For years, it has been reported that college students can’t afford to eat healthily. Students are starving off the nutrient-rich food supply in college. According to a survey conducted at the University of Oregon and published in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, 59% of students reported being food insecure.
It’s not that food is not available in college. They are plenty of food – lots of them. The problem is that healthy food is expensive (blame it on the rising cost of college life). The results are that we have increased cases of obesity in our colleges at a time when obesity is a national disaster in the first place.
Healthy eating in college is very crucial to any student, but committing isn’t always easy. Not only will healthy living make you feel and look better; it will make you perform well in college because you are well-nourished. Below are other benefits of healthy eating for college students:
Weight Loss
Did you know that for every five death in America, one of the deaths is because of obesity? Yes, as stated earlier, obesity is a national disaster. Simple healthy choices such as choosing veggies and water over natural juice over, fries, soda, or any other fast food can help you lose weight.
Reduced body weight means you similarly reduce the risk of high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes type two (diabetes mellitus), decreased bone density, and even cancer. Maintaining a healthy diet free from processed foods and choosing a more robust alternative of fruits and vegetables can help you lose weight.
Increase Productivity
According to research published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, an unhealthy eating habit prevents a 60% chance of productivity loss. That’s alarming considering college life involves a lot of workloads hat even sometimes students opt to get help from sites like Homeworkdoer.
Therefore, if you are constantly feeling down, or just downright lazy, perhaps you should consider examining the eating habits. So, if you want to increase your focus and productivity level and become a high achiever in college, start with changing your diets. Choose food that is richer in fiber, protein, and healthy fats that will pack you with enough energy to stay alert throughout the day.
Better Mood
As mentioned earlier, college is hectic. Too many assignments that you often need help with, and the pressure to perform may change your outlook and, consequently, your mood. It is not a surprise to see many college-going students acting moody and stressed.
While school life may be a contributing factor, research suggests that also diets have a role to play. Sugary food and drinks rich in glycemic acids such as fizzy drinks, white bread, biscuits, and even cakes cause increased symptoms of fatigue or depression. Veggies, fruits, and even whole grain, on the other hand, have lower glycemic acid.
Whereas, there is no single food that will act as an antidepressant maintaining a deist with lower glycemic acid or having a stable blood sugar is ideal. When the body is stressed, it breaks down protein; therefore, eating protein-rich diets can help replenish the same.
Improved Memory
Students are known to learn better and faster when they are well-nourished. When a student maintains a healthy diet, that student is bound to perform better in class and consequently attain better grades. Students should maintain a balanced diet involving servings of dairy that includes servings of cheese and milk, then whole grain bread instead of white bread and importantly fruits and vegetable.
One way to identify food that will help you with improved memory is too classy in terms of color. For instance, Blue and Purple foods such as berries, grapes, plums, roasted beets, pomegranate juice, and even low-fat yogurts are rich in vitamin C and K Which are ingredients for good memory. Also, the chances of suffering from dementia or cognitive decline are prevented.
