This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Nottingham chapter.

Exam time has fallen upon us once again and has brought with it those Hallward all-nighters, stress spots, and the revision binge!

There’s no doubt that this is a stressful time for everyone, so I’m not going to lecture you about the importance of maintaining a healthy diet whist revising, because there just isn’t any TIME! Although we may start cooking healthy meals as a form of procrastination, as exams get closer we all resort to the Super Noodles and Uncle Ben’s rice packets! The revision binge plague is now upon us!

I am going to take on the parent’s role here and pass on to you some age old brain foods which will help you to be successful in your exams, (provided you also revise!). The following foods may just be the secret to your upcoming exam success:

1) Almonds

A handful of almonds at the start of the day or as a healthy revision snack can help improve your memory. Almonds are rich in Vitamin A, which helps slow down the aging of cells including some in the brain which impact memory. Almonds are also cheap to buy and have plenty of benefits, so you won’t feel bad about binging on these!

2) Red Bull

Ok, this is not the healthiest of drinks, but it is good to keep a can in the fridge just in case you find yourself dropping off at 3 am when you aren’t ready for the exam you have in a few hours! The glucose will initially give you a buzz and keep you going, but just be aware of the crash that will follow later!

3) Whole grains

Although it’s exam season, you will still hopefully be cooking some of your meals. Switch to whole grains such as brown rice and pasta and pick “brown” cereals – no, this does not mean coco pops, it means healthy fibre rich cereals such as All Bran. These “brown” foods give you a slow release of energy throughout the day, keeping you mentally alert for your revision.

4) Oily fish

Oily fish includes: salmon, trout, mackerel, herring and sardines. These are all good for healthy brain function as well as general wellbeing. Paired with some brown rice this makes for a perfect pre exam meal! Not only is oily fish cheap, but it’s also really quick to prepare, so you can spend more time revising.

5) Tomatoes

Tomatoes contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene, which according to doctors helps protect against the radical damage to cells. In other words, this helps your brain to retain memory. This means eating fresh tomatoes, not tomato ketchup! Just have some cherry tomatoes by your side when revising and these will serve as a healthy alternative to the skittles you usually have to keep you company during revision!

6) Blackberries

Blackberries have long been thought to have the power to increase mental agility, due to their high vitamin C content. Blackberry smoothies all round I say! You could have these sprinkled on top of your cereal or even as a healthy dessert after meals, just so you can make your meal break as long as possible before going back to revision.

7) Broccoli

Now I really do sound like a parent telling you to eat broccoli! But, scientists have shown that its rich vitamin K content enhances cognitive function and improves brainpower. Our parents have been right all along, so I think it’s about time we take one for the team and have a serving of broccoli with dinner!

8) Freshly brewed tea

This sounds like a weird but wonderful one! An American nutritionist has claimed that drinking 2-3 cups of tea a day containing a “modest” amount of caffeine can boost ones productivity, as the caffeine boosts brain power by enhancing memory, focus and mood. Don’t you just love the sound of this one – you can have up to 3 tea breaks a day, and claim that it’s boosting your brain power!

9) Peanut butter

This is another great one I’m sure many of you wouldn’t mind eating more of! Rich in protein and lots of vitamins, although also containing a lot of calories, (which during exam time is acceptable!) they provide you with lots of energy, so will get you through a long day of revision. Peanut butter is good on so many things: toast, porridge, sandwiches, and strangely enough apples!

10) Chocolate

It is an old wives tale that having chocolate before an exam makes you feel less nervous! As ridiculous as this sounds, I’m sure you would be willing to believe this in order to eat more of the stuff! Chocolate is also an age old revision snack, which in moderation can help to keep you motivated, so really eating more chocolate during exam time can be a good thing!

So, in summary, you need to eat more chocolate and have tea breaks to get you through exam season!

Best of luck with all your exams!

Images

http://car-memes.com/have-you-revised-the-revision/

http://www.healthandbloom.com/6-effective-home-made-almond-face-masks.php

http://www.edmsauce.com/tag/red-bull/

http://www.myfulllifenutrition.com/how-do-you-define-whole-grain-2/

http://www.fyffes.com/gns/you-your-family/health-wellbeing-expanding-lis…

http://flavoritetomatoes.com.au/products/

http://www.profproduce.com/products/broccoli/

http://www.projectcleanfood.com/2011/11/superfood-of-week-mighty-blackbe…

http://memespp.com/point-break-memes/