Cookies, pasta, burgers, soda—all of these can seem like a good idea at the time, but the truth is that these foods can be detrimental to your academic success.
According to the National Review of Neuroscience, “influences of dietary factors…are responsible for the action of diet on brain health and mental function.” This means that what we eat has a direct effect on how well our brains function.
Here are some tips to keep your grades and your brain healthy:
Tip 1: Shop for groceries around the perimeter of the store as much as possible.
Healthy foods don’t need to fight for attention. They sit quietly on the outer perimeter of the grocery store while the cookies, ice creams, sauces, and snacks advertise in clever ways to earn space in your budget. While cheap at the time, the long-term effects can wreak havoc on your budget and your overall health.
Tip 2: Watch out for enriched flour and refined grains. Instead, go for whole grains.
If the ingredients list on a food label says ‘enriched’ or ‘bleached’, what it’s really saying is, “put it back on the shelf.” If a food product is enriched, that means it is highly processed, so much so that in the process, nutrients are lost. The product is ‘enriched’ when the nutrients are returned to the product through means other than naturally. If a product is bleached, it is made to look white using a bleaching agent that is an additive. This bleaching also helps in the production of gluten.
Whole grains, however, are considered to be a brain food. Foods containing whole grains have the entire grain kernel. Along with it, you get essential vitamins and nutrients, such as dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins, according to ChooseMyPlate.gov.
Tip 3: Buy Certified Organic when possible.
If you’re shopping for fruits and vegetables, some of them are shinier than others. That’s because of a layer of wax, designed to help that produce look its best. However, if you have the means, organic produce is even better for you. Just look for the words ‘certified organic.’
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “[Certified] Organic agriculture produces products using methods that preserve the environment and avoid most synthetic materials, such as pesticides and antibiotics.”
Tip 4: Build your diet around plants.
A plant-based diet is the best way to make sure you eat healthy. It means specifically eating foods that are derivative of plants and almost no animal products. Dairy and meat are realistically part of many students’ diets, but should be limited.
Dairy can be responsible for many allergies, even if you don’t think you have any. Because of the sensitive nature and natural bacteria that occurs in the chemical breakdown of dairy, too much of it or improper care of it can become a problem.
Meat, while a great source of protein, can be a problem if students consume too much of it. Lean meats, such as chicken, fish, and turkey have the most nutrients for the least amount of calories. Red meats, such as beef and pork are more calorie-dense and if consumed too much, can raise your cholesterol and your risk for heart disease, which can mess with healthy brain function.
Tip 5: Target ‘superfoods.’
The term ‘superfood’ has been thrown around and can sometimes be ambiguous. A ‘superfood’ is a food that basically gives you more bang for your buck, in terms of nutritional value.
According to Health magazine, some foods that will help save your memory are:
- Oil-based salad dressing, because of their Vitamin E content;
- Fish, because if its omega-3 fatty acid content, including DHAs, which promote the healthy function of your brain’s neurons;
- Dark leafy greens such as kale and spinach, because of their low-calorie-high-fiber content;
- Avocado, because of its high Vitamin E and Vitamin C content and Alzheimer’s-fighting abilities; and
- Berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, and acai berries, because of their powers to fight aging in the brain.
All of these ‘superfoods’ reduce your risk for diseases, improve cognitive function and make your whole body feel good.
After just one week of eating foods like these and you could feel like a new person and a smarter student. Your grades and GPA just might thank you, and your body will also.
Meggan Lanahan
Reporter