Two Major Misconceptions
Not eating staple foods
Many students and their parents believe that "meat, eggs, and milk are highly nutritious, so it doesn't matter if you skip staple foods." This is incorrect. Glucose is the sole source of energy for brain activity. When the body lacks glucose, it can lead to issues like mental fogginess, which impairs learning. And glucose is primarily derived from carbohydrates, which come from grains.
When consuming grains, it's important to have a mix of whole and refined grains, and one should eat appropriate amounts of corn, millet, and whole wheat. In particular, corn is known internationally as the "golden crop," and using corn oil made from corn germ in cooking can provide the same nutritional benefits. Additionally, one should avoid using pastries, sweets, and sugar to replace staple foods for extra calories, as excessive sugar can cause irritability and heightened emotions.
Indiscriminate supplementation
To adjust their child's diet for the exam, some parents blindly buy all kinds of nutritional supplements, while others serve large, rich meals of fish and meat at every meal "to supplement nutrition." In fact, the main problem is nutritional imbalance. One should not over-consume high-protein, high-fat foods and supplements in the one-sided pursuit of nutrition, as this will increase acidic substances in the body, leading to brain fatigue. Nutritional supplements should only be considered if a student has a more serious problem of malnutrition due to picky eating.
Three Dietary Don'ts
Don't arrange for very expensive foods
Some parents always give their children more expensive foods that they don't usually eat during the college entrance exam period. This is actually unnecessary. If a child's digestion and absorption are normally fine, excessive supplementation at this time can more easily cause problems. Therefore, there's no need to eat expensive things; just maintain the usual basic intake and ensure the ingredients are fresher than usual.
Don't eat spicy and greasy food
Spicy and greasy diets can easily lead to insufficient blood supply to the brain. During the exam period, the diet should be light and plain.
Don't overeat
If you eat too much, the body can easily become drowsy due to the specific dynamic action of food after a meal, which is quite detrimental to review and exams.