Over the years a number of research studies have found a correlation between food and students’ academic performance. Students who follow a healthy eating plan have shown a significant increase in their grades, memory, alertness, and are able to process information faster. It’s also noted that their healthy diet contributes to fewer sick days or days of absence. The reason the body responds to a healthy diet this way is that foods rich in fiber, protein, and healthy fats such as vegetables, yogurt, chicken and oatmeal keep the body feeling full longer, providing the brain with enough energy to focus and ultimately helping you stay alert throughout the entire day.
The motivation to really write about this topic has come from the increased amounts of unhealthy eating and poor nutrition we are seeing amongst our own students. Our hope is to highlight the importance of diet on your studies and show you a few simple and cost-effective ways of maintaining a balanced and nutritional way of eating. The idea is not to give you an extreme health diet to follow, but rather simple principles to follow which make sure you get the nutrition your body needs.
Research has also shown that several students struggle to maintain a healthy diet for various reasons:
1. Students do not have the time to cook healthy meals.
“Healthy meals take too long to make”. Many students feel that a healthy diet and making food at home is a lengthy chore which they do not have time for. When it comes to exams and assignments, they feel they have even less time to spend on cooking and worrying about healthy meals. Convenience is far more important. The problem with is during exam and assignment time students need the most amount of energy, brainpower, and concentration possible and therefore they should be eating more nutritious meals than ever.
Healthy meals do not have to take the whole day to make. The key is to keep 2 of your 3 meals a day simple and have 1 meal a day where you set 30-45min aside to take a break and cook yourself a wholesome meal. Simple breakfast options include oats, future life, or pronuto, which are filling and packed with added vitamins. Making a sandwich to take to class with a piece of fruit is a quick and easy lunch option and then a wholesome dinner could be your time to invest in a cooked meal.
When it comes to cooking you could try a few time-saving tricks.
• Cooking in bulk is also a major time saver in the long run. Take 1 day a week where you have the time to make for example a stew, soup or pasta sauce. Choose items that are easy to freeze and require a long cooking time and cook these in bulk. It will not only save you time but also money, as there is little wastage, there are bigger savings when buying food in bulk and you use less electricity in the long run. You can then freeze these meals and use them on days where you really do not have time to cook.
• Turn your unhealthy meals into healthier options for example 2 minute noodles offer very little nutritional value, but are a popular go to meal for students, however by adding a handful of mixed frozen veg and a piece of chicken, you can have a nutritious meal in no time.
• Get creative with your meals, have fun, make cooking a time to escape from your studies, and remember that eating healthy improves brain function and will help you with your studies. See it as a positive thing and less like a chore. If you live at res and have a few friends in the building try cooking together and make it a social occasion, sharing ingredients and learning from one another.
2. I prefer to choose something that tastes great rather than something which is healthy.
Several students mentioned in a research survey that they rather went for food which tastes great than food which was healthy. Often those foods which taste great are packed with sugar, preservatives, MSG, and other unhealthy chemicals. It’s not to say you should never eat these but use them as a treat rather than your first option. When craving certain fast foods or meals which you enjoy for taste rather than health, try to replicate them at home and see if you can make them a little healthier. For example, if you make a burger try to add extra salad and less sauce, try oven-baked chips instead of fried ones.
3. Eating healthy is expensive
Eating healthy is perceived as something which costs a lot and yes with the number of gluten-free, vegan, lactose-free diets out there, and people making alternatives to accommodate these diets, it could be perceived as expensive to eat health. However a well-balanced diet which is nutritious and not focused of food allergies or alternatives doesn’t have to be.
Understanding your 4 basic food groups and the healthy quantity you should eat of each is a simple way of planning your meals and getting all the nutrients you require.
A healthy plate is broken up as follows:
• 50% fruit and veg: Try to have at least 2 different types
• 25% protein: Meat, fish, chicken, beans, lentils, eggs
• 25% carbs: Potatoes, pasta, rice, bread, pap, oats or cereal.
• Fats and dairy: Milk, yoghurt, cheese, nuts, oil, etc
for more information on this go to healthhub.sg/programmes/55/my-healthy-plate
By following this guide you can make up all sorts of meals with various combinations of the foods from each group that you enjoy.
When it comes to portion size an easy guide is using your hand. Each person is built differently and therefore by following your own hand size, you can get the right portions for your body.
Protein: Palm size
Carbs: Fist size
Fats: Thumb size
Fruits and Vegetables: Unlimited
With the above knowledge at hand create a weekly meal plan and grocery list to match what you will need for the week. Go through your cupboards first so you make sure you make use of what you have at home. When you get to the grocery store you will have an exact idea of what you need which minimises overspending and wastage.
4. I need to save money so I only eat 1 or 2 meals per day
Whilst we understand that as a student saving money is a top priority, risking your health and wellbeing to do so, is looking for trouble. Food is a basic human necessity and a key part of our health. Eating 3 meals and having 2 snacks per day is the recommended daily allowance all of us should try to follow. By cutting back on meals we are starving our body and brain of energy. How can you study and concentrate properly if you are starved and tired? Also food provides our bodies with the basic vitamins and minerals we need to build our immune systems against illness and disease and protect our organs. A low immune system means you are more susceptible to picking up illnesses which means time off from your studies.
We have had students with malnutrition-related illnesses due to trying to save money by skimping on meals. Malnutrition is a serious condition that can cause physical and mental disability if left untreated. It occurs when the body does not get enough nutrients.
Symptoms are:
• a lack of appetite or interest in food or drink
• tiredness and irritability
• an inability to concentrate
• always feeling cold
• depression
• loss of fat, muscle mass, and body tissue
• a higher risk of getting sick and taking longer to heal
• longer healing time for wounds
• a higher risk of complications after surgery
• Eventually, a person may also experience difficulty breathing and heart failure.
As you can see there are serious consequences to failing to provide your body with the correct nourishment it needs.
A final note is that during this time of a global health pandemic, our health has come under immense threat from something which we cannot see with the naked eye. Globally health has become our biggest challenge. It is up to each one of us to boost our immune systems and really look after our health. As we approach winter, we are more susceptible to getting flu and now the Covid19 virus. Boosting your immune system is your best defense against these viruses. Nutritious food is packed with vitamins and minerals and if we get it correct there will be no need for costly supplements.
We hope that you will have fun planning and cooking healthy meals which you can enjoy and see the health benefits not only for your body but your studies too.