Your Student Life: Breakfast Foods and Memory
March 25, 2025
This study looked at breakfast consumption and subsequent performance on memory afterwards (1).
Who was studied?
100 healthy college students.
What was the intervention?
A toasted sandwich of about 400 calories with high saturated fat and high sugar, did worse than a similar calorie toasted sandwich with lower saturated fat and low sugar; similar carbohydrate and high protein, about 30 grams vs 10grams).
What were the results?
Just four days of a breakfast of high saturated fats and high sugars led to worse performance on memory tests taken after breakfast when compared to as higher protein, moderate carb, lower sugars and lower saturated fat breakfast.
The effect size of this change was significantly associated with the change in blood glucose across the experimental meals.
What does this mean for college students?
· This study replicated what was initially seen in animal models, but this is just one small study and further study is needed.
· According to this study, college students may remember their class material better if they consumed a breakfast that was high protein, moderate carbohydrate and lower in added sugars, lower in saturated fats.
· More practically, it may be a good idea to become mindful of your mental performance after you eat various types of meals.
· An optimized and personalized approach to nutrition can help with both physical and mental health (see resources below like nutrition coaching).
Any other resources to improve nutrition?
· Food choices to improve depression
· Nutrition coaching with Student Life’s Student Wellness Center
· Nutritionist at the Wilce Student Health Center
· Nutritionist at the Wexner Medical Center
· Nutrition books
· Take a nutrition class
· Harvard’s page on nutritional psychiatry
Ryan S Patel DO, FAPA
Psychiatrist, Counseling and Consultation Service
Office of Student Life
Reference:
1. Attuquayefio T, Stevenson RJ, Oaten MJ, Francis HM. A four-day Western-style dietary intervention causes reductions in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory and interoceptive sensitivity. PLoS One. 2017 Feb 23;12(2):e0172645. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0172645. PMID: 28231304; PMCID: PMC5322971.