SEVEN CREATIVITY BOOSTING SNACKS

When I’m sitting at my desk working for long hours it’s tempting (and easy) to reach for an unhealthy snack. I’ve even been known to snack my way through lunch instead of stopping and taking a proper lunch break. Sour gummy worms are my go to snack, but I’m trying to do better.

I did a little research to find some healthier creativity-boosting snack options. I was pleasantly surprised that some of my favorite foods made the cut. Here’s what I found:

COMPLEX CARBS

Starting the day with whole grain bread or oatmeal is a great way to get the brain-boosting benefits that come from complex carbohydrates. Unlike simple carbohydrates (like flour and refined sugar), they take longer to break down which provides the brain with a steady stream of glucose throughout the day.

ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS

Avocados are one of my favorite foods – I love adding them to salads, spreading them on toast or blending them into guacamole. They are also loaded with essential fatty acids that play a key role in helping our brains to process and understand information necessary for creative thinking and problem solving.

FRUIT

“An apple a day, keeps creativity here to stay”. Not as catchy as the original phrase, but it is true. Fruits are full of tyrosine which increases our ability to think deeply and creatively.

CHOCOLATE

I didn’t have to work as hard as I thought I would to find a justification for eating chocolate. Flavanols, which are found in cocoa, enhance brain function by increasing the amount of oxygen that flows to the brain. Chocolate is great for late night work sessions – it helps with fighting fatigue and even helps with anti-aging. In fact, the darker the chocolate the better! This means I’ve got a great reason to keep a few of these around.

SUSHI

I’m glad to know that sushi can stay in my lunch rotation. The seaweed used in sushi rolls is packed with vitamins that play a key role in the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine which fuels deep thoughts and abstract thinking.

CAFFEINE

So caffeine is somewhat of a double-edge sword. It definitely has the power to speed up metabolism and boost short term concentration, but it can cause the opposite effect in the long run. Drinking coffee too early in the morning may cause an energy crash that results in sluggish uninspired afternoons, and drinking a second cup later in the day may lead to a sleepless night.

SUGAR

I took a little liberty with this one, but it doesn’t hurt to indulge in one of your favorite treats every now and then. There’s no harm if it’s done sparingly – and the endorphine rush will definitely boost creativity. Bring on the doughnuts!

Well, I’ve got my grocery list ready for the week. What are some of your favorite snacks to grab while you’re working?