Are you the type of person who wakes up in the morning as soon as your alarm rings and eats a balanced breakfast before heading off to class? Or, are you the type of person who hits the snooze button multiple times before frantically jumping out of bed and rushing off to class without any food? If the second question applies to your daily routine, don’t worry because you are not alone! Many students would rather sleep for an extra 15 minutes than wake up earlier to have a meal. However, what these students don’t realize is that an unbalanced diet can result in fatigue, irritability, lethargy, and can even impair concentration and memory.
Many people have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and that, in fact, is true. Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast.” Since collegiettes spend at least 6 hours sleeping each night without any food in their systems, their brain and muscles need some kind of energy the next morning. This energy is vital if collegiettes want to function properly and stay focused throughout the day. When you skip breakfast, your body goes into a fasting mode, which increases your insulin response and, as a result, causes your body to store unwanted fat.
When choosing a morning meal, it is important to keep in mind how many calories should be consumed. Eating too many calories for breakfast can hinder one’ ability to concentrate. My tip for you is to try to stay away from heavy meals that might leave you feeling sluggish and unable to focus. Also, try and stay away from meals that are too light and unable to provide the sufficient calories needed for daily function. For the perfect breakfast, try to consume between 350 and 500 calories.
There are several foods that provide your body with the necessary vitamins and nutrients to help you concentrate, absorb information, and function better in class. Your breakfast should be a combination of protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The following vitamin and nutrient-rich foods are easily found in any grocery store and will naturally boost your ability to focus and succeed!
- Protein: When you add protein into your daily breakfast routine, you will definitely feel more energized. Protein will keep you feeling fuller longer, which will prevent any sudden hunger-pangs leading you to healthier eating habits. Some protein-rich foods include eggs, nuts, yogurt and cheese.
- Eggs: Eggs are a good source of vitamins B6, B12 and D. These vitamins will help improve brain function, eyesight, memory and focus. Some easy, homemade, breakfast meals include omelets and scrambled eggs, which can be served with a slice of whole-wheat toast.
- Nuts: Nuts are rich in fiber and antioxidants. You can add pecans and walnuts to oatmeal, cereal or yogurt. If you are allergic to nuts, then don’t trying adding them into your morning meal. For a similar benefit, try adding soybeans or cornuts.
- Yogurt: Yogurt is a great source of calcium and protein. You can even add some granola on top for a satisfying, protein-rich crunch!
- Complex Carbohydrates: Complex carbohydrates are nutrient-rich foods that contain high levels of vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin B and iron, that also help with brain function. Some carb-friendly foods include whole-wheat bread with peanut butter, whole-grain cereal with milk, and oatmeal with raisins and nuts.
- Healthy Fats: Healthy fats are important for the brain’s function and some of them are composed of Omega-3. Omega-3 can be found in fatty fish such as salmon. If you are not a fan of fish, that’s okay. You can find healthy fats in nuts as well.
- Fruit: Don’t forget to incorporate fresh fruit into your breakfast! Fruit is exactly what the body needs for energy. Glucose, the sugar found in fruit, is transformed into energy and keeps you alert. Also, some fruit provide fiber and antioxidants that may not be present in your current breakfast routine. They can also be enjoyed with cereals, oats and waffles. Just choose the fruit you like and mix it up for a more enjoyable meal.
Before taking an exam, avoid having caffeinated drinks. Coffee, for example, may leave you feeling anxious, unable to concentrate or with a headache. Try avoiding drinks with sugar and creams because they decrease the sugar level in your body andmight make you feel nauseous. For better test results, drink beverages that have lower levels of caffeine such as tea, juice, or water.
Breakfast doesn’t have to be boring! It can be a pleasant and exciting meal. It doesn’t have to be costly and should not be time-consuming. Hopefully, these healthy breakfast choices will motivate you to not only make better health decisions throughout the day, but also boost your energy and memory to help you succeed.