Headline: Brain food

Subhead: The best (and worst) foods to eat before finals

Food. We can’t live without it, especially during finals week. Eating the right foods can help you focus more during the actual test and eating properly leading up to the exam can help your information intake.

Here are the foods you should eat, and the foods you should avoid when studying for finals and taking:

Good food— look for protein-rich food. It helps increase your mental awareness and can help your focus while taking a test.

• Eggs

• Nuts

• Yogurt

• Cottage cheese

• Fish

• Walnuts

• Blueberries

• Sunflower seeds

• Flaxseed

• Dried fruits

• Figs

• Prunes

• Raw carrots

• Bell peppers

• Brussels sprouts

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Asparagus

Food to avoid— carbohydrates make you feel more relaxed than alert, so eating them the day of the test is not recommended.

• Cookies

• Cake

• Muffins

• Food with refined sugar

• Foods that contain protein and starch

• Turkey (it contains an amino acid that makes you sleepy)

• Sugary drinks

• Alcohol