Everything on the plate: The surprising connection between food and concentration

There are days when it seems that the brain simply decides to take a break. You read the same line over and over, struggle to concentrate, and by three in the afternoon you are already looking for coffee or something sweet. Most of us blame the workload or lack of sleep, but recent studies show that how our body reacts to food has a direct impact on energy levels and the ability to stay focused. The good news is that you don't have to make drastic changes to your diet. Sometimes a few small adjustments, based on current research, help maintain more stable energy levels throughout the day. Here are five of them:

1. Start the meal with vegetables and protein. The order of eating matters: a study by researchers from the University of the UAE, published in 2024 in Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity, found that eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates reduces the post-meal blood sugar spike by about 41%. A more moderate bodily response helps maintain stable energy levels and reduces the fatigue that sometimes appears after eating. In simple terms, if you have fish, broccoli, and rice on your plate, you should eat the fish and broccoli first, and only then the rice.

2. Do not underestimate satiety. The same study found that participants who started their meal with vegetables and protein reported higher satiety even two hours later. When we remain full for longer, the likelihood of reaching for sugary snacks that cause energy crashes decreases.

3. Don't just look at sugar content. It is not only sugar that is important, but also the degree of food processing. A study published this year in Geroscience, involving over 11,500 adults, found that high consumption of ultra-processed foods is associated with lower cognitive performance. Therefore, it is worth preferring foods as close as possible to their natural form (like fruits or nuts, rather than snacks).

4. Examine your meal types. In recent years, continuous glucose monitoring has enabled dietitians to refine nutritional recommendations. One of the most influential studies, conducted at the Weizmann Institute and published in the journal Cell, tracked 800 participants and analyzed their body's response to about 47,000 meals. Researchers discovered that the exact same meal can cause a completely different response in different people. It is worth examining which meals leave you alert and which lead to a decrease in energy and concentration.

5. Listen to your body. A study conducted by researchers from the University of Cambridge showed that different people react differently to the same glucose intake. If you feel that fatigue or a lack of focus returns after a certain meal, you might need to re-examine its composition. Sometimes a small change, such as the order of eating or a better combination of food components, can make a big difference.

Bottom line, improving concentration starts with a better understanding of how our body reacts to food. Progress in sugar monitoring has expanded our knowledge of the link between nutrition and daily functioning, helping anyone who wants to feel sharper and more focused throughout the day.