The mental faculties of children work at a marathon pace during board examinations. As such, students need to improve their intellectual endurance and for this they invariably require good nutrition throughout this period. Some of the common tips that students get are of avoiding over-eating or indulging themselves in drinking tea and coffee. Some nutrition experts shared their thoughts with dna for students appearing for Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Examination.
Before and during the exams, children either don't eat enough or eat too much to overcome stress. According to experts, a balanced diet enhances their mental capacity and alertness. Importantly, junk food makes one feel more tired, feel experts.
According to experts, neurons in the brain need good proteins, fat, complex carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients and water. These nutrients drive the learning functions of neurons. So, children must eat healthy food to feed brain cells to perform well during exams, advises Kanchan Patwardhan, clinical nutritionist consultant, Kanchan's House of health and Nutrition and Arogya Hospital, Thane.
Patwardhan further said: "Eat small and easily digestible meals in regular intervals and never skip your meals — especially breakfast. During examination, late night studies, lack of sleep and stress increase the acid level in body and this causes headache and in worst cases vomiting, which leads to fever. So, take proper rest as well as easily digestible food. Avoid tea and coffee which gives very temporary stimulation and you end up drinking more cups which triggers acidity at very high level. Instead of all these acid-producing beverages, one can consume coconut water, lassi, buttermilk, nimbu sharbat or cocum sharbat."
Echoing the sentiments of Patwardhan, another nutritionist, Shilpa Mittal of Kandivli said: "Tea and coffee dehydrates the body. Hence, one can have milk shakes. To keep oneself awake, students can eat fruits, salads and chana. In order to boost memory, one can eat walnuts and almonds. One should not skip the first meal of the day, as this meal will help them stay alert and is a good fuel for the brain. Breakfast can help students concentrate, recollect and reproduce information."
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