Exam Tips: Foods to Help Your Child Perform His/her Best

As the exams approach, stress levels rise. Not just our children’s, but our own as well. Long hours of studying add to the fatigue. Our kids feel the pressure to excel. Food may be the last thing on their mind.

Ironically, we need to focus on their diet if want them to perform their best.

Research has established a link between diet and academic performance. Studies have found that students, who ate an adequate amount of fruit, veggies, protein and fiber and cut down on fat, did better on their literacy tests than those eating foods high in salt and saturated fat.

Here are a few food tips to make sure our kids maintain their energy levels and have improved concentration and memory.

• Include wholegrain carbohydrates such as breads, cereals, pasta, rice, and potatoes as part of every meal.
• Include 4-5 servings of protein rich foods daily such as meats, fish, poultry, beans, lentils and nuts.
• Encourage our child to have 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
• Offer 2 glasses of fortified milk a day such as NIDO® Fortified with FortiGrow.
• Include oils and fats in small amounts, preferably canola or corn oil for cooking and olive oil for salads
• Limit the intake of sweets and other salty or processed snacks.

Study smarter

Despite being a small organ, the brain uses 20% of the energy we need each day. So it needs a steady supply of glucose throughout the day, to ensure good concentration. Here are a few more tips to ensure our child eats their way to success:

1. Don’t skip breakfast

A healthy breakfast is critical to good exam performance. For the best breakfast include:

• A serving of wholegrain breakfast cereals, 1 cup of semi-skimmed milk, and a handful of dried fruit and nuts
• Scrambled egg served on 2 whole wheat toasts, 1 cup of NIDO® Fortified with FortiGrow, a serving of fruit
• A whole wheat sandwich or bagel with cheese and tomato and 1glass of NIDO® Fortified with FortiGrow.

2. Encourage our child to drink 8 cups of water daily. A 2% decrease in hydration can lead to a 20% loss in energy and in the capacity to memorize and think correctly. It is also one of the main caused of tiredness. This means our child needs to drink water, and other beverages such as NIDO® Fortified with FortiGrow to fight fatigue and to perform optimally.

3. Have a snack just before the exam. A snack 30 minutes prior to taking a test notably improved grades in one study involving elementary school children. This could be a banana or a handful of nuts with a glass of NIDO® Fortified.

Exams can be a testing time where food and nutrition are concerned. But eating healthy meals and snacks at regular intervals will not only help our child stay nourished but also provide small intervals of well-deserved relaxation. It will help our child cope with exam stress and also help them perform their best.

Do you have any tips about foods to help your children perform their best? Please share them with other mums in the comments section below.