![Fruit and Veg Fruit and Veg at a local farmers market. [Flickr/William Murphy]](https://i1.wp.com/thecircular.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/3035848382_13bf8b285b_b.jpg?resize=678%2C381)
Ensuring that one is eating right is the last thing on any students mind. Pizza, fast food, and energy drinks are what normally gives you food for thought, yet feeding the mind is exactly what students should be doing when eating.
So what foods are good for a college student’s brain?
Flanagan says protein is another good way to keep your brain going. “Meat or vegetarian proteins are also good for the brain,” she said.
She suggests students go back to the basics. “Apple a day is a good message. You should have five fruits and veg a day,” she said. “Students probably get two a day.”
Some of the top fruit snacks are apples, bananas, avocados and berries. You can even do dried fruit just avoid the ones with sugar. Dried fruits are a great snack that releases slow burning energy and allows students to keep their mind on college.
A long-term study conducted by Harvard Medical School revealed that these type vegetables had the most positive effect on memory retention. Vegetables could give you the extra help students need to make the grades.
“There are a wide range of benefits from eating fruits and veg, not only to keep you healthy, but also they are a good source of vitamins,” she says.
“Some of the best sources are almonds, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, linseeds, and chia seeds,” said nutritionist Aine Waldron with nutrimission.ie. Just 30 grams is enough to make a healthy snack either in class or while studying.
Both nutritionists say oily fish is another way to boost your concentration.
According to Waldron having fish twice a week is enough to boost your concentration level and may help improve memory.
Students this means less time dozing off in class and actually remembering what was said during a lecture, not to mention the overall health benefits for you.
Other of the key aspects to maintaining your concentration during classes or while working on assignments is to keep your blood sugar steady and have 3 regular meals a day and snacks adds Waldron.
Some other great brain foods and source of protein are eggs and beans (legumes).
“Beans and [whole grain] toast is a relatively cheap and a complete meal,” Flanagan said. “The big problem is students don’t know how to cook for themselves.”
Cooking from scratch is actually cheaper for students, according to Flanagan, even if time is not always on your side taking time out to make a balanced meal can give you that mental break your brain needs.
One of the other important things is to stay hydrated throughout the day drinking 1 ½ to 2 liters of water and tea, says Flanagan. “You can have coffee however 3 cups or 400 mg of coffee is enough.”
“Watch your caffeine intake as too much coffee and caffeine containing drinks will make you more dehydrated,” said Waldron.
Avoid fizzy drinks and energy drinks as both nutritionists state they are not healthy for students when they need to have their brains actively concentrating and can make you more dehydrated resulting in your concentration levels dropping.
“Have a mixture of fluids a day,” Flanagan says.
When it comes to alcohol which is as much as part of the college experience as studying Flanagan says it is deadly thing for students.
“Moderate it if going through a stressful time, 100 mils of wine, or a ½ pint or 35 mils of a shot instead of a standard drink,” Flanagan said.
Another Harvard study suggests eating dark chocolate as it helps with blood flow to the brain increasing alertness and clarity. The darker the chocolate, the more benefits your brain will receive.
“Don’t wait until exams to stock up on healthy foods for the brain,” Flanagan said. “Be prepared.”
For more information you can go to nutrimission.ie or nutritionwise.ie or healthyireland.ie for more nutritional information.
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