Food for thought. What Britain’s top brains eat
Are greens good for the grey matter, or will egg and chips do just as well?
Tim Lewis asked our top boffins to reveal their eating habits
Sunday August 19, 2007
Observer Food Monthly
Professor Robert Winston
Robert Winston is Emiritus Professor of Fertility at Imperial College, London. Best known for his research into human reproduction, he is also famous for his love of egg and chips.
I got a lot of stick for supporting omega-3 fatty acids and I’m not sure why, because each week new research comes out that says I was right. There is clear evidence that it is needed for brain development in children and it seems to improve behaviour in adults too. A very interesting study from Oxford University shows that these fatty acids fed to young offenders in an Aylesbury institution improved their concentration and lowered instances of aggression. All I advocated was that omega 3 was likely to help some children if given as an additive in milk, for example. I don’t think I did anything that was in the slightest bit untrustworthy.
…Radha Jain, under-9 chess champion
Radha Jain is the English Girls Under-9 chess champion and is representing England at the World Youth Championships in Turkey this November. Discipline is her middle name.
It’s really important to eat the right things before playing chess. I don’t eat sugar, or sweets, and I don’t eat just before my round, either, because that way you get sleepy. I don’t even have sugar the day before a match. I drink a lot of water, because thinking really dehydrates you. Bananas are good for concentration, though, and I’ll eat those between rounds.
I love Indian food, and that’s what we mostly eat at home, though sometimes we have pasta and pizza. My favourite dish is dosa – a big Indian pancake, with all sorts of fillings, such as paneer or samba, and they do great ones at the Indian Kitchen. I love the ambience as well as the food here, especially the big red flowers on each table. The staff are also really polite and helpful. Generally we don’t go out to eat, though, and Mum does most of the cooking. She’s a very good cook. My dad has an office in the house, and he stays there most of the day; he doesn’t do much cooking.
I do cook a tiny bit at home – mostly chapatis, filled with sabjis and dhal. I prefer Indian food – I like its spiciness, and I think it’s healthier than English food. There are also lots of vegetarian dishes, which is good because of my religion – I’m a Jain, and we do not believe in killing animals.
I started playing chess when I was seven. I like the way the game challenges you all the time. My dad and my brother [Akash Jain, 13, currently Under-13 British Champion] also play chess. I started beating my dad about one-and-a-half years ago. He didn’t mind too much. I probably practise about an hour a day – either on the computer, or against my brother. My brother’s three years older and thinks he’s much better than me at chess. When he was my age, though, he wasn’t as good as I am now. One day I’d like to be a Women’s Grand Master.
I’ve played so much chess now that I don’t really get nervous before matches. Sometimes playing against the clock can be stressful, though. Some games can go on a really long time; the longest one I ever played was four-and-a-half hours. I like the puzzle of chess. You have to stretch for tactics and chances to win. The person that plays the first move that comes into his head always loses. Normally I think about three moves ahead, sometimes more.
My schoolfriends aren’t that into chess. We just talk, really. And we play netball, and rounders. My favourite thing of all is when a cocky boy comes up to me and thinks he can thrash me because I’m a girl, and I beat him easily. That’s very satisfying.
Here is the full article: http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,,2149132,00.html
Pizza, burgers, hot dogs, greasy frieds, ice cream….
Anand is vegetarian, doesn’t smoke, or drink.
Kramnik I believe quit drinking a long time ago, after he found out that regular drinking damaged neurons beyond repair. Obviously it’s not that much of a problem for you or me, but for a top-level chess player, if it can affect your memory and influence your thinking ability causing you to miscalculate, then even a marginal neural advantage can make a difference at the top-level.
I read that the dairy produce was included in US government dietary advice after pressure from the dairy lobby, having been left out by the nutritionists.
Indeed the history of food is fascinating, and I’d strongly urge folks looking at diets to look at the history of modern food. The history of Kelloggs is especially fascinating, and might persuade some to eat more fruit for breakfast.
That said, I don’t think that diet is anywhere near as important as many people think. If one minimizes the modern day “nutrient free” foods, you’ll probably be fine.
Of course competitive chess is physically demanding, and then it probably pays to err towards diets used by other athletes. However I think for regular brain work, perhaps more fats are needed, than the athletes high carb regimes.
I eat hamburgers, french fries with mayonaise, chocolate, cookies, …
also during a match…
doesn’t affect me at all!
I find Radha Jain’s comments regarding food very interesting. As an athlete I’m very aware of what and when I eat before a race. As a chess player I don’t pay as much attention to the timing of the meal though I do try to watch what I’m eating.
Many sports nutritionists feel the timing of a pre-race meal is very important in terms of blood sugar levels. In sports we talk about “bonking” when we’re running on empty. I suspect as chess players we can also “bonk” in the middle of a long game.
Perhaps we can learn something from a nine year old.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
I read the article and that Indian girl, I mean the British champ is really a very nice person. She said many interesting things e.g. that her religion does not believe in the killing of animals. Interesting .. I as a carnivore never thought of myself as a believer in the killing of animals. I guess that it can be looked upon that way though.
I think that generally speaking it always is a good advice to watch what you eat. and when you eat it and her experience is as they say food for thought.
As she is not the British Under 9 Champion does it really matter what she eats.
Update: Radha Jain is and has been the British Girl Champion U8,9,10,11! Impressibe, huh?
Thanks guys for posting comments about me. And by the way I am 10-11 yrs old now, not a little 9 yr old!
And to whoever wrote this,
As she is not the British Under 9 Champion does it really matter what she eats.
I know I am not U9 champ, and it doesn’t say that. It says I was U9 girl champ. Now though I am U10 & U11 girl champ & used to be U9 and U8 girls champ. I hope that answers your question sir or mam.
It was interesting what the rest of you wrote!
Thanks
Radha