What To Eat For the Best Exam Results
What to eat for the best exam results is vital information if you have a Year 11, Year 12 or even a uni student in your household or family about to start prepping for exams.
All exams are important but the Year 12 journey is certainly at another level with all the expectations (real and perceived) that travel alongside the actual assessment.
This time of year auspiciously marks the beginning of mock exams for Year 12 students. The mocks are then followed by the real deal and they can be a true test of grit and determination in so many ways.
The thing is, studying and preparing for exams is SO similar to athletes preparing and training for an event or game. If you are an adult with ever ‘useful’ hindsight, you know from experience that it takes discipline, tests of endurance, endless concentration and skill.
That’s why the fuel going in needs to be full of the good stuff at the right time.
You may have done the prep and the studying to get you to the exam but have you considered what to eat for the best exam results?
Consider your day as a football game or any game you love.
This means breaking your day into four quarters and the first quarter bounce down starts when you wake up.
First Quarter
Breakfast is key to exam success and your brain working at its best.
In fact there is good evidence to suggest that eating breakfast improves memory. It is true that some people do not feel like eating in the morning but once again, it is can be a matter of training your stomach to take food. When considering what to eat for the best exam results, good choices for breakfast include:
- High fibre cereal (Weet-bix, porridge, natural muesli, Sultana Bran, Mini-Wheats) with milk and fresh fruit
- Wholegrain toast with baked beans, spaghetti, tomato, egg or avocado
- Pancakes with fresh fruit
- Fresh, frozen or tinned fruit and yoghurt
Anxiety and stress may mean your stomach is doing gymnastics on exam mornings so if you can’t deal with any other breakfast options try a banana with an Up and Go or Sustagen drink. Avoid arriving at an exam with an empty petrol tank.
Second Quarter
The second quarter of your game starts at around the mid-morning break and this is an ideal time to take a physical and mental break. Your lifestyle will determine whether you are a three meal per day person or a ‘grazer.’ The term ‘grazing’ is so called because cows like to do the same thing. You may not like to think of yourself out in the field chomping down on grass but ‘grazing’ here means snacking or having 5-6 ‘meals’ spread out over the day. There could be some perfect recipes for you right here.
Five tasty snacks to keep you alert and awake
Snacks can be a nutrition trap to students as it is so tempting to grab something quick and easy like chocolate, lollies, muesli bars, biscuits and cake, none of which will give you the long-lasting energy that you need to study for the rest of the day.
Instead you could try:
- 200g tub of yoghurt (ideally no added sugar)
- Fruit bread with jam, honey or a little butter
- Toast or crumpet with a light spread of peanut butter or vegemite
- Fruit Smoothie with milk, fruit and yoghurt and a handful of oats
- Crackers with cheese.
Third Quarter
As every decent coach will tell you, what happens in the third quarter of a game will determine whether the final quarter is grand final material. Wondering what to eat for the best exam results in the afternoon?
Does caffeine give you a buzz?
Late afternoons can be tough in the energy department but try and avoid relying on caffeine to keep you alert and awake.
Caffeine stimulates every organ in your body and in small doses can be a useful study tool but too much can mean over-stimulation of your nervous system, increased heart rate and erratic sleep patterns.
Sources of caffeine include coffee, tea (to a lesser extent), cola drinks and energy drinks eg. Red Bull, V, Lift Plus etc. Energy drinks contain a mix of caffeine and sugar, which gives you an extra hit but they are equivalent to drinking a cappuccino, flat white or latte.
Boost brainpower
Omega-3 fats are known to boost brainpower and should be an essential part of every students diet. Fish, shellfish and fish oils are good dietary sources of these fats and are found in particularly ‘oily’ fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines and salmon. Canned, fresh or frozen fish are all good sources of omega-3 fats. Try and include them 2-3 times per week.
Bugs
Probiotic’s are foods or supplements that contain live beneficial bacteria (bugs) that keep your gut healthy. Exam stress is one thing that can upset intestinal balance and probiotic’s may be especially useful during this time. There are a number of sources of probiotic’s including liquids, yoghurts, capsules and powders.
Pump the Iron
Iron is essential for getting enough oxygen around your body and this is obviously important during study and exam time!
The best sources are liver (there are very few lovers of this one but you could try reduced fat pate if you are not keen on the actual liver), lean red meat, breakfast cereals and legumes (baked beans, chickpeas, kidney beans etc) and to a much lesser extent chicken, fish and leafy green vegetables. Include some fruit or vegetables, which contain Vitamin C with your iron-rich food and this will assist with absorption.
Liquid refreshment
Don’t forget to drink plenty of fluids while studying to avoid brain drain. There are no rules that say you have to drink eight glasses of water every day but regular intake is the key. Water will always be the best choice but you could mix this up with some coffee, tea or Milo (but not mostly Milo with milk) for a change in pace. Avoid getting stuck into sugary drinks like soft drinks, cordials and energy drinks. Yes, they increase blood sugar levels but oh so briefly and are a sure fire way of getting tired quickly.
The Final Quarter
If you know what to eat for the best exam results, you will arrive at the 3pm time spot in the day feeling energised and ready to tackle the final quarter or evening segment of your study game.
If not, your brain and body might want to have a rest or start looking for the lolly jar.
A successful nutrition game plan will mean your body and brain will perform at their best not just for studying but also for the grand final, your exams.
Good luck and go get ’em!
