There’s been a lot of chatter lately about the ability of
certain foods to sharpen your focus and enhance memory, so we decided to check
things out for ourselves and learn if this is really true. Here’s what we
found:
Give your brain a
boost
Omega-3 fatty acids -- a healthy fat found in fish such as
tuna and salmon -- play a vital role in enhancing memory. Studies have even
shown that omega-3s can keep you sharp as you age. So, brown-bagging a tuna
fish sandwich made of canned or pouched tuna for lunch may be just what you
need to ace your exams!
- Did you know?
The latest dietary guidelines for Americans say we should
eat at least 8 to 12 ounces of seafood or fish per week to boost brain
health. That’s equal to three tuna fish
sandwiches!
- Not into fish? Try
this
Flaxseed and walnuts are rich in healthy fats that can boost
brain function, so sprinkling ground flaxseed on oatmeal or munching on walnuts
are smart habits to adopt now.
Put on your thinking
cap
Nuts, a good source of vitamin E, might also have the
ability to help us focus. Not nuts about
nuts? Then give blueberries a go!
Studies show that blueberries are brain food, and just ½ cup every day will do
the trick! You can put them on your
cereal, add them to yogurt, whirl them into a smoothie or just enjoy them
plain.
Gotta do this
Of course, all sorts of nutrition fads come and go, but one
thing will never change: Breakfast is
the most important meal of the day.
Girls who eat breakfast perform better in school, consume more bone-building
calcium, fiber and vitamins than those who skip breakfast, and they tend to eat
less fat and cholesterol than their friends who miss this valuable meal.
Eat up!
What does this mean to you?
Make time for breakfast! And it
doesn’t have to be boring. Try a yogurt
and fruit parfait, a scrambled egg wrap, hot cereal with brown sugar and honey,
low-fat muffins, whole wheat waffles with bananas and syrup or a bagel
slathered with peanut butter and fruit preserves. After any of those meals, you’ll rock the
classroom!
BY TINA RUGGIERO, M.S., R.D., L.D. ON 5/9/2012 1:00:00 PM