While students at North Hollywood are getting ready to take the SBAC and AP exams, it may be hard for some students to focus. Test-taking is already stressful enough, but without a proper meal, it makes it even harder. Properly eating a meal before taking a test can benefit not only your brain but your scores as well. 

“I feel like teachers didn’t prepare us enough for the SBAC and AP exams. Even while we are testing our teachers keep going on with their usual lectures during class, and it’s hard for those who are testing to keep up,” said Kenya Balbuena, a Junior at North Hollywood.

To help with the stress of testing, eating berries and vegetables can improve your brain function. Also consuming leafy greens and vegetables helps provide vitamins K, lutein, folate, and beta carotene. 

According to health.harvard.edu, “these plant-based foods may help slow cognitive decline.” As for berries, research done by Harvard’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital saw that consuming berries helps improve memory. 

“Now that testing has started, I’ve been changing my eating habits so that I have energy for testing,” Balbuena continued.

When you are taking a test you wouldn’t think twice about eating fatty foods but in fact, those are the types of foods that do help you, especially fatty fish. Having it only twice a week can provide you with the protein you need to prepare for your test. Be cautious and choose foods that are low in mercury such as salmon, cod, canned light tuna, and pollack.

If you can’t find the time to eat a whole meal before taking a test then nuts are the way to go. Not only are they a good snack to eat while taking a break from testing, but they are filled with nutrients, vitamin E, healthy fats, and plant compounds. 

“I don’t have time to eat breakfast in the morning so I end up being sleepy in my morning classes. The days I do eat a filling breakfast, I am more energized and I end up doing better in school,” says Marc Bautista, a Junior at North Hollywood.

According to research by healthline.com, “eating nuts can improve heart-health markers, and having a healthy heart is linked to having a healthy brain.” If you want to boost your brain then eat walnuts which also provide protein and healthy fats.

Coffee is another item that can improve your brainpower. Coffee can improve your mood, sharpen concentration, and increase alertness, according to healthline.com. So before a test, drinking coffee can end up being a benefit.

“I like drinking coffee in general because it helps boost me and stay awake during school-since I tend to be sleepy in the morning,” Bautista continued. 

Now that you know what foods to eat to help implore your brain when test-taking, you should ace the SBAC. Good luck with all your testing Huskies!