How much food do you need to concentrate?

We have been taught that we need three meals a day in order to make it through the day and while most of us indulge in more than our fair share there is a large portion of South Africans who are living off barely enough to sustain them.

According to statistics children are being sent to school and university without having had enough food in order to concentrate through the day.  In 2012, a study done by the University of Free State discovered that 10% of their students went hungry each day. While further findings from an international study revealed 59% of college students had food insecurities, or some concerns over accessing healthy food options.

Food insecurities contribute to depression, stress, trouble learning in the classroom, and poor health. Several studies show that nutrition directly affects mental capacity, for example, iron deficiency, can decrease dopamine, vitamins and minerals deficiencies are shown to inhibit concentration, while correct amounts of amino acids and carbohydrates can improve perception, intuition, and reasoning.