It’s pretty common practice that filling your body up with good foods is significantly better for a variety of reasons than compared to eating bad foods, but it’s also common to not know exactly why or how it benefits us.
When you’re revising for your accountancy exams, it’s easy to get stuck into your work and be so focused that you forget the world around you, including taking breaks and consuming food.
Whilst you might have been conditioned to believe that taking breaks is a form of procrastination and isn’t actually being productive, the opposite is in fact true, with breaks being a healthy point of studying and skipping meals can be incredibly detrimental in many ways.
There are many important factors when it comes to studying, including ensuring you have enough nutrients in your diet to be prepared for both your revision and the exam itself, which is just one of the things my Accounting Exam Accelerator Programme teaches students about.
The Science Behind It
Past research has shown that 20% of our daily nutrient intake is used up by the brain, meaning that a fifth of all food you consume is being used as brainpower.
It also highlights how badly you need to keep feeding your body nutrients, because they are being rapidly absorbed and a depleting supply means you will start functioning slower and not perform at your best.
Ultimately, glucose levels play a key role in our bodies, as they provide the energy needed to study and keep going throughout the day.
Glucose levels are at their lowest when you first wake up in the morning as you haven’t had any food that could boost them, so having a well-balanced breakfast is imperative, even if you’re not the sort of person who will usually eat in the morning.
We spend a lot of time preparing ourselves academically for our exams and more often than not our personal life gets left behind, but put as much effort into planning meals as you do planning study sessions and you’ll quickly be on the road to success.
What Foods Should You Eat?
There are lots of different food groups and types that can be beneficial, each coming with their own benefits, so it can be hard to pick what to incorporate into your daily diet.
1. Fish
One of the top foods for brain activity is fish due to the high-level of omega-3 fatty acids that might not sound healthy but most certainly are.
Certain fish such as salmon, trout and sardines come out on top for the optimal amount of fatty acids they contain, so make a note to add these to your shopping list.
2. Nuts & Seeds
If you are not a big fish lover, nuts and seeds are a great alternative and can even be easily eaten as a snack when studying.
Flax, chia and hemp seeds are high in omega-3, as well as nuts like walnuts being known to include lots of the beneficial fat too.
3. Fruit
Rather than gaining a quick sugar rush from chocolate, biscuits and cakes, you can boost your sugar levels through fresh fruit, such as blueberries and strawberries, but should always be eaten in moderation as they can spike your blood sugar when you eat too many.
Bananas are a great pick as they are high in potassium as well as offering a slow release of energy so you don’t feel the overwhelming rush all at once.
4. Water
I know that water isn’t food, but keeping hydrated throughout your study sessions is imperative and you should aim to drink at least 2 litres a day.
None of us truly drink as much water as we should, but if you struggle drinking a tasteless liquid, try it in the form of zero-sugar squash to add some flavour to your pallet.
What Foods Should You Avoid?
1. Coffee
Another drink on a food-related list, coffee can be great for increasing your energy when you start to feel fatigued, and I have nothing against caffeinated drinks, but there are certain times when they shouldn’t be consumed.
Avoid drinking high-caffeine beverages such as coffee and tea later on in the day as it can drastically affect your sleep, something which you need a lot of to power through each day.
2. Sugary Snacks
We all love a chocolate bar or a cake, but whilst they taste great, the lasting effects just aren’t lasting.
The fast sugar rush gained from these foods fades far quicker than it would after consuming a natural product, so you find yourself tired quite soon after eating them and in the end you’ll eat too much just to fill yourself up.
3. High Fructose Drinks
High fructose drinks are ones which contain high fructose corn syrups and are often sweet, canned substances that we can’t help but love the taste of.
Just like sugary snacks, the amount of sugar that is packed into each one does way more harm than good, and can cause spiked blood sugar levels as well as health problems such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Maintaining a balanced diet is important for all points of life, not least for important times such as when studying for your exams, so make sure to stay healthy and committed.