Snack healthier
As college students, we spend countless late-night hours up working. We are overwhelmed with papers, exams and countless extracurriculars. Many students, myself included, snack while studying — and snack a lot.
I will be the first person to say that I love junk food. But what my mother has always told me is that it is only OK in moderation. Unfortunately, it’s easier to go downstairs in the dorms and get chips and soda then it is to get fresh fruit. Also, only small refrigerators are allowed in the dorms, limiting the amount of space to store fresh foods.
Sure, your favorite candy bars and chips will give you a sugar rush for a little, but in the long run, you aren’t doing any good for your body. That Coke you’ve decided to grab? Not great for you either. There are a few accessible healthy foods that will not only boost your energy, but maybe your grades, too!
So students face the question: What’s the best way to keep up your energy level without compromising our health?
Bananas
These things are amazing for you; I can’t stress it enough. Bananas boost your energy and provide you with plenty of potassium. Plus, you can take them with you anywhere! Because they contains high levels of tryptophan, which the body converts to serotonin, bananas have been shown to boost your mood and help combat depression. So on those nights when you’re stressed out of your mind over work, a banana will help you more than brownies.
Black coffee
Drinking coffee black is the way to go. Most people don’t like the bitter taste, but when you get that Mocha Frap from Starbucks, you’re taking in so much added sugar and other fats that it’s really not worth the caffeine boost. An 8-ounce cup of black coffee contains 2 calories and 0 grams of fat. Just 2 calories! Compared with the Starbucks Caffé Mocha (my personal favorite), which has 120 calories and 1.5 grams of fat (per 8 ounces with nonfat milk), that’s 60 cups of black coffee before you reach the same amount of calories in a single Starbucks flavored coffee.
Edamame are soybeans harvested within a specific time period. They have a ridiculous amount of health benefits; according to the San Francisco Gate, “One cup [of edamame] has at least 6 percent of the recommended daily intake of all nutrients except vitamin D.” Also, you’ll take in 20 to 40 percent of your daily intake of protein, fiber, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, thiamin, folate and vitamin K. I would highly recommend snacking on edamame; they’re great for you and taste great, too.
When I was growing up, I would make oatmeal almost every morning. Its gooey texture is like nothing else and is oh-so-good. It’s also is one of the most customizable snacks that’s pretty hard to make unhealthy. According to the Dairy Council of California, oatmeal contains “insoluble fiber which stays in the stomach longer and helps you feel fuller, longer.” When you’re up those late nights studying, oatmeal will keep you from overeating because you’ll feel full.
Hummus (plus any dippable vegetable of your choice)
Hummus is a dip made with chickpeas, olive oil, lemon juice and salt. It’s full of protein and can help fight cravings and boost your energy. According to Holistic nutritionist Peggy Kotsopoulos in Fitness Magazine, “Hummus boosts energy because it contains iron, and red bell pepper slices are high in vitamin C, which helps to utilize and absorb the iron from the hummus.”
Just pick a good vegetable and go for it! My personal favorite is carrots; however, I do every once in a while splurge with pretzels.
Remember these power foods to help you power through your late-night studying!
