How do you prepare for an important examination? You are probably thinking of doing more practice papers, reading up on your notes, getting a good night’s sleep, and probably attend one or two PSLE Science tuition in Singapore. But, what about eating healthily? It may sound strange, but what goes in your mouth can actually have more of an effect on your grades than you think! What are the best foods to eat before an examination? Let’s take a look at some diets from the best PSLE Science tuition in Singapore.
Why is Healthy Food Important?
Junk food may be convenient and comforting while studying, but it certainly doesn’t add marks to your grades. Just as a driver would not put the cheapest, poorest-quality petrol into their car and expect it to run fast, it is similarly unreasonable for students to consume unhealthy, processed food and yet expect their brains to run well on the day of their PSLE papers.
A balanced, natural diet has been proven to sharpen the mind and improve one’s concentration. This is because consuming different food groups increases the amount of nutrients in your body. Remember that your brain is an organ, and like any other organ in your body, it thrives on the nutrients you consume. As such, maintaining a healthy diet can improve blood flow to your brain, help your body form new, healthy brain cells, repair existing brain cells and reduce the cells’ susceptibility to damage and ageing.
Brain Food
Some healthy foods have been dubbed “brain food” and included as a staple in many diets. If you’re looking for some power food to boost your mental strength, give these a try!
Walnuts
The shape of a walnut looks just like a human brain, right down to the tiny folds and wrinkles. It’s no surprise then that walnuts are beneficial to the brain due to their high concentration of omega-3. On top of reducing oxidative stress in the brain, the omega-3 in walnuts can also improve the neurons in your brain and promote healthy growth of new neurons, thus increasing your mental processing speed. Additionally, walnuts also contain serotonin, which can help to improve your overall mood and keep you motivated during studying.
Avocadoes
Avocado are a unique food that people consume not just for brain function, but also overall physical health. While most fruits are made of carbohydrates, avocadoes are made of healthy fats and contain plenty of nutrients, such as the vitamins C, E, K, B5 and B6. In fact, avocadoes provide 14 percent of the recommended daily intake for potassium, compared to 10 percent from bananas. A high potassium intake is linked to healthier blood pressure levels. This improves blood flow to the brain. Avocadoes can also increase your dopamine levels in the brain, which keeps you focused when studying.
Cod Liver Oil
Historically used as a supplement for vitamin D, cod liver oil also contains plenty of the omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). As the main omega-3 fatty acid in your brain, DHA is vital for maintaining your nervous system. This can improve your brain function and mental ability.
Eggs
One of the most common foods you’ll find on the breakfast table, eggs are full of protein, which aids in concentration and energy for the rest of the day. Eggs are one of the main sources of choline, a nutrient that your brain converts into acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter that boosts communication between your brain cells. Some people may be hesitant towards eggs because of the common misconception that consuming an egg – which contains 212mg of cholesterol – puts us dangerously close to the recommended daily intake of 300mg of cholesterol. However, more recent findings state that dietary cholesterol is separate from blood cholesterol, and that the brain needs dietary cholesterol to function, considering that it contains 25 percent of the body’s total cholesterol.
Dark Chocolate
Don’t worry – you can still get your chocolate fix without feeling guilty about it. The small amount of caffeine in dark chocolate won’t do as much as a cup of coffee, but it can still improve your alertness and memory by increasing blood flow to your brain, all without the negative effects of having too much caffeine. Ever wondered why eating chocolate can make you feel happy? Chocolate contains anandamide and phenylethylamine, neurotransmitters that stimulate the pleasure centres in your brain and boost your mood.
The next time you’re about to reach for that bag of chips, consider adding some of these foods to your diet instead of going for processed foods. However, although these foods can give you a leg up for your paper, remember that you should consume anything in moderation. Even a superfood can be a detriment to your health if you go overboard on it.
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