Students should maintain healthy diet during finals week

By Zihan Wang, Staff Writer

Although students may be tempted to eat comfort food during finals week, Jaume Amengual, assistant professor of personal nutrition, urges students to keep a healthy diet.

“I would try to eat foods high in fiber, whole wheat, grains, fruits and vegetables,” Amengual said in an email.

Amengual said students should consume food high in fiber to avoid suffering from the constipation that comes with spending the majority of the day sitting down and studying without moving. He also said students should avoid eating fast food.

“During the exam period, the student won’t be moving as much. Eating fast food for too long will make an energy imbalance that could lead to gaining a few pounds extra,” he said.

Amengual said students should eat more vegetables and should add beans, rice or wholewheat pasta to their salads if they’re still hungry. He said preparing salads by buying lowprice vegetables from grocery stores can be cheaper than eating at McDonald’s.

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“Coffee as needed. I wouldn’t drink it before going to bed. A good night of sleep is very important before exams,” Amengual said.

The University will also provide special dining options for students during finals week.

“The special items include unique menu items, limited-time offers and reduced-priced items such as Nitro-Coffee at the Caffeinator,” said Dawn Aubrey, associate director of University Housing for Dining Services, in an email.

The University will also provide many healthy and nutritious options for students to get through finals week, including tastings and giveaways of Chobani yogurt and Awake Chocolate bars at 57 North, according to Aubrey. 

“Take care of yourself, get enough rest, eat well and stay hydrated,” Aubrey said.

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