Exam stress? Assignment due tomorrow? Our diet plays a huge role in our performance capacity and general mood. Put these foods on your next food shopping list and you’ll be guaranteed a boost in your general well-being, concentration levels and brain function.
Salmon: This fish is an important addition to your eating plan given it contains a vast amount of omega 3 essential fatty acids which are necessary to sustain or/and develop brain capacity/memory. Add some avocado to your salmon dish. Avocado works to maintain a healthy blood flow and lower blood pressure which guarantees your cognitive capacity retains its strength.
Nuts: Fats are generally considered as unwanted but not the fats found in nuts. To burn fat, you need to consume it. However, keep these portion sizes small. No more than a handful; walnuts, chews, almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios to state a few. As a collective, they not only generate an antidepressant effect but they can facilitate your brain’s information storing processes, elevate your mood, safeguards the brain from memory loss and enhance attention span. Vitamin E are also contain within most nuts which assists in preserving body tissue.
Apples: Apples are delicious. A source of carbohydrate to boost the body’s energy levels which can also simultaneously decrease your anxiety. Apples also contain acetylcholine which enhances sensory perception. When studying, it is important to utilise your senses through sight, smell, touch and sound in order to store and retain the information on various levels. Have you ever encountered a waft of your favourite perfume and vividly remembered a person, fact or event you met, learnt or experienced? You can recollect this persona, fact or event because it has become associated with that smell. When attempting to retain information, digest and engage with it through all senses. Food can help you too.
Blueberries: These fruits are an amazing addition to a smoothie, fruit salad or yoghurt and granola cup. Add them to your spring snacks and meals because they have been proven to aid in enhancing numerical skills, verbal comprehension and decision making.
Broccoli: This vegetable is another amazing addition to your diet. It is packed with minerals and vitamins making it a nourishing option to add to your serve of grains and protein. It is water dense and low calorie which makes it ideal if you are eager to eat greater portions. Broccoli also serves to effectively repair the neuro-connections in your brain so it is better able to function. As the neuro-connections remain strong, information you process is able to be stored from short term to long term memory.
Tomatoes: I encourage you to source out that Tomato paste or create a tomato and basil mixture and spread it on wholemeal pita bread. Tomatoes contain antioxidants which aid to safeguard brain cells from deteriorating. Thus, increasing your tomato consumption may prevent dementia developing. Low GI wholegrains, packed within a scrumptious wholemeal pizza base, release glucose slowly into the bloodstream and are vital to maintain your energy and concentration levels.
Chicken and eggs: These foods are not only an amazing source of protein which is vital for muscle replenishment and recovery, but chicken and eggs contain a range of B vitamins which have been shown to prevent brain shrinkage. Add some leafy greens to accompany your source of protein as they are packed full of vitamins such as B6 and B12 which assist in enhancing memory and alertness.
Peanut Butter: Considering nuts are recommended, it seems justified that peanut butter makes the list. Peanut butter is nut- condensed and absolutely delicious and filling. Its high protein/fat content is also a reason to spread it on some wholegrain toast to create a balanced meals which contains all macronutrients (fats, carbs, protein). Portions sizes must be monitored so opt for a tablespoon. If you are eager to enhance your energy levels further, banana and peanut butter is always a good combination. Banana is high in carbohydrates, providing you with the fuel to finish that revision session or perform successfully in that recital, exam or test. It also has been found to reduce anxiety levels and sustain and improve heart health as it is an important source of potassium and magnesium. When striving to perform well academically, your insides need to be taken care of. Ensuring your diet contains a variety of colourful, rich and nutritious foods will ensure you perform your best. This list of foods should be starting point.