People are what they eat, as the reliable ol’ cliché touts. But there’s more than just a kernel of truth to it; probably an entire cob, in fact. Healthy diets actually mean the healthiest possible academic performance, with more than a trickle of scientific evidence backing up traditional sayings. The following examples represent a by-no-means comprehensive look at some of the connections between nutrition, education and economics.
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Caffeine is not so helpful
Oh, caffeine is undeniably great — and often delicious! — stuff for staying awake when there’s studying or paper writing to do. Unfortunately, said alertness comes packaged with some not-so-great side effects. Teens who regularly indulge their caffeine cravings actually suffer from lower GPAs and higher depression, nervousness and anxiety rates than their not-so-jittery peers.
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Breakfast does bolster memory
Not overall performance, however, so science doesn’t give it quite the same accolades as the general public. Regularly noshing on a nourishing breakfast really only boosts memory retention, which is obviously nothing to dismiss! But, as per usual, the research inflated after hitting public consciousness and everyone started touting it as the magical, whole wheat-laden conduit towards better grades and test scores.
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Weight and performance don’t correlate
They kind of do and kind of don’t, actually: overweight third graders do score lower in math and reading than their average or underweight classmates, but that has nothing to do with intelligence or aptitude. Rather, mounting social persecution levied at anyone heavier than a certain body type instills them with confidence-busting anxiety issues that eventually reflect in their school work. So basically, the only way to reverse this trend is a complete societal overhaul where marginalizing the overweight elicits horror instead of high-fives.
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Sufficient iron is a necessity
But not too much, as excessive amounts of the stuff causes an entirely different set of disconcerting health problems. Iron deficiencies — especially in younger children — can negatively impact the brain’s nerve and tissue development. Which, of course, might lead to cognitive issues and reduced education performance once he or she starts hitting school.
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Oh, and iodine, too
Like iron, iodine deficiencies can also mean a decline in a young child’s overall cognitive functioning — which doesn’t exactly bode terrifically well for his or her academic performance. Kids under the age of 8 need about 90 µg (micrograms) of it daily, while infants up to a year old require 110 and 130 µg. Try and pack Muffy and Junior’s lunches and dinners with seafood or seaweed to make sure they get enough to get ahead.
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Poor nutrition may mean learning disabilities in adulthood
In both zebra finches and humans, studies have shown that generally inadequate nutrition during the formative years can lead to serious learning disabilities later in life. Although there exists a couple ways to mildly compensate over time, piling on proper food intake still might not completely override the issue. Most of catching up’s positive effects, however, are largely physical — poor nutrition early might lower IQ and, as noted earlier, cognitive development permanently.
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A collective healthy diet creates a healthy learning environment
When Central Alternative High School in Appleton, WI, replaced its standard issue carb- and fat-soaked school lunches with far fresher, healthier options, something pretty amazing happened. Truancy and altercations plummeted while grades skyrocketed, creating a safer, far more nurturing educational environment. While the switch didn’t really alter students’ intelligence or aptitude any, such an initiative deserves widespread implementation for its integral role in improving the overall classroom experience.
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Get plenty of carbs
Specifically, those wholesome complex carbohydrates found in whole grains — avoid using this information as an excuse to gorge on those unhealthy processed sugars! Excessive carb consumption is never a good idea, of course, but regularly ingesting the recommended daily allowance means more streamlined, efficient cognitive activity. As the substance breaks down into glucose, the brain receives the energy needed to plow through the school day and soak up some lessons.
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Low birth weight means a lower attention span
Usually a low birth rate is indicative of poor nutrition, if not malnutrition, and can lead to attention span issues alongside the expected cognitive development delays. In the U.S., one pound of additional birth weight apparently correlates to a 7% increase in lifetime earnings. Considering the relationship between nutrition, cognitive functioning and classroom performance, these findings aren’t exactly anything approaching surprising.
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Omega-3 fatty acids are essential
Found in fish, eggs, mussels, flax and some meats, Omega-3 fatty acids form an absolutely necessary cornerstone of the brain-friendly diet. They bolster the synapses, which in turn improve cognitive development, learning and memory — all core components of an effective, sustainable education. Individuals with fewer Omega-3s in their system suffer a higher risk of succumbing to mental illness and learning disabilities, though deficiency is by no means the origin or sole cause.
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Graze
Rather than the three-meals-a-day plan to which American diners are acclimatized, several more small ones might actually prove more mentally beneficial. Aston University’s Michael Green points out that maintaining about 25 grams of glucose (approximately one banana) in the bloodstream is ideal for optimum brain functioning, and therefore learning. But try not to cram in too much of the stuff, either, as doing so can increase one’s risk of hyperglycemia and other high blood sugar issues.
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Stick to foods low on the glycemic index
Not only does this healthy habit help prevent hyperglycemia, it also means a brain more eager to process and retain information. Because low-glycemic foods take longer to bodily break down, the essential organ receives a more regulated, steady stream of the stuff rather than huge bursts. This keeps its energy levels stable, so try and consume reasonable amounts of nuts, yogurt, meat, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, milk, pasta and legumes.
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Avoid sodas and moderate alcohol
Sodas and energy drinks lousy with sugar don’t do cognition any favors, as their glucose levels lead to a burst-and-crash rather than the nice, gentle flow of something healthier. A moderate amount of alcohol (one to two glasses, depending on tolerance and weight) at the end of the day can actually increase brain functioning and promote necessary relaxation — as can green tea, for all those non-drinkers out there! But no matter one’s decisions to consume or not consume, at least 80 ounces of water is necessary to dissuade stress hormones and promote improved overall health and wellness.
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Protein-energy malnutrition is a serious educational roadblock in the developing world
Ernesto Pollitt’s UNESCO study posited that protein-energy malnutrition — as well as negligible or no resources — poses the developing world’s most common educational roadblock. Scientific links between poor nutrition and scholastic achievement come a dime a dozen these days, but this one pinpoints one of the more specific reasons. One which impacts millions of impoverished, marginalized children worldwide, meaning aid has to address protein and deficiencies as well as teacher training and resource compiling.
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Schools with their own gardens enjoy improved overall nutrition
Engaging students in school or community gardens provides them with the most hands-on strategy for teaching them food production. A greater understanding of how fruits and vegetables grow has led to their increased consumption in participating California schools. This not only improved their performance, but inspired them to keep a healthy diet far beyond just the classroom.
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Hunger and behavior issues correlate
No matter the setting, if a kid is starving, his or her thoughts will focus on feeding rather than the tasks at hand. Even the rigorously intelligent and eager with high aptitude will display from poor grades and behavior issues when suffering from hunger or malnutrition. With 12.4 million American children hailing from "food insecure" households, that means a disconcerting number of distracted, at-risk students.
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Hunger increases the dropout rate
Everywhere in the world, both developed and developing nations see dropout rates as family income and food accessibility plummet. This unfortunate phenomenon stems from the same factors linking hunger and learning and/or behavioral issues. Motivations behind jettisoning school at any level vary from individual to individual, but performance anxiety and helping out an impoverished family are tragically common.
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Anemia contributes to poor performance
"Well duh," some will inevitably say. "Iron deficiency was already covered earlier." And that’s true, but in some parts of rural China and elsewhere, parasitic worms can also trigger the condition. When students received effective treatments for the medical problems, their schools enjoyed a 25% increase in attendance. In addition, healthy kids participated more frequently in class discussions than their suffering peers.
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Get plenty of antioxidants
Antioxidants essentially swab out free radicals in the brain and body that could cause different diseases and conditions. Considering the essential organ’s susceptibility to oxidation, a diet rich in the harmful phenomenon’s sworn nemesis will certainly help improve academic (and general) performance. Partake of fresh fruits and vegetables, teas, coffees, wines, eggs and other antioxidant-rich foods and drinks for a happier, healthier school experience.
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Caffeine is helpful
Except when it isn’t. Excessive consumption, particularly over the long term, and the addition of sugar both pose quite a threat to one’s calm, stability and concentration. But, like alcohol, responsible intake might actually help nurture memory retention skills. Small amounts of coffee without any of the usual accoutrements provide antioxidants in addition to a brain boost.
Trying to choose the worst Heisman winner is like trying to choose the ugliest Miss America winner — they're all great, and highlighting their flaws is just being nitpicky. Nevertheless, for the sake of argument, you have to acknowledge that some winners are less deserving than others, whether it's because they won merely on reputation, and/or because there were more deserving candidates. The following Heisman Trophy recipients were all super talented, but their resumes were a bit underwhelming.
During the early years of the Heisman, the Irish were a dominant force in college football, making them a media darling, a factor that certainly helped them secure an abundance of awards through the years. When Lattner claimed the Heisman, for example, he didn't lead the team in scoring, passing, rushing or receiving. The duel-threat halfback's statistics and explosive potential were somewhat hindered by his talented teammates who commanded the ball as well. Interestingly, Lattner's original trophy perished in a fire at his Chicago steakhouse, and the $300 replacement has suffered an immense amount of wear and tear — perhaps he doesn't value it as much as another winner would have?
There's no doubt that Hornung was a heck of an NFL player. People often confuse the worst Heisman winners with Heisman winners who went on to do nothing in the pros — this certainly wasn't the case, as Hornung is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Most inexplicable about Hornung receiving the award was that Notre Dame was a putrid 2-8 during in '56, so his impact was minimal at best. Meanwhile, Jim Brown led Syracuse to a 7-2 record, notably scoring a record 43 points versus Colgate and winning Cotton Bowl co-MVP honors versus TCU.
Crow played in seven of the Aggies 11 games due to a hyper-extended knee he suffered in the season opener versus Maryland. After winning their first eight games, they lost their final three, including one at home against archrival Texas and one against Tennessee at the Gator Bowl. Missing such significant time would be an automatic disqualifier today, but Crow's dynamism was understandably difficult to ignore by the voters.
Ranked No. 1, UCLA suffered a narrow late-season loss in an unforgettable matchup against cross-town rival USC, which would go on to win that season's consensus national championship. In the process, Beban had a stellar performance before a national audience, completing 16-24 passes for 301 yards and two touchdowns. It was enough to earn him the Heisman despite the fact that OJ Simpson, who had a better season, scored the game-tying 64-yard touchdown in the same game. Although OJ was robbed in '67, he went on to win it in '68.
The '71 season was unfolding swimmingly for Sullivan during the first eight games. Auburn had dismantled almost all of its opponents and seemed to be on its way to an undefeated season. Against Bama, however, the tide turned dramatically as Auburn was the one that got dismantled, suffering a 31-7 loss in which Sullivan tossed just 121 yards and two interceptions. Propelled by gaudy stats he accumulated mostly against weak opponents, Sullivan won the Heisman anyway.
Naturally, having won the Heisman the previous season, Griffin was the frontrunner going in to '75. The high-powered Buckeyes coasted through the season, winning just two games by fewer than double-figures, the latter of which came against Michigan, Griffin's worst game of the season. He won the Heisman anyway, as planned, making him the only two-time winner. He had just four touchdowns that season, 21 fewer than teammate Pete Johnson.
A bruising back, George Rogers worked for every last yard as he led college football in rushing during the '80 season and guided the Gamecocks to an 8-4 record. Freshman Herschel Walker posted similar numbers for an undefeated national championship team but finished third in the voting, while defensive end Hugh Green, possibly the best player in all of college football, finished second.
Ware posted eye-popping numbers that voters simply couldn't ignore, setting an astounding 26 NCAA records in the process. Benefitting from head coach Jack Pardee's flashy run-and-shoot offense, Ware was the key component in the 95-21 obliteration of recent death penalty recipient SMU. At the time, the Cougars regularly feasted on weak competition provided by the Southwest Conference. Their signature win in a probation season, in which they finished ranked No. 14, came against No. 18 Texas Tech. Alternatively; Anthony Thomas of the Big 10's Indiana tallied 1,793 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Neither Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar nor Vinnie Testaverde won the Heisman, yet Toretta was able to secure it during a year in which Marshall Faulk carried the San Diego State offense, despite injuries, with 1,630 yards and 15 touchdowns, clearly asserting himself as the best player in the nation. Miami, a national title contender, was led by its stout defense, and hardly relied on Toretta to carry them to wins. He didn't even post gaudy numbers. More than anything, he was at the right place at the right time.
Rex Grossman deserved to win the Heisman after his standout sophomore season but was robbed due to the tradition of denying deserving underclassmen — he tallied 34 touchdown passes and just fewer than 4,000 yards, torching SEC competition. Memorably, he posted 464 yards and 5 touchdowns against eventual SEC champion LSU in Tiger Stadium. Each of his "Fun 'n' Gun" Gators' wins came by two touchdowns or more, but their narrow losses to Auburn and Tennessee prevented them from matching up against Miami in the Rose Bowl. Crouch, a multi-threat quarterback, made a highlight-reel touchdown catch against Oklahoma that stuck in the minds of voters, thus giving him the award. But the Huskers suffered a terrible late-season blowout loss to Colorado, failed to win the Big XII and easily lost to Miami in the national title game.
Agatha Christie is the best-selling author of all time, with about four billion copies sold and translations into at least 103 languages. She is best known for her detective novels and short story collections. But at the same time, she couldn't even balance her own checkbook due to her learning disability, believed to be dysgraphia. She had a hard time spelling correctly, as a self proclaimed "extraordinarily bad speller" and was not good about remembering numbers, but her learning disability did not hold her back.
Stephen J. Cannell was an American writer and novelist, as well as TV producer and sometime actor. His most celebrated work was crime drama scripts, with writing credits including The A-Team, 21 Jump Street, The Rockford Files, and The Greatest American Hero. He suffered from dyslexia and struggled in school, but he graduated from the University of Oregon. Cannell used his fame to speak out about dyslexia, and discussed his experiences in the documentary Dislecksia: The Movie.
As one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century, F. Scott Fitzgerald is best known for his novel, The Great Gatsby, as well as many short stories. But F. Scott Fitzgerald is believed to have had a learning disability, mostly likely dyslexia. It's reported that he was kicked out of school at the age of 12 for not focusing or finishing his work, and he had a very hard time spelling, but he succeeded as a writer despite his disability.
The man behind the comic strip Dilbert self-diagnosed his dyslexia. He was working as a bank teller and noticed that his totals didn't balance at the end of the day. But dyslexia does not seem to have hindered his success, as Dilbert is well loved, in addition to his books, restaurant ownership, and appearances on TV shows. Adams also suffers from focal dystonia, a condition that causes involuntary muscular contraction, as well as spasmodic dysphonia, but he is able to work around all of his conditions.
JF Lawton is a prolific screenwriter, with screen credits including Pretty Woman, Under Siege, and DOA: Dead or Alive. But before he became a popular screenwriter, he suffered from severe dyslexia. The disability made school life difficult, and Lawton had to work hard to overcome this obstacle to become a writer. He credits his father, author Harry Lawton, with the support he needed to succeed– something that families of dyslexics should keep in mind.
The famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw wrote more than 60 plays and is the only person to be awarded an Oscar as well as a Nobel Prize for Literature for the same film, Pygmalion. It's believed that Shaw suffered from ADD (attention deficit disorder). Although he was a co-founder of the London School of Economics, he did not like formal 
Award winning author Jeanne Betancourt is beloved for her Pony Pals book series. Two of the characters in her books, Brian in My Name is Brain Brian and Anna in the Pony Pals, are both dyslexic. She has publicly spoken out about her dyslexia, sharing that she believes being dyslexic helped her as a writer, and explaining that, "Since learning to read and write was difficult for me growing up, I paid more attention to the world around me. I watched and listened carefully to people for clues to what people were thinking and feeling." As a dyslexic, she better developed her skills as a storyteller.
Richard Ford is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and a dyslexic. He's famous for The Sportswriter and its sequels, as well as his short story collection Rock Springs. He has mild dyslexia, but he did not let his disability keep him from developing a love of literature. In fact, he believes that dyslexia actually helped him become a better reader as the disability made him slow down and be thoughtful about the books, sharing that "being slow made me pore over sentences and to be receptive to those qualities in sentences that were not just the cognitive aspect of sentences but were in fact the "poetical" aspects of language…those qualities in language are as likely to carry weight and hold meaning and give pleasure as the purely cognitive, though of course we can't fundamentally separate those things, although the information age does its best."
Jules Verne pioneered the science fiction genre and inspired steampunk. He is most famous for his novels, including A Journey to the Center of the Earth, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, and Around the World in Eighty Days. As a student, he was more interested in writing than working in other subjects. He didn't do well in school, and often complained of having a hard time focusing. Although undiagnosed, it's believed that Verne may have had a form of ADD or ADHD.
One of the most important figures in 20th century literature, this Irish poet and playwright suffered from an undiagnosed learning disorder. He recalls: "Several of my uncles and aunts had tried to teach me to read, and because they could not, and because I was much older than children who read easily, had come to think, as I have learnt since, that I had not all my faculties." Yeats' father attempted to teach him as well, but without much success: ""My father was an angry and impatient teacher and flung the reading book at my head." He did eventually learn to read, and attended the Metropolitan School of Art (now known as the National College of Art and Design) in Dublin. He remained poor in spelling for the rest of his life, but Yeats achieved greatness beyond excellent spelling as he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923.
Children's author and illustrator Patricia Barber Polacco is a prolific writer, although she didn't start her first book until the age of 41. She didn't do well in school, and wasn't able to read until the age of 14. Patricia suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia until a teacher recognized her disability. She recognized this great teacher in the book Thank You, Mr. Falker, which shares the story of what happened when he discovered her dyslexia.
Although Fannie is an actress and comedienne, she is best known as the author of Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, which was made into a movie and earned her an Academy Award nomination for screenplay adaptation. She is a talented writer, but she felt her dyslexia challenged this talent. She felt discouraged and embarrassed because she couldn't (and still can't) spell. She put her writing career on hold for many years, working as an actress instead, but returned to writing in the 1980s, much to the celebration of Fried Green Tomatoes fans.
Academy Award-winning screenwriter and novelist John Irving is a popular author, with bestsellers including The World According to Garp and The Cider House Rules. But John Irving's dyslexia made him somewhat of an underdog, although as his high school wrestling coach said, "An underdog is in a position to take a healthy bite." Which is exactly what Irving did. He gave himself more time to work on assignments, kept a list of frequently misspelled words, and rewrote constantly in school. He was able to work through his disability to become the celebrated writer we know today.
Acclaimed Mexican-American writer Victor Villasenor is famous for Rain of Gold, a New York Times bestselling novel. He has spoken out about his dyslexia extensively, including his experience with the disability in Burro Genius: A Memoir. In this book, he describes dyslexia as a gift that allowed him to see things differently, relating that dyslexia "allowed me to see patterns that other people couldn't see. In high school, it was very difficult at first for me to learn how to play chess, but then once I learned, I quickly became the best chess player at our whole school, even beating our faculty and some of them thought they were great chess players." Victor Villasenor turned his disability into an advantage and went on to become a famous novelist.
Linda La Plante is famous for writing the TV crime series Prime Suspect, for which she won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America. She has worked on several TV series, as well as novels, but La Plante has not been without challenges. She had trouble writing, and was uncomfortable until she learned to use a typewriter. Even now, though, she is careful to never send anything out without first having it checked by an assistant.
Octavia Estelle Butler was one of the few African-American women in the field of American science fiction, but she was also one of the best, as the first science fiction writer to receive the MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant in 1995. But Octavia, often known as Junie, was diagnosed as a dyslexic. She also loved to daydream and was very shy. She dealt with her shyness by working past her dyslexia and losing herself in books, as well as writing her own stories as early as 10. She developed an interest in science fiction at age 12, sparking a lifelong talent as a science fiction writer.
Bestselling American author Sherrilyn Kenyon is best known for her Dark-Hunter vampire series. She has gathered an international following, with bestsellers frequenting New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly lists. She relates that dyslexia has impacted her writing, sharing, "The first book I wrote, most of the letters were backwards and much of it is horribly misspelled, but it didn't stop me." Kenyon persevered and followed her dreams to become a bestselling author, but minces no words explaining that "the dyslexia is a bummer, as my copy-editors will tell you."
Eileen Simpson was a noted memoirist, sharing insight into her husband John Berryman and the poets that came into their lives. Although she was expected more to be a writer's wife than a writer herself, she nonetheless became a celebrated author. In addition to social expectations, Simpson overcame acute dyslexia to become a writer, a condition that was diagnosed by Berryman, but had impacted her in school years earlier as she only pretended to read and write. She clearly overcame her disability, becoming the critical acclaimed writer we know today.
Don Mullan is a bestselling Irish author, best known for his book Eyewitness Bloody Sunday, which sparked a new Bloody Sunday Inquiry. He was an eyewitness to the events of Bloody Sunday in Derry at the age of 15. His book inspired the award winning film Bloody Sunday, for which he was a co-producer, source writer, and actor. He is very open about his dyslexia and outspoken about the condition. He's written and edited several books and documentaries on dyslexia, is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, and was a former keynote speaker at the International Symposium on dyslexia in Dublin.
Bernard Taylor is a celebrated British author and playwright. His work includes horror, true crime nonfiction, suspense, and romantic fiction, as well as theater plays, radio, and TV. He has won the Crime Writer's Association's Gold Dagger for Non-Fiction Award for Perfect Murder, and his novels The Godsend and Mother's Boys have both been made into film adaptations. He discovered his dyslexia at midlife, living 38 years undiagnosed. Taylor seems to be largely unruffled by the disability, but he does note that it sometimes slows him down, sharing that "it takes me dozens of rewrites to get it grammatically correct. But the creative juices keep me going. I am a big out of the box thinker."
Avi is beloved for his middle grade reader historical fiction novels. With a half-century writing career, 50 books, two Newbery Honors, and a Newbery Medal, he has had a major impact on the world of fiction. But Avi's writing hasn't always been easy to deal with: his teachers complained of messy and careless writing. His sloppy work was due to dyslexia, and Avi had to take on special tutoring sessions after failing out of his first high school. It was during these tutoring sessions that Avi was inspired to become a writer, and he developed a love of reading and writing voraciously.
Bestselling Irish fantasy novelist Caiseal Mór is known for his The Wanderers series and The Watcher's trilogy. He's created several music and spoken word CDs, and he is also famous for his autobiography, A Blessing and a Curse, which discusses his life on the autism spectrum. Before his autobiography was released, he kept his disability a secret from the public. He was diagnosed as a child, not speaking until he was four, and was taught to be ashamed of his autism, worried that he'd 
Gustave Flaubert is a French writer considered to be one of the greatest Western novelists. His first published novel, Madame Bovary, is the basis of his fame. He was known for his perfectionist style, and spoke out about his dyslexia, explaining, "I have the handicap of being born with a special language to which I alone have the key." Although he struggled with the written word throughout his life, he was able to accomplish greatness as a writer.
John Elder Robison is best known for his memoir, Look Me in the Eye, which shares his life experiences as a sufferer of Asperger's syndrome. He's also the older brother of Augusten Burroughs, author of Running with Scissors. Robison was unaware of his condition until he was 39 years old, but has nonetheless become an active participant in the autism community. He serves as a volunteer spokesman for the Graduate Autism Program and as a public reviewer for autism research with the National Institute of Mental Health. In addition to his memoir, Robison has written Be Different, a guide for people with autism and Asperger's syndrome, explaining how to handle social situations.