There Must Be What Kind Of Food

In ExtremeProgrammingExplained, KentBeck says ThereMustBeFood. But what kind of food?

KentBeck briefly mentions Frigor Noir chocolate bars. I like dark chocolate, too, but it's hard to find Frigor Noir here in the States. But I did manage to find other good chocolates, the best of which were: Venchi 75%, Cafe Tasse 77%, Dolfin, Korkunov, Valrhona, Michel Cluizel, El Rey, Chocolove, Joseph Schmidt, Bernard Castelain, and Lazzaroni. (Pretty good for a guy in North Carolina, huh?)

We've also tried jelly beans, popcorn, beef jerky, and cantaloupe cubes.

Of these, popcorn is the worst: first, the popping disturbs everyone, then the smell wafts through the building. And then, it's not very healthy, and it's messy.

This suggests some criteria for team food:

First and foremost, has to be something that people like. But don't hope for unanimity, given the diversity of tastes, religions, diets, and allergies. That's okay - there doesn't have to be just one food.
It should be a quiet, mostly scent-free food.
Last but not least, it should be "brain food".

The BrainFood? criteria is a bit mysterious to me. Plus, there's surprisingly little on the web on this topic. Why? This is the best site I found: http://www.moscowfood.coop/archive/brain-power.html

Anyway, it inspired me to try energy bars. Unfortunately, it seems like all energy bars are geared toward physical performance, not mental performance. Not that there shouldn't be a significant overlap, of course. I'm trying ZonePerfect? bars now, because they contain Omega-3 fatty acids, though they does not say whether they contain DHA, the Omega-3 fatty acid that is brain food. I think they're working out well. Downsides: some of the flavors have a bad aftertaste, and they're a bit pricey. But they seem to carry me through the day's slumps (many hours after lunch).

So, what have other people tried?

The benefit of ZoneBars? and other zone snacks is the correct balance of fat, protein, and complex carbohydrates to keep blood sugar levels relatively constant. Too much simple sugar (candy bars) and your blood sugar spikes and collapses (sugar crash). Too much fat (pizza) and the sugar doesn't get to the blood stream fast enough, your energy is spent digesting, not thinking (sugar slump). A happy blood sugar level makes for a happy brain!

Sardines in olive oil with crackers is also well balanced brain food (though you have to be careful not to breathe on your Pair after lunch).

Nuts of all kinds. Crackers. Bananas and apples.

Tubs and tubs of Mini Bites from Marks and Spencer

Speaking of afternoon slumps, the biggest cause of afternoon lethargy, so I've heard, is dehydration. So water's your best answer, drink a litre and a half during the day (day ends at 5pm) and another litre in the evening. It's good for you skin, digestive system and energy levels amongst other things, but above all brains don't perform properly without a regular supply of hydration.

Speaking of water, dehydration is a major cause of headaches. This can lead to irritability during the afternoon commute home. Road rage might just disappear if we all drank our necessary allotment of H2O.

My favourite remedy for low blood sugar levels in the afternoon is pure dextrose in compacted candy form.

At the ITESO in Guadalajara, the food of choice is soda, Subways, pizza, instant ramen, super-strong espresso, cookies, lots of fruit, and lots and lots of Red Bull and Sobe Rush. Tacos al pastor, tortas ahogadas and chilaquiles are allowed only in the hallways because they're messy and the onion can stink the entire place. There used to be Mountain Dew here, but not anymore T_T

And of course, at least one gallon of water each night to stay hydrated (we have a watercooler), antiacids to counter the coffee's stomach irritation, and copious amounts of metamizole to kill the headaches.

This diet is everything an ITESO engineer apprentice needs to endure an all-nighter without flinching.

-- DaNuke?

Just who said popcorn is unhealthy? If it's your sole source of nourishment, then that's granted, but so would be every other one-sided diet.

The thing is to not swamp them in butter, salt, sugar, etc., and to drink a lot of water.

The oil and butter, and salt, are unhealthy. They're heavy in microwave popcorn -- which seems to be just about the only kind anyone eats any more. (Personally, I use an air popper.) Popcorn gets stuck in your teeth and promotes decay. It's difficult to get out, even with regular flossing and brushing. Biting unpopped kernels can be bad.

TheLittleSchemer leaves nothing to chance on this point.

KombuchaTea Google employees love this stuff, and so do I!

If you're into dark chocolate, nothing beats "CACO RESERVE by Hershey's" -- Extra Dark Chocolate with Caco Nibs. You can get it at your local Walgreens: http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?id=prod2630054

See: TheExtremeProgrammingDiet, TheGoodOne

CategoryFoodAndDrink