With the end of schools this year too the dreaded begins for thousands of students exam period. In the previous days, also crucial for the preparation of small and large students food is a crucial factor to better face the study and the burden of tiredness and tension that inevitably accompanies the checks to be faced. To understand how food choices can help we talked to Alessandra Bosetti, clinical dietitian of the nutrition center and pediatric diabetology of the Vittore Buzzi Children's Hospital ASST FBF Sacco di Milano.

The first thing that needs to be clarified is the type of food to choose to get the right load, because (as opposed to what you might think) energy does not go hand in hand with food wealth: "It is very important to avoid large meals, rich in fats and sugars, which instead of supporting the body in the study make it heavy, thus lowering performance and making the learning process difficult", explains Bosetti. “No then to soft drinks and packaged juices, excessively rich in sugars, to cold cuts, to dishes that are too elaborate. Better to prefer small split meals, which more help the student to face a long study. Yes to water, perfect for maintaining the right hydration, and ai shakes prepared only with fresh seasonal fruit and water. Only in the case of inappetent children can the smoothie be enriched using milk or yogurt together with fruit ".

How to appease in a healthy way the sudden hunger, often even late at night, in the middle of study hours?
Fresh fruit and dried fruit are certainly the ideal foods for an afternoon snack, which you will regenerate without weighing down your body and mind. Even it night snack it is not to be demonized, but the ingredients must be carefully chosen. The classic sandwich that's fine, as long as it's prepared with wholemeal bread or cereals, fish (eg smoked salmon, a source of noble proteins and rich in omega 3) and naturally vegetables. To avoid, instead, the classic combination "salami and cheese" because it is two proteins together. For those who prefer sweet flavors an excellent snack is made up of whole wheat bread with dried fruit; also the traditional bread and chocolate it's fine if we choose wholemeal bread and a square of dark chocolate, or chocolate with almonds or hazelnuts that – rich in magnesium – fight psychophysical fatigue. Let us remember that chocolate contains tryptophan, a precursor of melatonin that helps support mood, so it can be an ace up its sleeve for days of stress from exams!

From elementary to university, there are so many students involved in this period. Should food choices be differentiated according to the age of the students, considering that exams for high school and university students continue for several weeks?
The guidelines for proper nutrition do not know age, instead the amounts of food to be taken at different times of growth vary. The student's dish will therefore also change in relation to age. If, for example, the correct portion of whole wheat pasta for a 10-year-old child is 60g, at 18 he will go up to 100g. In addition, older students, for whom the study period is extended to the warm weeks of July, will have to pay even more attention to hydration. I advise them to look for the charge in smoothies to be enriched with dried fruit to fill up with magnesium, which also promotes restful sleep.

Here comes the fateful day of the exams, is there an ideal breakfast to do before sitting at the school desk?
The day of the exam la breakfast is that of the heart, which helps keep the mood high for the test to be taken. The classic cappuccino and brioche combination is also good, if it is a question of breakfast which makes you feel good, in this case we also combine a banana which gives a charge of power and a contribution of potassium. Savory lovers should try wholemeal bread or cereals with scrambled eggs. To all students, small and large, I suggest always prefer i Whole grains Because I am rich in vitamin B6 and we know that B vitamins are linked to cognitive performance, they help them.

Claudia Minnella
June 2017
updated June 2019

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