How Can A Balanced Meal Boost Productivity

How Can A Balanced Meal Boost Productivity? It’s no big secret: what you eat impacts how you work. But According to a flagship study released on the subject by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in 2005, our nutrition habits have a direct impact on our productivity. In fact, the World Health Organization says that adequate nourishment can raise national productivity levels by 20 percent! You’ve probably even experienced it yourself by passing on your regular meals. Nothing kills your productivity faster than a grumbling stomach and low blood sugar.

Here is a study of how LifeHacker broke down the science behind how food impacts brain productivity:

“Certain foods release glucose quickly, while others do so more slowly, yet sustainably. Researcher Leigh Gibson found this to be optimal: ‘The brain works best with about 25 grams of glucose circulating in the blood stream—about the amount found in a banana.’ The way you can get those 25 grams of glucose into your blood stream is pretty easy. You can eat a donut. You can eat a small bowl of oats. There is virtually no difference in the very short term for your brain activity. Over the stretch of a normal 8-hour day however, the differences are spectacular. After eating the donut, we will release glucose into our blood very quickly. We will have about 20 minutes of alertness. Then our glucose level will drop rapidly, leaving us unfocused and easy to distract. It’s like putting the foot down on the gas pedal until you’ve used all your fuel… The oats, on the other hand, release their sugar as glucose much slower. This means we will have a steady glucose level, better focus, and higher attention levels.”

So how much more productive could you be by paying attention to your diet? Take a look at this infographic by Mindflash.