Eat well to pass examinations
Oct 24, 2007
TEACHERS’ DESK<br><br>IT is examination time countrywide. National examinations are underway and end-of-year exams will take off soon. Students need a certain degree of intelligence to pass the exams.
GRACE NANDUTU
TEACHERS’ DESK
IT is examination time countrywide. National examinations are underway and end-of-year exams will take off soon. Students need a certain degree of intelligence to pass the exams.
Among the factors that shape the lives of children, nutrition plays a major role. Nutrition factors affect the way our brains process information.
What children eat exerts an enormous influence over the functioning of their brains. ‘Healthy’ foods are associated with good health and intellectual performance. ‘Junk’ foods, on the other hand, may be tasty, but not good for the brain. Students, therefore, should know that having proper meals enhances their performance.
Eating first thing in the morning enhances one’s thinking and helps one to remain healthy. A hot beverage (tea, coffee or cocoa) helps stimulate the brain cells; enabling one to think fast.
It is advisable that one starts with a grain food like porridge (millet, soya or sorghum are best), before taking the hot beverage and protein foods like milk, eggs and carbohydrates like bread, mandazi or samosas. One can also eat wheetabix or corn flakes.
A heavy breakfast is recommended, so that one can have a light lunch. The lunch should include cereal foods (rice, posho) with beans or peas, as well as second-class protein foods. These can be got from any plant food, except for soya, which is a first class protein. This is not to say first class proteins are bad, they are the best (meat, fish, chicken, egg, etc), but since most of them cannot be easily available at school, second class ones can do.
Lunch should be light but balanced. The same goes for supper. With a heavy meal at night, one may not be able to get enough rest or even wake up to read.
Indigestion could also cause one to move out of the exam room several times, thereby hindering one’s concentration.
Avoid heavy foods like cassava, sweet potatoes, yams and ‘empty’ calorie foods like cake, sweets and biscuits. These have little or no nutrient value and are not good for the body and the brain.
Parents and schools should include plenty of fish in students’ meals. Milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits will keep students healthy and capable of tackling problems.
The writer is a Food & Nutrition teacher at Bishop’s SS, Mukono
TEACHERS’ DESK
IT is examination time countrywide. National examinations are underway and end-of-year exams will take off soon. Students need a certain degree of intelligence to pass the exams.
Among the factors that shape the lives of children, nutrition plays a major role. Nutrition factors affect the way our brains process information.
What children eat exerts an enormous influence over the functioning of their brains. ‘Healthy’ foods are associated with good health and intellectual performance. ‘Junk’ foods, on the other hand, may be tasty, but not good for the brain. Students, therefore, should know that having proper meals enhances their performance.
Eating first thing in the morning enhances one’s thinking and helps one to remain healthy. A hot beverage (tea, coffee or cocoa) helps stimulate the brain cells; enabling one to think fast.
It is advisable that one starts with a grain food like porridge (millet, soya or sorghum are best), before taking the hot beverage and protein foods like milk, eggs and carbohydrates like bread, mandazi or samosas. One can also eat wheetabix or corn flakes.
A heavy breakfast is recommended, so that one can have a light lunch. The lunch should include cereal foods (rice, posho) with beans or peas, as well as second-class protein foods. These can be got from any plant food, except for soya, which is a first class protein. This is not to say first class proteins are bad, they are the best (meat, fish, chicken, egg, etc), but since most of them cannot be easily available at school, second class ones can do.
Lunch should be light but balanced. The same goes for supper. With a heavy meal at night, one may not be able to get enough rest or even wake up to read.
Indigestion could also cause one to move out of the exam room several times, thereby hindering one’s concentration.
Avoid heavy foods like cassava, sweet potatoes, yams and ‘empty’ calorie foods like cake, sweets and biscuits. These have little or no nutrient value and are not good for the body and the brain.
Parents and schools should include plenty of fish in students’ meals. Milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits will keep students healthy and capable of tackling problems.
The writer is a Food & Nutrition teacher at Bishop’s SS, Mukono