A well fed child can cope with afternoon exams

With Grace Canada PARENTS, your child can perform optimally in exams during afternoon hours. However, they need to eat foods that maximise the brain’s performance. It is now known that consuming the rights foods at lunch can lead to improved mental performance, while other foods make concentration more difficult. Therefore, it is imperative that we encourage out children to avoid foods that induce sluggishness, clumsiness, or sleepiness. Additionally, an over-large meal of event he right foods, can cause poor performance. Hence, choosing the correct foods, and eating in moderation, will give children the best opportunity to succeed in the afternoon. Heavy, fatty foods, such as beef, chicken, sausages, fried fish, chips, and foods prepared with a lot of oil or fat, put extra demand on the digestive system and may lead to sluggishness. Additionally, starchy foods, such as rice, white bread, cassava, pasta, posho prepared with maize flour I, jam sandwiches, and fruit juices can lead to production of the brain chemical serotonin, causing drowsiness. It is therefore prudent for those children taking exams in the early afternoon toe at a light meal of the right foods at lunchtime. Save heavier eating for after the exams, or supper. Furthermore, encourage you child to drink adequate amounts of water. Dehydration even of a mild degree, can cause poor concentration. Here are some suggestions for easy-to-digest, sustaining lunches you might prepare for your children: l 1 cup yoghurt + slices whole wheat bread + ripe banana l Two tablespoons of groundnut paste or peanut butter or whole wheat bread + yoghurt or milk + 1/2 cut pineapple. l Two boiled eggs + mandazi (doughnuts) + mangada (tangerine) l Millet or maize porridge prepared with milk + a ripe banana l Cheese sandwich + soup + avocado l Potato + yoghurt + any fruit juice l Posho + beans or groundnut sauce or peas. Note that you should eat very sparingly. these are simple examples of light lunchtime meals. you can discover many good combinations on your own. Just remember to avoid heavy, fatty foods, and sugary foods and beverages. All these could prevent your child form reaching their maximum level of performance. Next week: How anaemia affects academic performance. The writer holds an MSc in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of California, Berkeley. ends