The college entrance examination is coming. As an important entrance examination in their academic career, candidates are well prepared. As parents who assist the exam, the most important thing is to do a good job of logistics and help the candidates arrange food, clothing, housing and transportation. Eating well can help test takers improve their mental state and perform at their best.

How do I need to eat during the exam? The following suggestions are for parents to pay more attention to.

1. The most basic principles are:

Safe, hygienic and secure.

All nutritional advice should be built on safety. Candidates try to form a certain diet routine before the exam, and continue until the end of the college entrance examination. If you suddenly change your eating habits during the test, it may increase the anxiety of the test, and if the candidate cannot tolerate the new food, symptoms such as diarrhea and bloating may also occur, which will affect the performance of the test.

2. Try to eat at the best time to eat.

In daily life, the best time to eat three meals is about 7 o'clock, 12 o'clock and 18 o'clock. Regardless of whether there is an exam or not, it is better to arrange three meals at these 3 time points as much as possible. Parents and candidates can make some adjustments according to the timing of the exam. On the day of the test, it is best to arrange meal times according to the timetable of the test, taking into account the travel time.

3. Choose fresh ingredients,

Wash well before cooking.

Try to use fresh ingredients to cook, wash before cooking, melons and fruits are best soaked for 5~10 minutes. Prepared meals should be stored at room temperature for no more than 2 hours, and overnight leftovers should not be eaten by test takers.

Because the examination room is far away and must eat outside, candidates can observe the qualifications and hygiene conditions of the restaurants near the examination room in advance, and can taste whether the dishes are in line with their taste in advance. When eating out, try to choose a restaurant with a relatively high hygiene level, and try not to order cold dishes and barbecue food.

4. Eat a variety of foods at every meal,

Reasonable combination, balanced nutrition.

Each meal should have staple foods, vegetables, and a moderate amount of fish, poultry, meat and eggs. According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents (2022)", 18-year-old candidates should consume: 250~400 grams of cereals and potatoes, add appropriate whole grains and mixed grains and beans; 450~500 grams of vegetables, about 300 grams of fruits; 1 egg, 150~200g meat; Dairy products equivalent to 300~500 grams of liquid milk. On this basis, parents can adjust the amount of food they usually eat according to the test taker.

5. Choose brightly colored fruits,

Eat whole grains appropriately.

When preparing food, parents can choose brightly colored vegetables and fruits. Green leafy vegetables, red tomatoes, yellow bananas, etc., bright colors are easy to bring pleasure, but also can refresh the mind, bringing a touch of relaxation to candidates who are anxious due to the exam. Staple foods can be appropriately selected coarse grains, such as millet, corn, oats, etc., which can strengthen the spleen and eliminate accumulation, moisturize the intestines and laxative. However, pay attention to the frequency of bowel movements and exhaust may affect the performance of the test, so do not overdo it.

6. Fix your portion to the right range.

The amount of food eaten per meal can form some habits early, and overall it is not recommended that the total energy intake throughout the day is too high. Over-intake, on the one hand, may make blood sugar rise quickly, cause sleepiness, on the other hand, it may also produce discomfort such as bloating, affecting the performance of the exam. Conversely, if you eat too little, you may experience hypoglycemia during the test. Candidates should not eat too little, do not overeat, you can adjust the intake to the appropriate range in advance, set the basic amount of food, and change different staple foods and dishes every day. For example, the staple food is steamed buns and flower rolls on the first day, buns and dumplings of similar size on the second day, and rice and noodles of similar size on the third day. The amount of vegetables is one bowl or plate per day, and the varieties can be changed every day.

7. Add meals and avoid foods high in sugar.

Some candidates may need to add meals before the test, and should be careful to avoid eating a lot of foods high in sugar as much as possible to prevent the blood sugar from rising too quickly and causing drowsiness. This is also the reason why many candidates have just eaten chocolate and are full of blood resurrection, and after a while want to doze off. Foods high in sugar generally include bread, cakes, candies, carbonated drinks, chocolate, etc. Candidates can choose protein-rich foods, such as dairy products, which are rich in high-quality protein and eat them appropriately as a snack.

8. Don't drink coffee or tea to refresh yourself.

To improve their test scores, candidates may consider supplementing with supplements or relying on coffee and tea to refresh themselves. In fact, if the diet is balanced and the diet is diverse, the nutrients in the food are already very sufficient, and there is no need for additional supplements. Coffee and tea have a greater impact on candidates, usually if there is no habit of drinking coffee and tea, after suddenly drinking, you may be flustered, more nervous, affect night sleep, etc., but affect the performance of the exam. Candidates still try to follow their usual habits.

9. Eat less raw, cold, cold foods.

The weather is hot during the college entrance examination, and candidates may want to eat some raw cold or cold food, but raw and cold food is difficult to ensure in terms of health and safety. Foods with too low a temperature are more irritating to the gastrointestinal tract, and are prone to abdominal distention, diarrhea and other symptoms, which affect the performance of the examination. Parents should prioritize food safety and cook thoroughly to prevent unclean food from causing gastroenteritis. The weather is hot, eating some sweet fruits can quench the heat and thirst, but pay attention not to excessive, let alone replace staple foods with fruits.

10. Choose sleep aids as needed.

Sleep is a safe refresher, ensure adequate sleep, and the next day will be in good spirits. In addition to mental relaxation, there are some details in the diet that can help children improve their sleep. On the one hand, be careful not to overeat and not eat too much food before going to bed; On the other hand, some foods contain tryptophan, which can improve sleep by affecting the metabolism of serotonin and melatonin, such as whole grains, fresh vegetables and milk. In addition, fatty fish (fish containing omega-3 series polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially deep-sea fish) also have some effects in improving sleep, and parents can consider these foods when designing recipes.

11. Drink water properly and exercise reasonably.

The weather is hot and stuffy, easy to sweat, candidates should not worry about urinating in the exam and dare not drink water, and should drink water regularly and quantitatively to prevent heat stroke. In addition, time is precious during the exam, and some candidates are reluctant to spend time going out, but when the temperature is cooler in the morning and evening, appropriate activities, such as walking, can help candidates keep a clear mind, ensure the efficiency of revision and exams, and relieve tension, which is a good way to do more with half the effort. If you do not have the habit of exercising, it is not recommended to deliberately arrange strenuous exercise.

Good luck to all candidates

can get good grades.

Author: Li Da, Department of Clinical Nutrition, Beijing Children's Hospital

Review: He Li, expert of the National Health Science Popularization Expert Database and researcher of the Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention

(Healthy China)