What to eat before an Olympiad exam?

Students and parents are often are under the impression that to score good marks in an exam, a student only needs to study and prepare a lot. As much as this is true, it isn't. Of course preparing well for your exam does affect your performance but it isn't the only deciding factor. Our diet plays a major role too. It's known that children feel dizzy or sick during their exams and blame it entirely on their nervousness. Not having a proper and healthy diet can adversely affect a student's performance by making them extremely stressed, irritable, weak or inattentive. So it is always a good idea to follow a healthy diet to ensure that you don't get distracted by your growling stomach, a headache or nausea.

Here's what you can include (or not) in your daily meals to keep you healthy and fired up:

Avoid fast foods of any kind

It won't be surprising if you mentally went LOL and told yourself that this wasn't going to happen. But there is a reason why everyone, especially your mom, keeps lecturing you about why you should stay away from fast food. All the samosas, chowmein and the gol-gappas from the roadside stalls we all love to gorge, are not friends of our health. They are made from subpar ingredients, cooked in poor quality fats and are more than often prepared in unhygienic surroundings. And as much as they are delectable treats for our taste buds, it is always wise to keep them at a distance at least during exam season to avoiding any chances of getting sick at the last minute.

Yogurt

This might come as a shock to some but eating yoghurt before exams so that you perform well, is not a superstition but is backed by science. Apparently, yoghurt is a great source of calcium and protein. It also helps us stay alert during our exams. It is a great and delicious way to quickly hydrate your body while providing it with the necessary nutrients. A glass of buttermilk is a good alternative too and keeps your body from over-heating, especially in the summer-time.

Fruits and vegetables

Some of you might find this boring, but fruits and veggies are sources of some very important nutrients. They have all the necessary vitamins, minerals and are rich in fiber, and there are nearly no downsides to binge-eating them. They not only keep up alert but also help our body in staying hydrated over long periods of time.

Increase fibre intake

Apart from fruits and vegetables, one can also consume foods like porridge and oats to increase the fibre in one's diet. These are two of the best things to have at breakfast. They're easy to cook and are good sources of energy.

Avoid maida products and carbohydrates

Maida based products like bread, and food stuffs like potato and rice are not the best things to have before your exams. These foods are always filling, but are also loaded with starch, which makes the digestion process slower and the body consumes a lot of energy in trying to break them up, which in turn, will leave you drained and make you feel sleepy. Rotis made from wheat flour or multi-grain atta are, however, good for you and so are brown rice and pulses, so make sure they too are a part of your platter for the meals.

Eggs and nuts

Eggs are one of the simplest of foods to cook and the easiest to eat. One can eat them scrambled or boiled, where the latter is obviously a better option of the two. Nuts too are very handy and nutritious. Nuts like Almonds (soaked in water overnight and peeled) and Walnuts are the best of the lot during exams. Eggs and nuts are rich in proteins and despite the small servings, can boost your energy and help you go through the day without any problems.

Water

Water! Well, water is extremely important. No other beverage (no, not even coffee or tea or energy drinks) can substitute something as simple as water. The fact that it's near to impossible for a human to survive without water for more than 3 days, speaks volumes about why it is necessary. Water is good for digestion; the body gets rid of toxins, boosts one's immunity, and keeps one alert and obviously hydrated too. It is always a good idea to carry a water bottle in your examination hall so that you cannot be distracted by thirst, and stay alert.

And then, of course, having a proper balanced diet is obviously crucial. Students are often not in the habit of having breakfast at all, which isn't a healthy practice. Breakfast is undeniably the most important meal of the day. Having a balanced diet is necessary and having it at proper meal times, is too. It is also advised to keep eating light food stuffs regularly instead of having big portions at one go. Olympiad Exams don't drain you just mentally but physically too, therefore while preparing for exams it is essential to feed and take care of your body too.