Cara Cunningham, MINDI, Community Dietitian
Well it’s that time again! Less than one month to study and get that knowledge to stick before the exams start. ‘A good start is half the journey’ and this saying definitely can be applied to a breakfast for those studying. There have been quite a few studies linking skipping breakfast to poor attention and memory levels, with one study in Korea showing that those who have a breakfast achieve a better academic performance.
Your brain, although it is one of the smallest organs in the body, uses up to twenty percent of the energy you need each day. It needs to be constantly supplied with a steady stream of glucose. Before you reach for the sugar bowl or the glucose drink, the most important thing to remember is that this energy is needed as a ‘steady stream’, that means foods rich in fibre that will break down slowly, releasing energy for your brain over the morning.
Good breakfast options would be a bowl of porridge with some chopped fresh or dried fruit on top, wholegrain cereal with milk, orange juice or wholemeal bread toast with banana.
Studying for exams can be difficult, your mind can seem to wander, and it is very frustrating when information just does not ‘go in’! Waking up your brain and fuelling it will improve alertness, give you a better memory and improve concentration levels, all vital when you are studying or cramming for exams.
The message is clear, get the little grey cells working! Be sure to have your breakfast every morning.
For more information on any of the issues discussed above or for more information on diet and nutrition, please contact Maria at The Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service, HSE Dublin-Mid Leinster on (044 ) 9395518 or email [email protected].
