Food for Thought (and Memory, and Studying, and Learning, etc…)

I’m starting to think that there is some truth to the rule, “You are what you eat.” I think my muffintop would attest to that statement. In general, I stick to a healthy diet (of cupcakes), but when it comes time to crack the books I know that my typical eating habits will affect my scholastic performance. While I usually opt for a bag of M&Ms at the library, I now know that a giant bag of sugar is not the best thing to get me through the hours of cramming.

In contrast, there are foods out there that have been shown to improve memory retention and attention span. Read: The foods I should be eating. I am one who will do anything to pass an exam, even if it means eating my way to better grades. Because what could be better?

Eat? For better grades? Grad school may be for me after all.

When it comes to the basics, we all know the rules: “Don’t skip breakfast,” “Drink lots of water,” “An apple a day…blah, blah, blah.”But when it comes to college life, we need more than just a healthy diet – we need to feed our brains. So I’ve compiled a list of some snack foods to help our neurons rock and roll.

While there are a plethora of foods out there to give your brain a boost, not all are study-friendly. Salmon and eggs, for example, are great brain foods, but being the “smelly kid” has never been cool, so it’s not realistic to brown bag these snacks to munch on in your study groups. (However, these are fine foods to eat for breakfast or lunch before a big exam…alone in your apartment.)

A personal favorite study snack (which is perfect for winter exams) is hot chocolate. But not any hot chocolate: DARK hot chocolate. It is lower in calories than its milky brother, and has a moderate amount of caffeine to boot. Dark chocolate also has a suspiciously high amount of antioxidants (chocolate? good for you? I know!) and natural neural stimulants that increase blood flow and enhance your mood! This warm bevy will keep you alert and in a good mood, no matter how late you have to be in the ‘brary.

Speaking of drinks, green tea is known for being fabulous for our brain and body. My tastebuds never quite agreed (green tea tastes like dirt) until Arizona Tea came out with Blueberry Diet Green Tea. I’m not a fan of drinking my calories (unless the drink rhymes with “odka”), so I stick to this diet version (10 cals per serving). I bring one of these with me to the computer lab whenever I go and it definitely keeps my brain turned on. If Starbucks is more your style, try mixing 2 tea bags (like Orange & Spice with Green Tea) for a tasty brain beverage.

Perhaps you don’t believe me on the Blueberry Green Tea, but I think we all know that blueberries themselves are hella good. They are in season right now and are great for snacking (and dieting, if that’s your thing). Ounce for ounce, blueberries actually have a greater antioxidant capacity than most any other fruits or vegetables and contain 5 grams of fiber per cup! These are also perfect for eating in the library (some rules were just meant to be broken) – no one can hear you munch on them.

Note: If blueberries are not too accessible, Craisins are a good substitute. Dried berries last a long, long time (becuase, seriously, who has time to go to the freakin’ market?), so load up, refrigerate, and grab em whenever you need a little brain boost.

From my own experience, however, the olympian of brain-boosting foods are nuts. Almonds, in particular, are great for your general health, but cashews and walnuts are where I get my fix. Not only do these jewels contain healthy fats that stabalize your blood-sugar for hours, but nuts have been shown in recent studies to be associated with better memory retention and mood. Both very important things for a super long study sesh.

Truth be told, keeping your glucose levels afloat will have a similar affect on your GPA. Happy snacking!