Albert Heijn launches 'Brainbooster' tool linking food to exam success

Supermarket chain Albert Heijn has introduced a new tool called "Brainbooster" that aims to help students navigate exam periods by creating personalized nutrition schedules. The tool links specific foods to different academic subjects and cognitive tasks, based on Bloom's taxonomy, which categorizes learning objectives and thinking levels.

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This is smart marketing that contains truths.

The "Brainbooster" tool analyzes the cognitive demands of each exam and suggests corresponding nutrients. For instance, 'remembering' requires omega-3 and choline, while 'understanding and applying' need B vitamins and iron. 'Analyzing, evaluating, and creating' are supported by antioxidants. The tool then recommends foods rich in these nutrients, such as fatty fish for omega-3 and eggs for choline.

Nutrition experts acknowledge that while the marketing is clever, the underlying principles have some truth. Research shows that specific nutrients can impact cognitive functions like memory and attention. However, they caution against expecting dramatic performance boosts solely from diet. "It's not that a student's performance will suddenly double if they eat spinach or blueberries," said Nele Steenackers, a nutrition expert from Maastricht University and KU Leuven. "But these foods do influence brain health."

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It's not that a student's performance will suddenly double if they eat spinach or blueberries, but these foods do influence brain health.

Dietitian Jen Cnops added that Albert Heijn's translation of these concepts is somewhat simplistic, as the human body doesn't function like a machine where specific nutrients can be directly inputted for immediate results. The tool aims to support brain health, but individual results may vary.

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The translation Albert Heijn makes is a bit too simplistic. Our body is not a machine where you have to enter the right nutrient for...