The best food during exams are those that help you burn the midnight oil and ensure good brain function.
Glucose is the brain’s main energy source. Vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fatty acids also play important roles in optimal brain function.
The last thing you need when trying to concentrate is to feel restless, irritable, anxious and stressed. So limit your caffeine intake and rather have two cups of coffee a day or opt for decaffeinated coffee instead.
Hydrate with these delicious immune-boosting and brain-fueling smoothies.
Immune booster sweet green smoothie
Keep your immune system strong with this green smoothie that’s naturally sweetened with frozen fruit and packed with vitamins and antioxidants to help keep colds at bay.
Ingredients
- 1 cup roughly chopped spinach and kale.
- 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk.
- 1½ cups frozen mix of mango, pineapple and kiwi chunks.
- ½ tsp freshly grated ginger.
- ½ lemon juiced.
Method
- Add the spinach and kale into a blender with the unsweetened almond milk and blend well.
- Add the frozen fruit, ginger and lemon and blend until smooth. If the smoothie is too thick, add more almond milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.
- If using fresh fruit instead of frozen, reduce the almond milk amount to 1 cup and slowly add more to make your preferred thickness. Alternatively, add 3-4 ice cubes before blending.
Wild blueberry brain boosting smoothie
Supercharge your brain with a smoothie packed with antioxidants thanks to all the wild blueberries. With the help of cashews, which soak in milk overnight, they add a creamy richness along with healthy fats and protein.
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, low-fat cow’s milk or preferred plant milk.
- ÂĽ cup raw cashews.
- 1 small ripe banana.
- 1 cup wild blueberries.
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup.
- 1/3 cup fresh or frozen cauliflower florets (optional).
- 1 tsp vanilla extract.
- 2 ice cubes.
Method
- Get a jump-start on this smoothie by soaking the cashews in milk and freezing the banana overnight.
- Pour milk over the cashews in a small bowl and store in the fridge overnight. Peel the banana, wrap in plastic, and store in the freezer overnight.
- Put the cashews and milk in a blender. Cut the banana into several slices and add to the blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until the cashews are crushed and the smoothie is creamy.
- If you don’t have time for the advanced prep, don’t fret. This will still be tasty without it.