Your Poor Diet is Hurting Your Grades

This is because even though your brain makes up only two percent of your body weight, it absorbs a whopping 20 percent of your caloric intake. Your brain's voracious appetite means that your unhealthy eating habits don't just undermine immune system support. Poor nutrition could lead to ailing grades.

You don't eat breakfast. Mom's known it for years and researchers are finally getting a clue - breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. The New York Times says researchers examined 47 studies and found eating breakfast contributes to better mental functioning in students. The researchers aren't sure why breakfast improves grades, but speculate breakfast causes changes in the concentration of neurotransmitters, chemicals that act as messengers in the brain. Experts recommend a breakfast containing protein, natural sugars, fiber and a little fat to maintain blood glucose levels and sustain energy.

You eat lots of salt and saturated fat. Fast food fits a college student's budget, and of course, it's fast. But researchers at the University of Alberta examined the diets of 5,000 school children and found those who ate diets high in salt and saturated fat performed poorly on tests compared to those whose diets consisted of fruits, vegetables, protein and fiber. Live Science reports that rats given excessive amounts of saturated fat suffered damage to the hippocampus, an area of the brain important for the formation of memories.