The next time you need to take a serious bite out of your to-do list, have some food for thought: what you eat affects not only how well your brain works but the way it works, too. Heard it all before? Well, before you turn the page, bear in mind this is a lunchtime prescription free from green tea, blueberries and umpteen other usual suspects. Instead, we’ll be serving cheese and pickle.
According to Psychological Research journal, the amino acid tyrosine has been demonstrated to promote ‘convergent thinking’ an hour after you’ve eaten. Unlike ‘divergent’ thought (tasks such as brainstorming or tackling open-ended problems) convergent or ‘deep’ thought helps you solve difficult issues with just one correct answer. Which, in layman’s terms, means ‘actually getting stuff done’. Promptly.
The study states that convergent thought requires more cognitive ‘top- down’ control, which tyrosine directly facilitates. And with the best natural sources of the nutrient including romano, gruyère and parmesan, a platter of cheese and crackers is stacked high with 9-5 efficiency.
Just try your best not to get chutney on your keyboard.
