Concentration

With the board exams around the corner and students busy with their last-minute preparations, let us look at the must-have foods during exams.

1. Nuts

Who does not remember eating soaked almonds first thing in the morning during the exam season? It’s an age-old ritual followed in most Indian homes to date. Nuts are a powerhouse of nutrients that help boost your brain performance. You can keep them on your study desk and munch on them as snacks when feeling hungry, ditching the chips and other junk food that you gorge on. By doing so, you will fill up your body with concentrated sources of protein, fiber, and healthy fat. This will enable you to study for long without getting tired. You can prepare a mixture of almonds, walnuts and even add seeds like pumpkin.

2. Citrus Fruits

While consuming any fruit will be beneficial to boost your energy levels, it will be helpful if you have citrus fruits. This is because not only are they highly nutritious, but their intake is linked to boosting brain health. They are a rich source of flavonoids and several other compounds that can effectively boost learning and memory capability. It is best if you consume these fruits as a whole instead of in a juice form.

Another flavonoid-rich fruit is strawberry. It is as well deemed to be a good fruit for brain performance. While strawberry is a seasonal fruit, you can easily get your hands on the good old apples available throughout the year. They have quercetin, which is an antioxidant present in apples. This helps to prevent brain cell damage. It is best to have a whole apple than removing its skin as you get more quercetin.

3. Broccoli

Packed with dozens of nutrients, it is a vegetable that tops the list of most nutritious vegetables. It is rich in choline and several other vitamins, like B, K, and C, which boost brain functioning. Also, broccoli has high levels of glucosinolate that sharpens memory. You can have this green vegetable in many forms according to what suits your taste buds. Boil it or stir-fry or steam or microwave it. For maximum health benefits, it is best to have it in steamed form.

4. Spinach

Did you know spinach is a rich source of vitamin K and iron, both responsible for improved brain functioning? Yes, this green leafy vegetable is a superfood that boosts your overall brain health. It also has vitamin B12 that boosts the brain’s alertness. Guess spinach is not just a best friend of Popeye, the sailor, but for all students reeling under exams’ anxiety.

5. Turmeric

While we consume turmeric through our daily diet, it is essential to recognize that this spice has innumerable benefits. It has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body, and this is one reason most Ayurvedic treatments include this spice in their medicines. Turmeric boosts brain cell growth and helps in reducing stress. So, don’t forget to have your warm turmeric milk every day while you prepare for your exams.

Conclusion

Not just during exams, it is best to follow a healthy diet routine at all times. For students, here’s a diet plan that can come in handy.

• Start your day with 4-5 soaked almonds.
• Have a glass of warm milk along with a wholesome breakfast comprising a vegetable sandwich or paneer paratha.
• As a mid-meal snack, you can have a fruit platter comprising banana, apple, citrus fruits, and berries. You can also have dry fruit laddus.
• Have a light lunch comprising phulka, sprouts, a little of rice & dal, and salad.
• Ensure to have a light dinner if you plan an all-nighter for revisions.
• Stay hydrated throughout the day as water plays a crucial role in improving your brain function.

As we face unprecedented times because of the virus outbreak, the mental pressure on students and parents is unimaginably more. It’s not just the anxiety of writing exams but also preventing oneself from getting the virus. Therefore, on exam days, ensure to eat light, and healthy food as a heavy stomach can make you feel lethargic.

All the best!