Just in time for the end of the year crunch, brain food you can snack on.
By Chloe’ Scretchings.
It’s almost finals time, when students spend hours staying up late, studying, and worrying. Many deal with stress by carbo-loading with foods they associate with comfort and ease, such as chips, French fries, candy, and caffeinated soft drinks. They might taste good, but are high in fat, salt and sugar.Junk food may seem to provide energy, which students need to get them through the end of semester stress. But it actually hinders good health and brainpower, giving only short bursts of energy. That's also a problem with energy drinks like Red Bull that are popular with students. It has about the same amount of caffeine as a small cappuccino and is high in sugar.CCNY student Matthew Smith says he needs that kind of quick fix as he prepares for finals. "When I know I have my hardest finals coming up, sometimes I’ll drink 4 or more Red Bulls just to get through the studying," says the junior. "I really do need the energy.”Plenty of other students also rely on easy energy. A recent study conducted by Team SELF, students in the MCA Ad PR Workshop, found that 54 percent of CCNY students do not have time to eat full, healthy meals, so they turn to snacks for energy and to fight off hunger.To help students not only survive finals, but to do their best, Team SELF, in association with the Healthy CUNY Initiative, which hopes to make CUNY the healthiest urban university in the United States by 2016, offer suggestions for healthy and nourishing snack choices that help boost brain power during finals.Don’t fall victim to the vending machine munchies. Take a few extra minutes to plan your snacks to get you through the long study hours. Instead of a candy bar, choose fruits, such as apricots, bananas, berries, cantaloupes and kiwis that contain vitamin K, which is essential in improving brainpower. Fruits also contain minerals like potassium, which improves memory, as well as other antioxidants and fibers that will increase energy, cognitive function and concentration.Go nuts. These are another excellent source of brainpower. Almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts are full of good fats, and are an excellent source of omega-3s, which are known to give your brain the boost it needs to have better cognitive skills. Nuts are also full of antioxidants, fibers, minerals proteins and vitamins all known to give the brain a boost as well.Eat your vegetables. That’s what your mother always told you, and she had great reasons. Vegetables like podded peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, beets and rutabagas give you energy to power throughout your day. They are the sweet, filling, and you can eat them completely raw. Plus, they contain vitamins B, C and iron, which give you the natural stamina you’d look for in a candy bar but would never find.Keep it interesting. Try a variety of different snack food, including these favorites courtesy of livestrong.com:
- Blueberries: Fantastic source of antioxidants. Helps brain cells communicate better.
- Carrots: Full of natural substances that help protect the brain from toxins.
- Nuts: Excellent source of Vitamin E which promotes a healthy circulatory system to help your body carry oxygen to your brain.
- Edamame: Contains an amino acid that helps relay signals from one brain cell to another.
- Hot Peppers: Stimulates circulation, aids digestion, opens your nasal passage and sends a feeling of euphoria to the brain.
Drink Water. Nothing beats the often overlooked, but always good option of a nice cold glass of water. Most students do not understand that dehydration is detrimental to their health and will tire them out as well. Keeping yourself hydrated is important, especially if you are short on sleep.Try Tea. It’s a healthier alternative to coffee. Look to black, green, white and Oolong teas which have caffeine as well as calming amino acids to lower the anxiety that high caffeine can cause. Tea also aids in better attention and focus.To learn more about foods you can eat to do your best in school come to the Hoffman Lounge on Thursday, December 1 from 12-2 pm for Team SELF’s special event “Challenge Your Snack-telligence.” You can take part in activities and a chance to win prizes such as an Amazon Kindle, a Visa Gift Card and more!
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