12 Snacks That Prove Eating While Studying Is A Magnificent Choice

You know you’re going to be snacking hard while you study. Make the noms work in your favor with these snacks that help you study better!

12. Green Tea

Via Flickr: kiri_no_hana

Sure, buckets of coffee keep you awake during those late-night study sessions, but it will also make you as trembly as a Chihuahua in a snowstorm. Green tea contains L-theanine, an amino acid that will keep you energized and alert without the shakes.

11. Edamame

Via Flickr: overseastom

Speaking of late nights and green things, edamame is also your friend on those nights that you eventually become the last person left in the library. Rich in B-vitamins, edamame help activate your metabolism and break down carbohydrates so you’re fueled for long days. Plus, they’re fun to eat.

Another way to make your study days more effective and way shorter: get help from Boundless online textbooks and study materials.

10. Sunflower Seeds

Via Flickr: blahflowers

Besides making you feel like the tough-but-eventually-compassionate coach out of an inspirational baseball movie, sunflower seeds give your body a dose of soothing tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that helps reduce stress and anxiety. Grand slam, slugger.

9. Greek Yogurt

Via Flickr: mr_t_in_dc

Even though it is unlikely that you will go to the gym while on that midterms grind, the double-dose of protein in Greek yogurt (versus regular yogurt) helps your body produce stamina and energy so you can get the most out of a workout – or more realistically, your walk from class to the study lounge.

8. Orange Juice

Via Flickr: sweetbeetandgreenbean

The less you sleep, the less your immune system wants to help you out. Keep your body in tip-top shape with the Vitamin C in a tall glass of OJ. Because there is probably nothing worse than studying with the sniffles.

7. Kale

Via Flickr: swanksalot

Kale is pretty much the best ever. It has folate, which prevents mental fatigue and forgetfulness by increasing blood flow to the brain. It also contains Vitamin E which protects your brain against nerve-cell degeneration. Your brain will thank you when you eat this.

6. Oatmeal

Via Flickr: galant

Oatmeal is humble and unassuming, combating its totally blah physical appearance with B vitamins that help increase the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that sends calming signals to your brain. Awww yeah.

5. Berries

Via Flickr: madlyinlovewithlife

Berries are a perfect healthy dessert substitute. Add that to the antioxidants they provide and you’ll find you are happily communicating better with the part of your brain that is dedicated to cognitive and motor function. Hey there, brain! It’s been a while.

4. Celery

Via Flickr: 36179943@N00

If the satisfying crunch of a bite of celery wasn’t enough to relieve some pent-up stress, celery also gives your body phytochemicals called phthalides, which reduce stress hormones and help increase blood flow. Keep calm and crunch on.

3. Dark Chocolate

Via Flickr: cacaobug

Were you getting upset because practically everything on this list is produce? First, eat some oatmeal and chill out. Second, dark chocolate is full of theobromine which helps brighten your mood. Theobromine has a mild and lasting effect necessary for a feel-good day, so you should definitely treat yourself to some chocolate today.

2. Whole Grains

Via Flickr: sg51

Whole grains are packed with vitamin B6, which facilitates the neurotransmitters essential to memory function. Stop reading the same thing over and over and forgetting it every time; eat some brown rice, whole-wheat pasta or couscous, or flax seed.

Another way to help your memory do its job: Boundless Learning Technology, which reminds you to study at the optimal time for memory retention!

1. Bananas

Via Flickr: jrnoded

Bananas are 1. fun to peel when you need a study break, and 2. sources of potassium, which helps bring oxygen to the brain, and 3. sources of magnesium, which helps the brain get rid of the waste byproduct of protein metabolism. Triple win for bananas. You go, bananas.

Happy snacking – um, studying!