A Healthy Diet Encyclopedia for IIT JEE Aspirants

Exam times in India are synonymous with tension, nervousness, and stress. Correct? A healthy, well-balanced, and nutritious diet can go a long way in combating the ill effects of exams, while simultaneously keeping you bursting with energy and enhancing your memory. Unfortunately, 21^st century is all about junk food and stimulants such as caffeine, thanks to international burger chains, pizza outlets, coffee houses, and other junk food joints in malls and high-end localities, which are a hit with school and college students. These students need to do a bit of self-introspection as to how these foods are hampering their studies. Once they realize the ill effects of such foods and switch to healthier, home-cooked alternatives, their exam preparation will definitely get a shot in the arm. 

Prior to most entrance tests, students compromise on peace of mind, adequate sleep, and healthy food. Their focal points include studies, revisions, tests, and results. It can be argued that IIT JEE is the world’s toughest entrance exam. Hence, the keywords for students include preparation and attentiveness to complete the IIT JEE syllabus. However, this does translate to switching to poor eating habits, inadequate resting, and not living a normal life. Students need to focus on their health and eat healthy foods rich in protein, iron, and vitamins. While preparing for JEE Main and JEE Advanced, never skip any diet or meal. Skipping a meal can have adverse impacts on memory retention, focus, and overall health.

Diet Plan from Breakfast to Dinner during Final Exams
Breakfast	Consume a glass of milk, fruits, and Vitamin B
At 11:30 am	Intake Vitamin C, fruit juice, carrots, and almonds
Lunch	Your lunch should comprise of rice, dal, vegetables, and wheat chapattis
At 5:00 pm	Ideal foods at this time include brown bread, peanuts, and fruits
Dinner	Your dinner should be light, consisting of dal, rice, vegetables, and boiled eggs

Diet Tips for Final Exams

• Avoid empty carbohydrates (such as white bread) and trans fats

• Consume eight glasses of water on a daily basis

• Include fruits and their juices in your diet

• Increase intake of vitamins and protein

• Eat small meals 4-5 times a day rather than 2 big meals

• Make sure you are including milk, curd (yogurt) and liquids (such as dal) in your diet

• Skip soda and aerated drinks

• Consume foods rich in iron, such as green leafy vegetables, regularly

• Say “no” to junk food such as pizzas, burgers, high-calorie desserts, and fast food

• Keep a check on your intake of sweets and chocolates

Foods to Improve Memory

• Fresh fruits

• Healthy breakfast comprising of White Oats

• Wholemeal Toast with Scrambled Eggs

Foods to Avoid to Score Well in Exams

• Fast food such as pizzas and burgers

• Aerated and carbonated drinks

• Fried foods rich in calories

Eating Habits of Students

A significant percentage of students gain weight during exams due to the factors given in the table below. Some of these students also fall ill due to such poor dietary habits.

Consumption of junk food	45%
Skipping green vegetables	23%
Poor intake of water	17%
Consumption of Unhealthy Fats	15%

To sum it up, stay well hydrated and depend on fruits and green leafy vegetables to do the trick. Give junk food the skip until you are done with your exams. We know how difficult this is; hence, we have said “until you are done with your exams.” All the best for IIT JEE 2015!