The best foods to eat to remain alert while studying

Students often ask, “What are the best foods to eat to remain awake and alert while studying”? This question gets so many answers from the general public especially students. While some of those responses are correct, some are just speculations that may not be based on reliable research data or studies.

This short write up will attempt to summarise some reliable data on this subject and serve as a guide.

We all know that our brain is the control center of our body. It controls all our senses including our ability to think, feel, talk, hear, read, move and even breathe.

Considering the amount of work this little organ does, little wonder it consumes so much energy. To understand the relative amount of energy it consumes, if we consider the entire body weight, the brain is about 2 %, but comparatively it consumes about 20% of the entire calories in the body. These calories come in the form of glucose in the blood stream that flow into the brain.

In addition to glucose, the brain needs other nutrients which help it to perform its numerous functions including coordinating the senses as well as to maintain alertness.

Even though there are no foods that will magically switch our alertness OFF and ON, there are foods that are known to influence ones’ability to focus and remain alert when studying. Such foods are high in certain nutrients that help the brain to achieve the above objective.

The first in this line is Coffee which basically contains caffeine. This food item is very common with students especially those preparing for an exam or going in for a long study session. Consuming moderate amount of coffee has been shown through various researches to affect alertness and focus. For an adult, typically about 100 to 250 milligrams of coffee per day will give optimal result.

Consuming a little above this maximum value may result to negative consequences including sleep issues and irritability. Typically, values above 400 milligrams are considered out of place.

The second food item to consider is Green tea. Green tea contains caffeine and L-theanine which is an amino acid proven to help with stress and enhances brain performance.

The next food to consider is Dark Chocolate. Several studies suggest that dark chocolate and generally cocoa products affect brain function positively. Some studies support the fact that taking these nutrients will help to reduce brain fatigue.

Other foods that support brain function and increase alertness are Avocados, Fish, Nuts, Broccoli, Leafy greens and Beets. Avocados contain carotenoids which influence mental function while fish contains Omega-3 acids. Beets and Nuts facilitate blood flow and are loaded with Vitamin-E and Zinc while Leefy greens are known to help in reducing cognitive decline as it also helps to slow down aging. Broccoli is an antioxidant and is full of vitamin K as well as glucosinolates.

It is advised to include these foods as part of our daily diet instead of taking them alone as it is known to be more effective when consumed over time in a balanced diet.

For exam weeks or intensive weeks when long hours of concentration is required, these brain boosting foods that help alertness will be very helpful.