Breakfast for the big day

[newfocus]

Do any of you biochem majors have any good ideas for some breakfast brain food? I want my brain to be in optimal working condition.

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[dl2dp2]

i'd recommend against complex carbohydrate (i.e. muffins, toast etc) it takes too long for it to process and get to the brain. i recommend simple sugar, i.e. candy, chocolate bar, nutrition bars (i like some of them)

also don't drink too much water...i always have the urge of go pee during verbal

don't eat protein anything...it makes you drowsy...no sausage or fried eggs or anything like that

remember don't eat too much breakfast. i have gathered that eating no breakfast is WAAY better than eating too much breakfast

 

[DW]

Originally posted by sluox
i'd recommend against complex carbohydrate (i.e. muffins, toast etc) it takes too long for it to process and get to the brain. i recommend simple sugar, i.e. candy, chocolate bar, nutrition bars (i like some of them)

sluox, are you serious? candy? simple sugar? eat no breakfast? have you actually taken the REAL thing (not a saturday princeton or kaplan diag), with all the real stops and starts, signing up before, page counting breaks, etc? You'll be lucky if you're not at the test site for 8 hours total, and get to lunch at noon. They dont even let you drink water depending on the coolness of your proctors. If you have a normal metabolism and eat nothing or eat junk, you're going to be going insane by the physical sciences.

i say the exact opposite, complex carbs are the way to go cause this test is going to take a long ass time. oatmeal, muffins, a banana or something.

unless you have a dependence, no coffee under any circumstances.

 

[newfocus]

Originally posted by DW

unless you have a dependence, no coffee under any circumstances.

DAMN! ...... I do have a dependance. Would an energy drink i.e. Red Bull be better than coffee?

 

[Doctor Octopus]

Originally posted by newfocus


DAMN! ...... I do have a dependance. Would an energy drink i.e. Red Bull be better than coffee?

If you normally drink coffee every morning you should drink coffee the morning of the test.

 

[DW]

Originally posted by newfocus


DAMN! ...... I do have a dependance. Would an energy drink i.e. Red Bull be better than coffee?

if you're an coffee addict like my girlfriend, you should not break routine. I would advise going to your test center a few days early and scoping out the nearest vendor of acceptable choice.

 

[chandler742]

I'd recommend a bowl of wheaties...preferably with a picture of michael jordan or tiger woods...

that way you can kick some serious butt on the mcat....

afterwards, you can go to the local basketball hoop, and throw down a 360 windmill on some people with your tongue sticking out...ala...MJ..

or you can play a round of golf at the local course and nail a ball for 300+ yards with unmatched precision....

Hey, breakfast is the meal for champions, right?



disclaimer: I was being sarcastic. However, if you do need a confidence booster, have a bowl of Total Cereal a week up till the exam. It has 100% RDA of 13 vitamins and minerals.

The B Vitamins are mostly cofactors in metabolic enzymes. That way you have the necessary machinery for the metabolic grind your brain would need for a whole day's worth of testing.

For the record, unlike brokers that work for investment banks, I don't have a vested interest in my comments(i.e conflict in interest).

 

[uffda]

after your overnight fast, your liver glycogen stores will likely be seriously depleted since they've been used to keep your blood sugar constant since your last meal --- so, since your brain needs glucose to function, give it some food before you take the test - and feed it again on your break.

I had water, Red Bull and 1/2 a banana before I left the house. And 1/2 a Powerbar with more water at the test site about 30mins before the report time.

 

[chandler742]

ONE MORE THING...

Stay away from Turkey and Chicken during lunch... Birds are very high in the amino acid tryptophan...Tryp is a precursor to serotonin, and this manifests to drowsiness....

One reason why most people are tired after Thanksgiving dinner...

Complex carbohydrates are a good idea...

Also, it might be a good idea to keep some candy around during the exam...this way you can get a quick boost due to the sucrose broken down to glucose....Brain preferably uses glucose over fatty acids....

Good Luck

 

[floquet]

Actually, complex carbs are absorbed faster than simple carbs. Foods like potatoes, corn, and peas boost your blood sugar because they sugar they introduce into your system is absorbed very quickly (this also causes a surge in insulin.... and insulin can cause inflammation (like redness in your face and stuff)). Foods low on the glycemic index like broccoli, grapefruit, and summer squash deliver glucose to your body at a slower rate because they have fiber or fat contents.

The benefits of low insulin levels (not below normal low, but low) are an increased ability to concentrate and think clearly. Also, it creates a naturally high level of serotonin, which is necessary for overall feeling good. Keeping your blood sugar stable also helps fight fatigue.
Some bad carbs (absorb really fast) are:
bananas, breads, carrots, processed cereals with added sugar, corn, fruit juices (eat whole fruits), mangoes, pancakes, papaya, pasta, potatoes, rice, sugar, waffles

Good carbs:
asparagus, beans, broccoli, blueberries, cabbage, cantaloupe, citrus fruits, honeydw melon, kiwi fruit, leafy greens, peaches, pears, plums, spinach, nonstarchy vegetables.

I would also recommend eating a lot of protein in the week before the test (not necessarily on test day).

Christina

P.S. I got most of this info from reading a book called "The Wrinkle Cure" by NIcolas Perricone, a NY dermatologist. He recommends a diet high in protein, low in complex carbs, and high in antioxidants to keep skin looking great... I've tried it and it actually seems to work.

 

[lola]

i'm afraid my usual bowl of cornflakes will not be sufficient. by the time the test actually starts i figure it'll be at least 9:00, right? hopefully it'll last until the ps section when i'll scarf down a banana!

 

[Chronotropic]

Maybe it's just me but having a little caffine before a practice tests boosts me up 2 pts a section.

 

[Diogenes]

Originally posted by chandler742
Stay away from Turkey and Chicken during lunch... Birds are very high in the amino acid tryptophan...Tryp is a precursor to serotonin, and this manifests to drowsiness....

One reason why most people are tired after Thanksgiving dinner...

I thought this was debunked....

 

[Diogenes]

I think the important thing is to stick with whatever your normal routine is. With only a week to go, I would not advise trying something different.

 

[missbonnie]

Hi-

My 2 cents..just don't eat anything you don't normally have for breakfast..as for me..I always have eggs, toast and coffee, so that's what I had...I went light on the coffee but still ended up having to hold it in for verbal..not the most pleasant feeling!

I also had powerbars throughout the mcat.

-bonnie

 

[CoffeeCat]

What if you haaate powerbars? Is there anything else comparable?

 

[missbonnie]

Honestly, I think any kind of "bar" would be fine..ya just want something portable with energy to keep you going..that you can eat in pieces right? I also like Odwalla bars..there's also nutrigrain, etc etc.