Foods To Beat Your Teenager’s Exam Stress

The exams are around the corner

Is your teen stressed?

The answer to that is bound to be “YES”

So what can you do to reduce your teenager’s stress?

Feed her/him – these 10 foods

Foods that will reduce your child’s stress

1. Protein rich food

   When your child is stressed make sure you fill her/his meals and snacks with protein. Proteins make you feel happier and feel calmer because they are able to generate the happy hormone SEROTONIN. The practice of eating soaked almonds every morning for better brain power comes from here. Unfortunately most teenagers tend to eat carbohydrate rich meals when they are stressed instead of protein rich meals. And instead of reducing their stress – this then increases their stress.

   Sugary foods like cakes, muffins and biscuits that are typically eaten by teenagers when they are stressed before the exams – give them an instant high followed by a crashing low. These foods cause mood swings, dips in concentration and irritability. These are the exact opposite of what the child needs during exams.

   Proteins are abundantly present in Eggs, Chicken, Pumpkin seeds, nuts, quinoa
   For protein rich recipes Meal Plan For Saturday; Helps You Resist Junk Food

2. Probiotics

   Your child’s gut has a direct effect on your child’s mood.An abundance of healthy gut bacteria keep your child calm and happy. Whereas unhealthy gut bacteria cause anxiety and depression.The practice of eating curd rice at the end of every meal and the practice of eating a bowl of curd before leaving home for exams – is a very logical practice and this is the science behind them. Make sure your child has an abundance of fermented foods in her his diet.

   Curd is an excellent probiotic. Set it at home for best results.

   Serve Idli, Dosa, Appam and Dhokla

   Set the curd at home for best results. Curd bought from stores – usually have much less bacteria than you need.

3. Prebiotics

   Prebiotics are the food our gut bacteria need to thrive on.Since there is a direct connection between the gut and the brain – it is important to load the exam going child’s diet with prebiotics. For a rich supply of prebiotics – ensure that your child is eating lots of pulses or dals

   For more prebiotic rich recipes click here Meal Plan For Monday; Healthy Easy And Tasty

4. Foods rich in Omega-3-Fats

   Omega 3’s are found in the brain and all the nerves. When your child has a rich supply of omega – 3 fatty acids in her/his diet new brain cells are formed more easily and larger quantities of messenger chemicals that help in transmission of signals from one nerve to the next are formed. This in essence means that your child understands better, remembers better and thinks faster on a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids

   A rich supply of Omega 3 fatty acids are available from sea fish and nuts and seeds. Make your child’s munchies with lots of nuts and seeds
   For more healthy snack recipes click here 6 Easy Healthy And Tasty Snack Recipes For Children

4 Stress relieving recipes for your exam going kid   

When children are stressed out about their exams – they are sure to lose their appetites for meals.

Do not force your child to eat meals. Instead make your child these healthy snacks

1. Protein rich snack

   

   Protein rich food for children during exams

   Healthy Quinoa Brownies -Recipe by Simran Oberoi Multani

   Ingredients

   Cooked quinoa which is mashed    1cup

   Dark chocolate ( 55% )    120 gms

   Butter   100 gms

   Baking powder    1tsp

   Eggs   2

   Coffee dissolved in water    1 tsp

   Coconut sugar     ¼ cup

   Cup milk   ¼ cup

   Method-

   Beat the eggs well
   Add the coffee, milk, baking powder and coconut sugar to it
   And incorporate it nicely.
   Melt the dark chocolate and butter together on a double boiler
   Cool it off
   And then add to the above mix
   Finally add the quinoa
   And fold it in gently
   Do not over beat
   Put it into a greased and dusted pan
   And bake in a preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, at 170 degrees C.
   Cool off and eat!
   The sauce on top is a super simple mix of date syrup
   With 1/2 tbsp of melted butter
   Mixed together on low flame
   Add chopped almonds
   Cool it off and then use.
   For an eggless version ,

   I haven’t tried it as yet, you can replace eggs with applesauce. It will taste better than flaxseeds or curd as the replacers, since quinoa already has its own nutty flavour.

2. Probiotic rich snack

   Idli – Recipe by Simran Oberoi Multani

   Ingredients–

   Parboiled Ponni Rice ­­­­­­­­- 1 1/2 Cups

   Urad Dal – 1/2 Cup

   Methi /Fenugreek Seeds –1 tbsp

   All soaked For 3-4 Hours Separately

   Method-      

   1. Grind them separately and then mix them together.
   2. Keep them aside for fermenting for 7-8 hours
   3. Put some water in an Idly steamer
   4. Add the batter into the Idli segment after applying oil gee to them
   5. And put it on the stove.
   6. Put it inside the idly vessel and let it steam for 5-6 minutes.
   7. Leave it inside for 3-4 minutes and then serve with chutney / sambhar.

Prebiotic rich meal

Prebiotic rich food for children during exams

Baked Lentil Casserole – Recipe by Simran Oberoi Multani

Ingredients

Spring onions finely chopped – 1 cup

Grated carrots – 2

Spinach finely chopped – 2-3 leaves

Mixed soaked lentils use for lunch = 11/2 cups

Olive oil, – 2-3 tbsp

Grated cheese,- 1 cup

Chives – 1 tbsp

, Thyme – 1tsp

, Water – 2-3 cups

Garlic – 2-3 cloves crushed

Salt and black pepper as per taste,

Cream.- ½ cup

Method-

Preheat oven to 175 degrees C.
Grease and prepare a baking dish.
Sauté the onions, carrots and spinach.
Shift into the baking dish.
In 1 tbsp of oil, add the dry spices. Cook for a few seconds and then add the lentils.
Cook for 2 minutes and then add water, let the lentils cook a bit and then transfer to the baking dish.
Add the cream and then mix well.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Add cheese on top and then bake for another 15 more minutes or so. Remove from the oven, cover and keep until you want to serve it.

1. Omega 3 fatty acids rich snack

   

   Omega 3 rich snack for children during exams

    Trail mix  – Recipe by Malavika Shenoy

   Ingredients

   Jowar flakes (optional)  ¼ cup

   Flaked almonds   2 tbsp

   Raisins/Sultanas  2 tbsp

   Cashew      2 tbsp

   Jaggery       ¼ cup

   Popped Amaranth (optional)  1tsp

   Melon seeds (optional)  2 tbsp

   Pumpkin seeds (optional)       2 tbsp

   Sunflower seeds (optional)     2 tbsp

   Method

   Take a saucepan and melt the jaggery until it forms thick syrup.

   Add the nuts, dry fruits and jowar flakes.

   Spread it on a wax paper and let it set.

   Peel them off the wax paper and store in a jar.

   Note:

   You can make this with a number of dry fruits and nuts.

   Replace jowar flakes with puffed rice or popped millets. You can add multiple varieties of popped millets.

   To pop amaranth, place a couple of tablespoons of amaranth seeds in a flat thick bottomed pan and keep it on high heat. Stir it with wooden spoon until it pops.

For a weekly menu with 6 healthy recipes every day check this Indian Meal Plan Tips For Busy Moms For Balanced Healthy Meals