Test-Prep Diet

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A big exam is not unlike a marathon or a soccer tournament, says David Katz, a nutrition expert at Yale and the author of The Way to Eat (Sourcebooks; 352 pages). "Essentially, this is an arduous exertion," he says. "It just happens to be cognitive rather than physical. Your brain runs on the fuel you ingest, same as the rest of your body." Katz too is a big fan of the healthful breakfast and snacks of fresh fruits and vegetables, nonfat yogurt and energy bars made from fruits, nuts and seeds.

Both experts point out that you can get only so far by cramming good nutrition before a test. Good eating habits, like good study habits, are a long-term investment. "The greatest possible fallout of this," muses Katz, "is that kids might think, Jeez, if I have to worry about what I eat to maximize my performance on the SAT, maybe I need to pay a little bit more attention to what I eat all the time."