THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TOP OF THE HILL2010
erry Wang
Experts deem energy-filled snacks beneficial for finals
Instead of sugar-heavy foods, experts say to grab for protein and carbohydrated-filled snacks. Foods like cheese and crackers can help keep you more awake and alert for studying.
BY JUSTINE PATTON
jpatton@kansan.com
Evan Palmer/KANSAN
- Finals Week and late-night studying often go hand in-hand. There are some nighttime snacks that will actually help sleep-deprived students study hard late into the night
— and others that will only make them wish for bedtime.
Ann Chapman, the dietitian at the Wellness Resource Center at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said students are tempted to snack during stressful times, especially finals week, because food can be soothing.
"How do you feel when you put a Hershey's Kiss in your mouth? It's instant gratification," Chapman said. "All the measures of stress are reduced slightly."
However, Patty Quinlan, the nursing supervisor at Watkins, said foods high in sugar and fat are the last thing students should be eating while studying. Quinlan said the fast foods and comfort foods students often turn to would only slow them down.
"That cookie, that doughnut, they're just not helpful to push through finals week," Quinlan said. "They're going to make you feel more lethargic and decrease your concentration."
Instead, Chapman suggested munching on foods high in protein and carbohydrates, like cheese and crackers. Chapman said the carbohydrates in the crackers would boost blood sugar quickly and give students a little burst of energy. The body breaks carbohydrates down quickly, which is where the cheese comes into play. The protein in cheese takes longer to digest, so it's going to provide students with energy.
gy for about three to four hours.
go there to four hours.
Barbara Bell, a sophomore from Lancaster, Texas, said she usually doesn't eat when she is stressed.
"Just like a car needs gasoline, the body needs glucose." Chapman said. "Your glucose level drops below what it needs to be if you go without food for three to four hours."
Patricia Denning, the chief of staff at Watkins, said breakfast was especially important during finals week.
"Studies prove that students in the classroom perform better when they've had breakfast," Denning said. "If you're going to spend all this time and effort, I think it's worth setting your alarm 10 to 15 minutes early to get a healthy breakfast."
However, Chapman suggested students put food in their systems about every four hours.
"I guess I do the opposite of everyone else." Bell said.
Chapman warned students to avoid "stress-eating" while they study. Chapman said students often
Chapman said when students snack during finals week, they should take a break from studying and simply focus on the food they're eating. Then, when they go back to studying, they can concentrate and won't be shoveling in extra calories in the process.
"Students often eat while they're studying because they're nervous about flunking exams," Chapman said. "So then they eat constantly, which is really unhealthy. Those are calories you don't need."
If students do find that they can't study without eating, Chapman recommended they leave their apartment and go to the library, so food would be out of sight and out of mind. She suggested students take a 100-calorie snack with them in case they do get hungry.
eat as a means of procrastination or stress relief.
Edited by Leslie Kinsman
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