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Eat Your Way to a Higher SAT or ACT Score

“The recommended breakfast should include fruit, fiber and protein,” says Miller. “Use fresh fruit, preferably, or canned fruit. Cereal with high fiber, fruit and milk is a great way to renew energy supplies for the morning.” If you are not a breakfast eater, try to build up your “breakfast endurance” before test day.

Opt For Quick, Easy Snacks

The SAT now takes nearly four hours, not counting the waiting time before the test. Being at the test site for five hours is not uncommon.

That’s a long time to go without nutrition. Unfortunately, students are only given one 1-minute break and two 5-minute breaks. Not much time to replenish your system. What is an energizing snack that can be eaten quickly?

“The combination of a high protein, low carbohydrate, and high tyrosine food is likely to jumpstart the brain. Milk and yogurt have this combination, so taking a carton of ultra pasteurized milk, which does not need to be refrigerated, or a light yogurt in a small cooler, would be ideal for a snack,” advises Perelman.

Also consider soy nuts or other nuts; fruit; vegetables such as carrots, cucumbers, peppers or cherry tomatoes; bananas and raisins; low-fat granola bars; cheese and peanut butter crackers; or a peanut butter sandwich and bottled water.

“Some students who feel they may need a boost may benefit from the popular energy drinks or sports drinks,” adds Miller. “I would recommend, if a student opts for this route, to drink a beverage they have tried before and know they enjoy and tolerate well. A caffeine jolt could pose problems for the uninitiated.”

“Research suggests that eating foods with trans fats, which includes pastries, candies and all fried foods, will deteriorate cognitive function,” Perelman says. Eating a doughnut in the morning before the test may give you some quick energy, but it definitely will not help you think clearly.

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Article reprinted with permission from Next Step Magazine.

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