Energy drinks, coffee and junk food. Those are the most common, and most unhealthy, snacks and drinks students eat during finals week.

Certain healthy foods keep people full for  longer and some foods are better for your body than others.

“Foods that make you feel full the longest are usually high in one or more of the following:  water, protein or dietary fiber,” Karol Plawsky, nutritionist, said.

Some of those foods are oranges, potatoes, eggs, fish, green veggies and oatmeal.

“The reason these foods make you feel full longer is because the proteins take longer for our bodies to digest,” Plawsky said.

Other healthy foods help people focus and stay alert. Foods that contain high levels of dopamine, a neurotransmitter derived from the amino acid tyrosine, are the best for staying alert, Plawsky said.

Almonds, avocados, bananas, dairy products, pumpkin seeds, chicken and beef are all foods that cause the brain to create dopamine.

Knowing what foods to eat during finals week is just as important as knowing what foods and drinks to avoid.

“Foods to avoid for are refined, simple sugars like candy, cakes, sweets, desserts, etc. and coffee (caffeine),” Plawsky said.
“They give us an initial big jolt of energy but they very quickly cause our blood sugar levels to bottom out which causes us to be sleepy and lethargic.”

It’s not just the food you eat that can affect your performance on finals, it’s when you eat them.

“Don’t skip meals-our bodies need a continual input of healthy food to maintain normal blood sugar levels,” Plawsky said.

Maddy Stovall, senior, agrees with Plawsky’s suggestions about what to eat and what to avoid.

“During finals week, feeling full after breakfast and keeping focus are very important because you don’t want to feel distracted,” Stovall said.

High calorie drinks can be just as harmful as high calorie junk food,

“Soda and energy drinks aren’t good because the sugar makes you crash during finals,” Stovall said.

Drinking a lot of liquids right before a final is also not good, Danielle Okenfuss, junior, said.

“You don’t want to have to go to the bathroom every five seconds during finals,” Okenfuss said.