Brain Food for Tests

Exams weigh heavily on student grades. They are an opportunity for students to show their knowledge and smarts, but studying for them can be difficult if you don't have mental stamina and focus for learning and memorizing facts. Some students reach for caffeine and pull exhausting all-nighters in the hopes that the information they spent all night trying to absorb will magically transfer through their finger tips and onto paper the following day, earning them an A. Studies are showing that rest, certain foods and even exercise can improve cognitive function.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Many studies on the effect of food on brain health indicate that foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and specifically, an omega-3 known as DHA, aid brain function. A study published in the 2008 issue of the journal "Nature Reviews Neuroscience" indicates that omega-3's support synaptic plasticity, which is involved in learning and memory. Omega 3's optimize the function of synapses, which link brain neurons together. According to the study's author, Fernando Gomez-Pinella, a deficiency of omega 3's has been linked to Attention Deficit Disorder, or ADD for short, and impaired memory and learning.

Folic Acid

Folic acid, part of the B-complex of vitamins is important for brain function. Deficiencies of this important vitamin have been linked to cognitive impairment and memory problems. According to a 2011 report from Heart.org, folic acid improves memory and processing speed, especially as adults age. The study followed 818 participants over three years and found that cognitive function was greatly improved in those who consumed adequate levels of folic acid, which is also called vitamin B-9, especially as they aged.

Exercise

It's true that exercise builds muscle and stamina, but researchers found it builds memory, too. In 2010, University of Illinois researchers looked at the hippocampus structures of children ages 9 to 10 using MRI. They found that fitter children had larger structures than their more sedentary peers. The hippocampus is the area of the brain associated with memory and spatial learning. To find out if hippocampal size translated to better test scores, the kids were given a series of memory tests. It turned out that kids who were more physically active had higher test scores in spatial learning and memory tests.

Foods For Learning and Memory

Omega-3's can be found in wild-caught salmon, tuna and other cold-water fish. They are also abundant in raw flaxseed and hempseeds and their oils. Walnuts and kiwi fruit also offer respectable amounts of this essential fatty acid. It's important to include plenty of these foods in your diet because your body cannot make its own essential fatty acids. Folic acid is abundant in green leafy vegetables, like kale and spinach. It is also found in fortified breakfast cereals and orange juice. So forget about pulling an all nighter, since, according to Gomez-Pinella, a good night's rest will also help memory and learning. Include rest, exercise and brain-healthy foods in your regular routine.