The Best 8 Brain Foods for Exams and Studying
Maintaining your health is crucial if you’re a student attempting to learn and retain a lot of new material. Maintaining your health can help you meet your learning objectives and do better academically.
Research indicates that specific foods may be particularly significant for brain health and enhancing mental performance, even while maintaining a generally healthy diet is the most important way to keep your body and brain nourished and prepared to take on challenging tasks.
When you’re studying for a test, these foods are a great option because they have been connected to better brain health.
Here are the top 8 brain foods for studying.
1. Berries
Berries include a wide range of chemicals that may support cognitive health and enhance academic performance. Blackberries, strawberries, blueberries, and other berries have particularly high levels of anthocyanins, which are flavonoid molecules.
By boosting blood flow to the brain, reducing inflammation, and enhancing specific signaling pathways that support the development of new nerve cells and cellular functions related to learning and memory, anthocyanins are thought to enhance mental function.
Consuming berries has been shown in several human studies to have a good impact on brain function.
For instance, the benefits of ingesting a 13.5-ounce (400-mL) smoothie with equal parts blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries were investigated in a study involving 40 participants.
It was discovered that the smoothie caused faster reaction speeds on Compared to those in a placebo group, participants were able to sustain accuracy on attention and task-switching tasks and sustain accuracy over a 6-hour period.
Furthermore, eight of the research in the review, which comprised 12 investigations including children, young adults, and older individuals, indicated better mental performance following the consumption of blueberries or blueberry supplements, including on tests of short-, long-, and spatial memory .
Nevertheless, the researchers came to the conclusion that further carefully planned trials are required to verify this potential advantage.
Anthocyanin-rich berries have been the subject of several other research that have similarly shown advantages in mental performance.
Citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, are high in flavonoids, such as rutin, quercetin, hesperidin, and naringin, just like berries (6Trusted Source).
These substances could be able to prevent mental decline by protecting nerve cells from harm and enhancing learning and memory .
Citrus fruit juice has been linked in studies to improved mental function.
Drinking 17 ounces (500 mL) of 100% orange and grapefruit juice increased blood flow to the brain and markedly improved performance on a test involving matching symbols, according to a study conducted on 40 young adults.
demonstrated that consuming 17 ounces (500 mL) of 100% orange and grapefruit juice, as opposed to a control drink, boosted blood flow to the brain and markedly improved performance on a test that required matching symbols to numbers .
In another study, 37 older persons were given 17 ounces (500 mL) of 100% orange juice daily for 8 weeks. The results showed a significant improvement in general brain function, as measured by many tests, when compared to a control beverage .
While fruit juices are a more concentrated supply of these potentially beneficial components for brain health, entire citrus fruits can also be eaten as a snack when studying or getting ready for an exam because they are rich in flavonoids.
Combine citrus juice and fruits witha source of healthy fat and protein, like mixed nuts, to add to the satisfaction of your snack.
3. Products with cocoa and dark chocolate
Because cocoa has the highest flavonoid concentration of any food by weight, items made with cocoa, such as chocolate, greatly increase the amount of flavonoids one consumes through diet. Products made from cocoa that is high in flavonoids may improve brain health .
Ninety older persons with modest mental impairment participated in a study where they drank a cocoa beverage once a day for eight weeks that included 45 mg, 520 mg, or 990 mg of cocoa flavonoids per serving .
Those who drank the high-flavonoid beverage outperformed those who drank the low-flavonoid beverage on mental tests at the end of the trial .
Additionally, it was proposed that the main reason for the increased insulin sensitivity in the high and intermediate flavonoid groups was of the enhanced cerebral performance. One hormone that aids in transferring blood sugar into cells so that it can be utilized as an energy source is insulin.
Consuming cocoa may help boost memory and reaction speed on mental tasks, lessen mental weariness, and improve blood flow to the brain, according to other studies.
The blood-brain barrier is a semipermeable membrane that surrounds your brain. It’s interesting to note that flavonoids can pass this barrier and directly affect the parts of the brain responsible for memory and attention .
4. Almonds
Nuts are a great source of zinc and vitamin E, two elements that are critical for brain function. They’re a great option for study snacks because they’re also lightweight and adaptable.
Nuts can keep you energized during long study sessions because they are rich amounts of fiber, protein, and healthy fat. Furthermore, some studies suggest that eating nuts as a snack may even assist to enhance some areas of brain function.
In comparison to a placebo, an 8-week study involving 64 college students revealed that incorporating walnuts into their diet significantly improved their ability to understand verbal information by 11.2% .
A different study involving 317 kids discovered a correlation between nut consumption and better cognitive exam scores and reaction times.Furthermore, eating at least five servings of nuts a week was linked to improved overall mental health, according to a population-based study involving 15,467 women.
5. Eggs
Because of the range of nutrients they contain, eggs are frequently referred to as nature’s multivitamin. Specifically, they are abundant in minerals that are essential for proper brain function, such as selenium, choline, and vitamin B12 (21, 22, 23).
For instance, choline is required for brain development and the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is required for memory storage and muscular function, whereas selenium is involved in coordination, memory, cognition, and motor performance.
Low levels of vitamin B12 damage brain function and play crucial functions in neurological health.
Additionally, lutein, a carotenoid pigment found in eggs, has been linked to enhanced mental and visual performance.
must consume whole eggs, not only egg whites, in order to benefit from their possible promotion of improved brain function.
Eating egg yolks was linked, compared to eating egg whites, to improved short-term learning, memory scores, and attention in a study including 19 children and adolescents. Nonetheless, the Egg Nutrition Center provided funding for this study, which could have had an impact on the findings .
6. Avocados
Avocados are a fruit that may be eaten in a variety of ways, such as whole with a little salt or mashed into guacamole or spread on toast. They make a handy study snack and may improve cognitive performance.
They are a great source of lutein, a pigment that builds up in the eyes and brain and may have a beneficial effect on brain function.
84 participants participated in a study that showed increases in mental test accuracy and elevated blood levels of lutein in those who consumed a meal including fresh avocados for a duration of 12 weeks.
Nevertheless, the Hass Avocado Board provided funding for the study, which could have had an impact. Still, lutein consumption and blood lutein levels havebeen linked to improved overall brain function.
7. Fish
Essential fats known as omega-3s are crucial for maintaining brain function. They are mostly found in fatty fish, which are also fantastic providers of other nutrients that support brain function, such as selenium and vitamin B12.
It should come as no surprise that eating fish has been associated with improved brain function in several studies.
Higher fish consumption was associated with improved memory and brain function in a research including 76 adult Japanese participants.
A different study including over 17,000 students discovered that consuming 8 grams of fish daily was substantially linked to higher marks in arithmetic and German as opposed to eating little or no fish at all.
But the research also showed that this correlation decreased in the highest category of fish consumption, which the authors hypothesized would be caused by the increased consumption of mercury and other dangerous contaminants present in seafood due to the concentration of vital nutrients, such as omega-3 fats, in fish, numerous other studies have connected eating fish to improved mental performance and a slower rate of mental decline.
8. Vegetables in red, green, and orange
Consuming more vegetables is generally linked to improved brain function and the advancement of general wellness. Broccoli, carrots, peppers, and other red, orange, and green vegetables are rich in carotenoid pigments, which are among the many advantageous plant components that have been demonstrated to improve mental function.
In your retinas, the carotenoids zeaxanthin and lutein build up. The term “macular pigment optical density” (MPOD) describes this accumulation.
MPOD was found to be substantially correlated with both brain function and intellectual ability in a study including 51 children aged 7 to 13.
MPOD was found to be positively correlated with academic performance in another study including 56 kids between the ages of 8 and 9 .
Conversely, low MPOD as been connected to a decline in mental capacity. Lower MPOD was linked to worse mental exam scores, worse memory, and longer reaction times, according to a study including 4,453 persons.
Kale, parsley, spinach, basil, peas, leeks, lettuce, carrots, broccoli, and green and red peppers are among the foods that are highest in lutein and zeaxanthin. Pistachios and eggs are excellent providers of zeaxanthin and lutein .
Add chopped red pepper, sliced carrots, and hard-boiled eggs to a big spinach and herb salad for a filling pre-study meal that’s high in carotenoids that support brain function.
For added protein and good fats, toss in a small handful of chopped pistachios and dress the salad with a drizzle of olive oil and vinegar.
Conclusion:
Maintaining a healthy eating schedule is crucial when preparing for tests. While maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle in general is crucial, research indicates that specific foods might improve mental function, making them a great option for students.
Try including a few of the foods mentioned above in your diet if you want to boost your general health and mental function.
