Science & Technology

Ice cream for breakfast 'makes you smarter'

By T.K. Randall
November 25, 2016 ·  27 comments

Eating ice cream for breakfast is still probably not a good idea. Image Credit: CC BY-SA 2.0 distillated It may sound like a counter-intuitive alternative to healthy cereals, toast or porridge oats, but according to Professor Yoshihiko Koga of Tokyo's Kyorin University, ice cream first thing in the morning is very effective at improving alertness and concentration.

The bizarre claim is based on a series of clinical trials conducted in Japan in which one group of participants feasted on ice cream immediately after waking up and another group didn't eat any.

Both groups were then asked to complete a series of exercises on a computer.The results showed a significant improvement in the mental performance of those who had eaten the ice cream compared to that of those who had not feasted on the dessert.

A second test which involved drinking cold water first thing in the morning also showed a marked improvement in mental functioning, but not as much as with those who had eaten the ice cream.

"A possible explanation is the simple presence of consuming breakfast vs. not consuming breakfast," said nutritional psychologist Katie Barfoot from Reading University.

"Our brain needs glucose to function, and a high glucose meal will aid mental capacity considerably compared to a fasted brain. This, however, does not condone eating dessert for breakfast."

Source: Telegraph | Comments (27)

Tags: Ice Cream, Brain