Eating for Higher Grades! The Link Between Food and Intelligence

Don't feel guilty eating for grades! Spend a little time thinking about your food before you crack open your book. What goes into our body determines how we feel and think. Those who eat lower quality food can score around 8 points lower on an IQ scale than those who eat higher quality food (Summ, 2012). In this case, you are what you eat!

Oily fish foods, tomatoes, lean meats, whole grains, vegetables, blueberrys, liver, spinach, bananas, nuts and  tea improve your brain function, memory and focus. The very same foods that encourage a healthy body weight also seem to encourage better brain functioning while protecting against cognitive diseases.

Why eat healthy foods? Beyond simple health it is beneficial for your test taking, memory and recall. By providing the right nutrients the brain can obtain enough oxygen and other materials it needs to  keep neurons firing to collect, store, and recall information.

Another benefit of eating for intelligence is that foods like vegetables, berries and tea can actually protect your cells through the removal of free radicals. These high antioxidant foods are working in the background to clean up any toxic mess that could lead to diseases later.

You might be tempted to jump for the chips and candy when your hungry. Think about your tests and schooling and how food can actually help you get a higher grade. By eating the right foods a day or so before you have a big exam and while you are studying is likely to help you store and recall important facts and figures when you need it. Eat away...just eat right!

Stumm, S. (2012) You are what you eat? The association between food and cognitive ability. Educational Journal, 143.