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Eating right can actually help memory recall, and maybe improve test scores
There’s a reason many students can’t think before noon.
How often have you slammed down a hit of caffeine or sugar and ran out the door to an exam? After all, who has time for breakfast? You need those extra five minutes to jam one more obscure fact that may or may not be on the test into your head.
Well, as it turns out, those five minutes may be better spent getting some nourishment rather than blankly staring at your study guide.
I’m sure you’ve all heard the clichés on TV and the radio about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
However, most of it is actually true. According to a study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1998, “Breakfast consumption preferentially influences tasks requiring aspects of memory.”
Last I checked, exams require quite a bit of memory, so falling into the habit of skipping breakfast isn’t going to work quite so well for anyone trying to ace a test.
Martha O’Gorman, a registered dietician with Recreation Services at NIU, agrees.
“Traditionally, breakfast refers to a meal eaten early in the morning,” she explained. “The crucial element is to eat your first meal within two hours of waking, [and] this meal ideally will include protein as well as carbohydrate.”
“The protein will come primarily from the dairy products or the eggs and, to a lesser extent, the whole grains. But, this first meal might also be a hearty soup, a sandwich, a piece of fruit and a glass of low fat milk consumed at 11 a.m.,” O’Gorman said.
Trying to single-handedly increase PepsiCo and Hershey’s third-quarter profits by another tenth of a percent might taste quite good (believe me, you get no argument from me – I bleed Pepsi); however, it’s not the best choice when you’re trying to use your brain on an exam. In fact, too much caffeine and sugar can actually hurt your ability to recall information.
According to O’Gorman, “Consuming large portions of caffeine or sugary beverages without adequate protein and healthy carbohydrates will likely leave the student feeling lethargic or fatigued in the middle of the exam, just when he/she needs to accomplish their best recall.”
She added, “The biggest detriment for students will be if they are taking an exam or studying for an exam without fueling the brain.”
O’Gorman explained that students who want to improve their exam performance should focus on a “balance in the time and type of meal” to properly fuel the brain.
“Whether maximizing mental or physical performance, eat within two hours of getting up and eat every four or five hours up to the two hours before going to bed. Choose a balanced mix of lean protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy fats,” O’Gorman said.
Eating is something you’re going to do anyway, so why not do it right and give yourself a leg up when it comes to that next exam?
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