Eating Ice Cream for Breakfast Makes You Smarter

Question

According to the Telegraph story, subjects were told to eat ice cream upon first awakening, and then had their mental acuity tested by performing tasks on a computer. Those who'd eaten ice cream performed better and had faster reaction times, researchers found.

Comments

This claim does appear to be true. After reading both the linked article, and reading a similar article by CBS News, it seems to be true that eating icecream in the morning improves reaction times and boosts mental performance. In the study they repeated the experiment with cold water instead of icecream. They found that while cold water did boost mental performance, it was not as much as the icecream had. However, this claim left out a very important part of the article. The Inc. article actually goes on to say that eating icecream for breakfast is a "really bad idea." In the long run sugar will "increase your risk of depression, reduce your brain function, and make you more susceptible to Alzheimer's." So while icecream does temporarily boost your mental performance in the morning, this does not mean that you should in fact do this. It will decrease your mental performance in the long run. Just eat healthy in the morning. It will increase your mental performance over time.

https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/does-eating-ice-cream-for-breakfast-make-you-smarter-maybe-but-dont-make-a-habit.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Telegraph%20story,faster%20reaction%20times%2C%20researchers%20found.

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/study-ice-cream-for-breakfast-boosts-brain-performance/

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It's valuable that you researched the claim and read another similar article by CBS News to see if the claim was supported by other journalists. In addition, you acknowledged the elaboration in the article to show a more balanced portrayal of the study. I feel like it would be helpful to read the actual study that prompted the article, as this would give a more thorough look into the research methods, full conclusions, and possible shortcomings of the study.

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Your fact-check on the ice cream study was fascinating, especially the part about improved reaction times. However, I think it's important to consider the potential placebo effect. Were the subjects aware of the supposed benefits of ice cream before the test? This awareness could have influenced their performance. Additionally, it would be helpful to know if the study compared ice cream to other breakfast foods to rule out the possibility that any food might have a similar effect.

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I really enjoyed your factcheck on this claim. Especially when it comes to the discovery that the consumption of ice cream in the morning may actually, though only temporarily, increase reaction time. I am glad that you included the risks of long-term consumption of high amounts of sugar, and why one absolutely should not eat ice cream for breakfast every morning. Though I agree that this is something that you should not do, I feel that, in relation to the effect of coldness on reaction time, I think it is extremely important to consider the possibility of the placebo effect. Were the subjects of the study made aware of the "benefits" of the ice cream before they took the test? If so, this could have had a huge impact over the observed "effects."

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This is an intriguing discovery, but I believe we should do further research before drawing any firm conclusions. Many questions remain unsolved due to the design of the study. For instance, how can we be certain that the ice cream was the cause of the increased reaction times? Could people's immediate energy boost from eating something after waking up have been more significant than the ice cream? It's difficult to determine whether ice cream actually has a special effect on mental function or if it's just the boost you'd get from any delicious meal without answering these questions.

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This is a very unique take on breakfast that I have not seen before, and while I agree ice cream is amazing and I'd love to have it for breakfast I don't think it would be very sustainable and lead to a healthier lifestyle. I'm now interested to know what the best breakfast foods are in terms of mental performance boosts to see if I can incorporate any into my routine.

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This claim especially is one that people aren't likely to believe because no way icecream could make you smarter. I appreciate how you researched this claim and then continued to read more after. The data in your article seems this to be true but part of me also wonders if this is just placebo affect.

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I liked that you were able to find the important parts. That person did not find it. “In the long run sugar will "increase your risk of depression, reduce your brain function, and make you more susceptible to Alzheimer's”. Really important to note those risk that it comes with.

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I liked how you not only brought up the points they made in the article and similar sources but how you also gave us new and relevant information. I think it's great that you let us know about the possible negative side effects of eating icecream for breakfast, instead of only talking about the positives.

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You did an amazing job listing not only your evidence but also your sources that you got your additional information from. You were not only able to acknowledge the stated points in this article, but brought up other different points that weren't even mentioned to begin with. Linking some of those same points that were said in to your another article of CBS News, you brought together that evidence for conclusion. I would like have had it compared to another food rather than feeling since ice is more of an external body thing than an internal body thing.

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Your fact seems to be true. After reading your attached article and and some others it seems like eating ice cream for breakfast has a lot of benefits for the human body and especially the brain. It was an interesting and fun research to do as I love ice cream and this fact might be a way to start eating for breakfast!!

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/study-ice-cream-for-breakfast-boosts-brain-performance/

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this is a really good claim that I was not expecting to be fully backed by research, your summary of the article is also helpful.

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This is an interesting claim that makes you wonder if you should really be eating these sweets in the morning, but looking at the article, this claim is untrue. If we keep reading down, we can see a sentence stating "If you want to be smart (or have a long, healthy life) eating sweets every morning for breakfast is the last thing you should do." Further claiming that it is not the most beneficial way to improve your personal intelligence.

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This was an excellent claim backed by strong evidence. I liked how you pointed out the obvious benefits but then explained the glaring negatives. Very well-done summary of the article and analysis of the material.

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The article claims that people who eat ice cream in the morning are smarter, according to a professor from Japan. The original source for this article was another article from the Telegraph. The article goes on to talk about how the real meaning behind the claim is that people who eat in the morning are, in general, more likely to do well in an academic setting. However, it then talks about how sugar is not the most effective thing to eat in the morning and may actually be more harmful. Overall, the article’s title is mostly clickbait using another person’s claim. But, it does do a good job of deconstructiuing the claim, providing evidence to support their theories, and using real sources to back it up. For instance, they used stats from reputable sources such as business insider and INC.com.

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This article conveys if ice cream and sugar for breakfast is okay. It explores the importance of breakfast and the detrimental effects of sugar, depicting how sugar can be harmful toward your brain. The claims are backed with reliable statistics such as ice cream leads to happiness and happiness can improve brain functioning, backed by the Institute of Psychology in London. Because of the reputable facts within the article, I think it is trustworthy even if the author combats their claim. The author of the article also brings up one of their main points as being aware of trustworthy studies, as the article is based around combating a misinformative study on ice cream. In general, this article is trustworthy because of the sources and their backgrounds, as well as the importance of well researched studies.

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This was a great claim and super attention grabbing, definitely stood out on the explore page. The original source was a professor from Tokyo, Japan who published their findings on a Japanese news site. It was then translated and analyzed by the Telegraph. The claims describe how the happiness and coldness ice cream provides does indeed improve performance, however, sugar is just not good for you in general. The article seems to be trustworthy and is backed up by sufficient evidence, as well as offering opposing claims.

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This article is an excellent example of the importance of not interpreting a study at face value or in a vacuum. The study conducted was limited in scope and did not address more long-term factors of having ice cream for breakfast. It also measured mental alertness, which is not the same as measuring intelligence. As the rest of the article correctly points out, there are a host of other factors that are necessary to analyze this study.

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Have you tested this claim personally?

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I’m intrigued by your argument that the article’s sources make it trustworthy, especially with statistics linking ice cream and happiness to better brain function. But I’d be cautious about giving too much weight to studies on such specific, limited benefits—especially if they’re isolated findings from one or two studies. Does the Institute of Psychology in London have a track record of researching nutritional impacts on mental health, or is this more of a one-off claim? It might also help to consider how large and diverse the sample was. Sometimes single studies get a lot of attention for bold claims, but larger research bodies often show more mixed results on sugar and happiness. Could there be a way to verify the consistency of these results across broader studies?

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This was a very well-thought-out answer. I think you did well going over why this is a reputable source. I also liked how you mentioned how "The author of the article also brings up one of their main points as being aware of trustworthy studies, as the article is based around combating a misinformative study on ice cream" I think this is very important to note for people wanting fact check this article.

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this is straightforward, addressed weakness in the original source, and clarified the original claim, particularly when you pointed out that mental alertness is not the same as mental intelligence. It would make sense that eating ice cream first thing in the morning would stimulate your brain because of the sugar intake, the release of dopamine, and the cold temperature however that does not prove that it would make you smarter by any means.

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This is an excellent fact check, you dive deeper into the source provided for the claim while opening new doors into the subject that were not stated before. I would've like to see another source to bring in further information about this study, possibly addressing the long term factors like you said this experiment lacked.

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You did a great job on this fact check! You went above and beyond when considering that you introduced related points outside of the main claim, which really diversified your evidence when consdering whether or not this was a factual claim.

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That is a really brilliant analysis. You have gone one step further into the source article and really highlighted some of its possible limitations, especially in the lack of data over a long period. Fascinating to point out how it pertains to ice cream consumption with regard to how the brain works because of the statistical evidence presented.

It is, however, important to put the findings into a wider context. Was this, for instance, a one-off study by the Institute of Psychology in London, or did they start doing research into the nutritional effects of mental health? Furthermore, sample size and diversity are likely to impact perceived reliability of the results.

It would be even more helpful to find out whether other studies have replicated these findings or if there is some common agreement among the scientific community regarding this topic. While the initial study was promising, it was only after a better investigation into the matter that any person would find any actual knowledge on the specific topic of how ice cream affects brain activity.

Answer 1

Using the same article linked in this claim, there is actually direct textual evidence that the statement "Eating Ice cream for Breakfast Makes You Smarter" is blatantly incorrect. As much as I wish it was true, there is a quote about three paragraphs down that states "If you want to be smart (or have a long, healthy life) eating sweets every morning for breakfast is the last thing you should do." Earlier in the paragraph, the author also explains that sugar "in the long run...will increase your risk of depression, reduce your brain function, and make you more susceptible to Alzheimer's."

Also, there's no elaboration on what these "tasks" are that these subjects are performing. Additionally, the ability to "perform tasks" or have a faster reaction time by no means has any direct correlation to intelligence.

Comments

This is a really good response, because it shows how studies and their results can often be manipulated to create a catchy or attention-grabbing headline.

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This response does a good job of critically analyzing the claim and identifying inconsistencies between the article’s content and the statements about ice cream and intelligence. I liked how you pointed out the direct contradiction in the text, using specific quotes to debunk the idea that eating ice cream for breakfast could improve intelligence.

I think you could've provided a little more context on why quick reaction times or task performance doesn’t equate to intelligence, maybe referencing psychological research or established definitions of intelligence.

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I'm glad that you were able to use the same article to proof that this claim is a bit farfetched Considering that it is very doubtful that a food can make you smarter by eating it.

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You did an excellent job pulling quotes from the article and use them to make a very compelling argument. I do wish that you used maybe one or two more sources to make your claim very strong, however, the evidence you did you use makes it very clear which claim is correct.

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This is a very well done fact check. You knock down the claim by pulling evidence from the source provided and showing why its incorrect. One thing that could strengthen this fact check would be verifying that its false by using another source. But it's understandable why you wouldn't as the answers are right there in the given source.

Answer 2

The claim that "ice cream for breakfast is good for you" comes from a study by neuroscientists in London. They say that eating ice cream in the morning can make you feel happier and help you think better. The article from Chapman’s Ice Cream explains that sugar, like what’s in ice cream, can boost brain activity and improve your mood. However, we should be careful with this idea. While the study sounds interesting and is based on real research, the benefits might not work for everyone. Moderation is important because too much sugar isn't healthy for most people. If you want to learn more about this study, you can check out the article from Chapman’s Ice Cream here. https://www.chapmans.ca/scoop/study-ice-cream-for-breakfast-is-good-for-you/#:~:text=Neuroscientists%20from%20London%20proved%20that,many%20psychological%20and%20physical%20processes.

Comments

I think that your comment about moderation is great because it is well-understood by doctors that the human body is not healthy if it takes too much sugar. While sugar can make a person happier, it is known to have an ability to produce what is called a “sugar crash” hours after consumption. While some people have their go-to routine in the morning such as caffeine and a high-protein meal, there could be some others that thrive off of sugar if they have a quick metabolic rate in their bodies. The fact that your source comes from an ice cream company’s website proves that these companies will hunt for any upside that can boost the sales of their product, so I feel like the claim from Chapman’s should be taken with a grain of salt. While some people may feel guilty after eating ice cream to start their day, others may be free of guilt and instead use the sugar from ice cream to boost their mood throughout that day.

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Though I like your claim and think you aren't trying to be bias, the article you cited is from a food company which is likely to be biased.

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This is a good fact-check because you utilized other sources and expanded upon the claim. You summarize the general claim along with the article you cited in a conclusive and clear manner. Along with this, you also inflicted personal common sense to explain how the results of this study can be subjective, varying from person to person. Great job!!

Answer 3

While this is a rather old article there is still an ongoing talk about whether this does or doesn't help. In most of the articles I researched many said that because ice cream has been shown to make us happy and that anything cold will wake us up more the claim is that having ice cream is a good thing to wake up with. In the article it is stated that it is healthy but in moderation because too much sugar can put us at risk for many other health problems.

Comments

While indicating that you read other sources to confirm your perspective merely suggests legitimacy in your claim, you should include direct references to the sources you read. In other words, you should include the names of some of the studies or articles you used to investigate the original claim. Some links to said articles could be helpful, too, in assuring readers that your conclusion comes from a well-informed and credible stance.

Answer 4

This claim is definitely believable even though at first it sounds like a joke, but what was most interesting about this article was the studies shown about the affects of early morning ice cream vs cold water, “The cold water subjects did also demonstrate improved mental performance, but not as much as those who'd eaten ice cream.” 

Answer 5

The study was conducted by neuroscientists in London, and after a quick read of this article, one can immediately tell that this article is misleading with its conclusion of the data the scientist found. That being said, the scientists are correct with the idea that ingesting something cold, such as water, as well as something with sugar will increase humans ability to do tasks in the morning. However, because the article does not mention what tasks people are improving on and fails to find a direct correlation to ice cream specifically, I would have to say that the claim that eating ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter is incorrect and misleading. 

Comments

I like how you stated that the title of the article is wrong and misleading but showed what the article was really was saying and what was actually true. I wish you used another source to backup your claim though.

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Great work properly digging into the article and making the distinction that the study conducted was used in this Ice Cream article not in good faith, instead working with the technicality that Ice Cream is cold, thus it being good for you.

Answer 6

People are saying that eating ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter, and according to CBS News, "All the years of your parents saying "NO" to ice cream for breakfast may have stunted your brilliance." Because ice cream is sweet and cold, it can wake you up in the mornings and give you the energy for your brain to be more active and have more energy while you learn. From reading several other articles from the Independent, Huff Post, etc. I would say that this claim is true.

Sources: The Independent Huff Post

Comments

It is good that you read other sources to check the validity of this claim. And I do agree with you that this claim is technically true. However, you left out a very important detail. In the Inc. article that the claim cited, it goes on to say that eating icecream for breakfast is in fact not a good idea. While yes, it will temporarily boost your mental performance, eating so much sugar every morning will negatively affect your health in the long run.

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I think you made the right decision checking other sources, I agree with you that likely why people don't consider Ice cream for breakfast is due to what their parents told them. I also can see why Ice cream makes you smarter due to it waking you up.

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I really liked how you searched through other sources to come to a conclusive answer. As well, I think it's very important to take into consideration what we are told to believe (such as being told ice cream for breakfast is bad from our parents) and what scientifically is the truth.

Answer 7

The claim that "ice cream for breakfast is good for you" and gives you a cognitive boost is a notion; it provides some short energy, but in the long run, eating ice cream for breakfast isn't good for your health. "Research has shown that sugar is harmful in many ways," which means that too many large amounts of sugar could lead to diseases such as high blood pressure, inflammation, diabetes, and weight gain as well. The article also states that the less sugar you intake, the better your brain cooperates that you have for the future as well. As well as there are no proven facts and reasoning that ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter and helps you perform at a higher efficiency than not eating, which means it doesn't correlate to increasing someone's intelligence.

https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/does-eating-ice-cream-for-breakfast-make-you-smarter-maybe-but-dont-make-a-habit.html#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20Telegraph%20story,faster%20reaction%20times%2C%20researchers%20found

Answer 8

The study conducted by neuroscientists in London presents conclusions that are misleading based on the data. While the researchers are correct that consuming cold items, like water, along with something sweet can enhance performance in the morning, the article lacks specifics on which tasks are being improved. Additionally, it does not establish a direct link to ice cream. Therefore, the claim that eating ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter is both inaccurate and misleading. 

Does Eating Ice Cream for Breakfast Make You Smarter ...

Inc.com

https://www.inc.com › minda-zetlin › does-eating-ice-cr...

Answer 9

According to the article "Study: Ice Cream For Breakfast Boosts Brain Performance", I was able to confirm that the claim "Eating Ice Cream For Breakfast Makes You Smarter" is misleading and untrue. According to CBS News, they use a source, The Telegraph, to claim that eating a certain amount of ice cream can help one wake up in the morning which can help with making an individual smarter. However, this is misleading because waking up early does not correlate with intelligence. In the same article they state, "...test subjects who indulged in ice cream immediately upon waking up and right before participating in a series of computer exercises had an increased reaction rate and were better able to process information" which does not prove that it make one more intelligent it just helps one enhance their performance.

Answer 10

Unfortunately the claim that eating ice cream in the morning makes you smarter is a false one. The article written in 2017 which makes it seven years old and better research and scientific innovations have surfaced making this old news. Yes this article subject has been researched by other news outlets; CBS, Business Insider, and The Independent have all written and published articles on the question adding slightly more validity to the subject. Despite other sources publishing on the topic, the claim still remain false. Science world wise the subject is under researched and therefore there is little proof of the claim. A counter claim would be that breakfast in general improves brain function and that it is not exclusive to ice cream. In an article posted by Business Insider, the author debunks the claim and shames western media for publishing false claims. Linked below is the article; https://www.businessinsider.com/dont-eat-ice-cream-breakfast-2016-11

Comments

I thought your fact checking was well done on this claim. When I was reading your response  I found it quite funny the wording you used in a good way it made it interesting to find out the rest of your response. I also thought you did a good job including sources to prove that the claim was not accurate, and I agree that they should be shaming the western media for posting things like this because there is probably some kids out there who believed this and actually did eat ice cream for breakfast thinking they would get smarter. Overall great job on this fact checking!