It’s 12 a.m., and without looking, you rifle through your drawer to pull out a large cookie. After, you pick up your cup and take a sip of your chocolate mocha with an extra shot. You’re almost finished going over your Hamlet notes for your final exam on Shakespeare. Further reading is still on your to-do list, but you crash at about 2 a.m. with your notes in hand, only to wake up and remember only about half of what you studied.
Although that cookie and extra-caffeinated coffee drink may have tasted delicious, they weren’t the best choices. The sugar and caffeine most likely gave you the initial energy that you desired, but soon after you crashed, fell asleep, and failed to retain what you had studied.
So, how do you prevent this from happening?
Certain foods have been proven to increase brain function and memory. They are the perfect snacks during finals that will not only help you study, but will leave you feeling better and healthier than if you consumed that cookie and specialty coffee drink.
1. Nuts
Nuts are fantastic to eat when studying. Filled with omega-3 fatty acids, nuts, such as walnuts, almonds, and peanuts, will boost brainpower and improve your mood. Your reasoning and reading comprehension will both improve.
In addition, nuts contain fiber, allowing you to stay full for a longer period of time. This prevents you from eating too much food or from feeling sick or sleepy.
Different types of nuts have other benefits too. Almonds contain the amino acid tryosine, which improves your mood and motivation. Walnuts increase melatonin levels within the body, which helps you sleep, further improving cognition. Peanuts (especially boiled and with skins) contain resveratrol, a flavonoid that will help your cardiovascular system by increasing your blood flow.
2. Berries
Berries are a definite must before a test. Blueberries contain dopamine, which is a chemical “crucial for memory, coordination, and feelings of well-being,” according to Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D, author of Food as Medicine. Acai berries contain omega-3 fatty acids, which keep your brain cells working to improve your memory and your mood. Cranberries and blueberries (with their skins) also contain resveratrol, which increases blood flow.
Although each type of berry contains different chemicals and compounds to help you study, they all contain fiber, which helps you feel fuller for a longer period of time and antioxidants that allow your blood to flow more easily to the brain. They are a delicious way to boost the brain and quell your sweet tooth!
3. Dark Chocolate
Milk chocolate is often a go-to snack when you’re looking for some energy from a sugar rush. The milk chocolate boost, though, is only temporary and can leave you crashing. Unlike milk chocolate, dark chocolate has different effects.
Dark chocolate contains the antioxidant flavonoid, which decreases your blood pressure and stimulates blood flow to the brain. In addition, it contains caffeine, which helps you concentrate. Furthermore, because dark chocolate is only moderate on the glycemic index, it will provide you with a steady flow of energy, instead of a sugar rush and crash. Dark chocolate, usually 75% and higher in cocao content, will help you study, all while fulfilling that chocolate craving.
4. Whole Wheat
Whole wheat bread, cereal, and other whole wheat foods can help improve brain function. They contain phenols, which are an antioxidant that increases blood flow. In addition, whole wheat foods contain more antioxidants than any other whole grain, including rice and oats, according to Daphna Caperonis Cox, a senior editor at Natural Health magazine in Boston.
The complex carbohydrates found in these foods are also helpful. They fuel your brain to help keep you fueled for an extended period of time. Simple carbs, such as sugar and white bread, on the other hand, give you a quick boost and a subsequent crash. Complex carbs give you the energy you need without the sharp spike and crash.
Fiber is in whole wheat foods and helps to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Whole wheat flour, which is different from refined wheat flour, will allow you to take your mind off your stomach and focus on that 12-page paper on Charlemagne.
5. Tea
Black and green tea are great study drinks. Black tea contains flavonoids, which prevent the stickiness of platelets and allow more blood flow to the brain. An article in the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand unveiled a University College London study that says, “blood platelet activation, which is linked to blood clotting and the risk of heart attacks, was lower in the tea drinkers, and that this group reported a greater degree of relaxation in the recovery period after the task.” A Dutch research project found that cognitive recognition improved as well.
Green tea contains catechins, a type of antioxidant that protects blood cells from damage. It also contains polyphenols, which boost dopamine production, leaving you happier and more motivated. Polypenols also influence glucose metabolism, which cause the brain to run on a steady, consistent level of glucose. This prevents you from experiencing the rush and crash caused by sugar and caffeine.
These five study foods will help you successfully study during exam week. However, don’t forget a good night’s sleep and eat a substantial breakfast in the morning! Both will keep you motivated as you head off to take your final exam or to turn in your term paper.
Sources:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nuts/HB00085
http://www.helpguide.org/life/improving_memory.htm
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/phytochemicals/resveratrol/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200209/nuts-you
http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20410275,00.html
http://testprep.about.com/od/tipsfortesting/a/Brain_Food.htm
http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/walnuts-the-ultimate-brain-food.html
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_2_33/ai_97177920/
http://www.neurological.org.nz/News/General-Articles/Article/Black+tea+reduces+stress+levels/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200306/green-tea-the-brain
http://www.psychologistworld.com/memory/chewing_gum.php
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0NAH/is_2_33/ai_97177920/. 2
http://www.neurological.org.nz/News/General-Articles/Article/Black+tea+reduces+stress+levels/.