As the school year returns, with it come exams, projects, homework assignments, and other tasks that require focus, attention, and a good memory. So what can you do to get your body and your mind ready for the challenges of school?

Start by focusing on your diet. What you eat and when you eat it can help support your brain so that it is functioning at its highest capacity.

Overall dietary patterns predict academic performance

The overall quality of your diet matters if you want to think clearly and do well in school.1 If the body is starved of important nutrients, it can’t perform as well.

Kids who don’t meet the recommended daily allowances of macronutrients have lower scores on academic tasks.2 In a recent study, researchers found that adolescents who more strongly followed a Western dietary pattern (high in red and processed meats, take-out foods, soft drinks, fried foods, and refined foods) had significantly lower scores on tests for mathematics, reading, and writing compared to those who followed more healthy dietary patterns (high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and fish).3

In another study, Greek children who adhered to the Mediterranean diet showed significantly higher academic performance.4

In general, students who eat lots of the following foods tend to perform worse on tests and have a harder time in school:

• Sweets
• Fried foods
• Processed foods
• Red and processed meats
• Sugar-sweetened beverages
• Take-out1,3,5

On the other hand, students who eat a lot of these foods tend to do better in school:

• Vegetables
• Fruits
• Whole grains
• Fish
• Healthy fats (olive oil, avocados, fish oil)
• Milk3,4,6-8

There is ample evidence that the quality of diet can greatly impact academic achievement and cognitive function. So what steps can you take to use nutrition to support your brain in its endeavors? The following tips can help you or your child to do better in school.

Eat regular meals, including a healthy breakfast

It isn’t just what you eat that matters, but when you eat it, too. One study in high school students found that eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner regularly was associated with decreased odds of having difficulties with math.5

Breakfast, in particular, really does seem to be the most important meal of the day when it comes to academic achievement. Breakfast consumption can improve memory, attention, on-task behavior in the classroom, and test grades.9,10 The quality of the breakfast is important too; aim for a large variety of food groups and a low glycemic index.9,11

A low glycemic index means avoiding refined carbohydrates and sugars that lead to sharp increases in glucose (and subsequent drops in blood sugar). A low glycemic index may be best for cognitive function in adolescents, with kids performing better on tests when they eat breakfasts with low glycemic indexes.12 So don’t keep sugary cereals and other carbohydrate-heavy meals in the house. Look for whole-grain products and try to incorporate plenty of protein, along with fruits and vegetables, into breakfast.

Choose snacks wisely

One of the best ways you can use food to boost academic performance is by preventing mental fatigue. Foods high in fiber and protein give the body and brain prolonged energy to keep you going throughout the day, minimizing spikes in blood sugar and the subsequent drops in energy.

By giving your body a constant stream of energy input, you’ll be able to prevent those afternoon slumps where the brain just seems to stop working.
Stay away from refined carbohydrates and sugar-loaded snacks. In one study, students who ate unhealthy snacks (high in fat, sugar, salt, and calories) were 56% less likely to pass language standardized tests and 66% less likely to pass mathematics standardized tests.13

Choose things like nuts, high-fiber fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Whole grains are great for preventing mental fatigue and have been shown to benefit cognitive performance in high school students.6 A handful of mixed nuts, peanut butter on celery, or whole-grain crackers with cheese serve as healthy and delicious school-time snack options.

Boost your brainpower with these foods

Some foods can help you to enhance focus, attention, and concentration in the short-term. When you need an extra boost to keep you alert, try a few squares of dark chocolate, for example. Dark chocolate may serve as a stimulant, helping to increase attention and alertness.14 Look for a cacao content above 60%.

Tea can also help. Green tea increases working memory and enhances brain activity in regions related to improvements in task performance.15

Other foods have been shown to be particularly beneficial in improving brain health overall, thus promoting good cognitive function now and later in life. Omega-3s, in particular, are especially important for memory and cognitive function, and getting enough can improve academic performance.16 Eating at least two servings of fish per week can help to keep the brain in top shape.

In one study, Swedish adolescents who ate fish one or more times per week had significantly higher grades compared to those who didn’t eat any fish.7

Avocados, green leafy vegetable, legumes, berries, nuts and seeds, eggs, and healthy fats like olive oil are also all good foods for brain health.

Don’t forget WATER

Even if you are only mildly dehydrated, cognitive function can be impaired.

Several studies have found that drinking water while performing cognitive tasks like tests can help you to perform better.17-18

If you want to help yourself or your child to do better academically, be sure to use good diet and hydration to your advantage.

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