12 like 24 dislike
in General Factchecking by Newbie (380 points)

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.

ago by Newbie (220 points)
0 0
This was a great source for this claim, but I don't feel as though it is true. While the claim about ice cream making you smarter is intriguing, and I wish it was true, the article clarifies its focus on mental alertness rather than cognitive enhancement, underscoring the importance of a balanced and healthy lifestyle for long-term well-being.
ago by Newbie (220 points)
0 0
I agree with your advice to look at the group size and diversity. That's a very important part of figuring out how reliable a psychological study is. It would also be useful to know if the results were affected by the participants' normal diets or how they grew up eating breakfast. Would someone from a country where breakfast is usually sweet react differently than someone from a country where breakfast is typically savory? This might help us determine if ice cream has the same effects for everyone or depends on the situation.
ago by Newbie (220 points)
0 0
You make a great point about how important it is to question single results, especially when big claims are being made. I would also say that it is very important to find out if the Institute of Psychology in London is connected to or receives funding from any groups that could affect the results of their study. Results can sometimes be skewed by funding from businesses. Also, it might sound interesting to say that ice cream can make you happy and improve brain function, but did the piece or study take into account other factors, such as the placebo effect or the participants' normal eating habits? These could have a big effect on the results, and talking about them would make your case stronger.
ago by (140 points)
0 0
It might also be worth considering the long-term effects of regularly eating sugary foods like ice cream. While the short-term boost in mental performance is interesting, it’s important to consider how sugar impacts health and cognitive function over time.
ago by Newbie (220 points)
0 0
Now off the bat I think this claim is a reach, one source is not enough to claim a singular food can you make you more intelligent. now I know sugar may give you a quick energy boost which has been proven I don't think ice cream as a whole has been studied enough to make this claim

44 Answers

13 like 0 dislike
by Apprentice (1.1k points)
selected by
 
Best answer
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.
False
by Apprentice (1.0k points)
0 0
I really liked how you used the same article to then further expand on the claim and how false it is. It showed that you paid attention to detail and it demonstrates that if we aren’t careful enough with reading something, we can believe the first things we see, even if the source itself says otherwise.
by Novice (900 points)
0 0
I like how you included evidence that was brought up later in the article, not just the first paragraph with the claim. However, you also say that it is "blatantly incorrect". Although I agree, where did you get your evidence from?
by Newbie (220 points)
0 0
i think it was amazing how you expanded on the claim with using the same article. This showed how you read the information and paid attention to the details. You used evidence from the article in your answer to show why you believe this claim is not true. we can not trust just the first thing we see on an article, everyone should do a better job at reading deeper into the artices.
by Newbie (340 points)
0 0
Although I can agree and acknowledge your statements, I'd like to go against this a bit since we're focusing more on whether ice cream could be beneficial in the mornings. The sugars would awaken you up therefore the reason why it does help. I will though, agree with your statement that it's not good for your health. Besides, not being smart because of ice cream, what other evidence suggests ice cream wouldn't  beneficial for you in the mornings?
by Novice (840 points)
0 0
I think that your fact check was very thorough and definitely cleared up the confusion around the topic. Although faster reaction times after consuming ice cream for breakfast occurred in one study, sugar in the morning is proven to cause tiredness and lack of energy throughout the day.

I really like how you argued your point. Text time, though, I would provide a variety of different sources to prove your claim.
by Novice (600 points)
0 0
Your fact check did a really good job of making multiple points and giving good thorough reasoning to make your point.
by Novice (700 points)
0 0
You did well in your factcheck with evaluating the source and including a quote from it to help support your claim. Although it would also be good to include other sources to help support your claim
by Novice (640 points)
0 0
I really like your fact check on the claim about eating ice cream for breakfast making you smarter, and I appreciate how you used a quote to support your ideas. The points you made were fantastic, but I would really like to see the article or the source from which you used your quote. Providing that source would strengthen your argument even more.
by Newbie (460 points)
0 0
I like that you cite direct quotes from the article to effectively debunk the original claim. I also appreciate that you provided additional context about the detrimental long-term effects of high sugar intake on brain function and overall health.
by Novice (910 points)
0 0
You did a very good job in showing your position in response to this fact check. And you did a good job of knocking down the claim straight away. You supported this with evidence taken from the provided source, which very much did not support the claim. One think you could have added to strengthen your answer even more is take some evidence from another reliable source leave no uncertainty.
by Novice (700 points)
0 0
I like how you expanded and explained why the claim was untrue with carefully analyzing and reading the original source although it would be nice to have another few sources to help back up the claim.
by Apprentice (1.0k points)
0 0
You did well breaking down the evidence and claim, as they can be misleading. I thought it was a thorough and overall, good job!
by Newbie (360 points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (700 points)
0 0
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.
by Apprentice (1.2k points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (760 points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (910 points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (690 points)
0 0
I think this response is great because you used the same article to prove your statement as false. You dug deep into the article using actual quotes and explaining the health effects with sources that back your argument up. Great job!
by Novice (600 points)
0 0
I thought your fact check was very well thought out and hit all the bases of confirming that the statement was false. I like how you pointed out how the "tasks" were never defined and therefore couldn't prove the argument.
ago by (180 points)
0 0
Fact checking this claim using the actual sources it mentioned was a great way to answer the claim. By getting direct textual evidence from specific paragraphs, shows that you read the article thoroughly to gather an argument against the claim.
ago by Newbie (480 points)
0 0
Hi! I think you make some great points! The quote you highlighted directly contradicts the claim, and it’s a good reminder to read sources carefully before believing bold statements like this. I also agree that faster reaction times or task performance don’t necessarily equal intelligence—it’s a bit of a stretch to connect those things without clear evidence and correlation does not equal causation! It’s important to look for detailed explanations and context in studies before jumping to conclusions.
ago by (140 points)
0 0
You put a lot of thought and input into the negatives about this, and I admire your work. Especially when you say it leads to a long and healthier life, which has been correct for many years and a lot of reliable healthcare workers have noted this is true.
ago by (180 points)
0 0
I really enjoyed how you found proven textual statements of it being incorrect, in the same article used to say it was true! The quote you provided clearly shows that the article was written against the statement rather than for it. You put a lot of thought and detail throughout this response which makes it 10x better to read! Good work!
ago by (180 points)
0 0
this fact check has stated everything we all were thinking with if the statement was even real. in the same article it does explain why it doesn't make you smarter but cause harm in the long run.
ago by (140 points)
0 0
Really enjoyed what you wrote. I read the same article when digging for facts to support this argument, and I could tell you read the whole article because of the evidence you said. Matter of fact, I was event thinking of putting down the same quote. I would however recommend adding a bit more to your claim to support but more. It is overall really good but if you add 1-2 more sentences it would add more interest.
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (380 points)
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.
by Novice (610 points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (810 points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (830 points)
0 0
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!!
by (140 points)
0 0
I love your fact check because you really talk about how the study talks about the benefits and why this claim also has other hidden things like how the moderation of the sugar in the ice cream can also be very bad. and how the claim is more than just a good food, it ties to emotions caused by eating the ice cream early in the morning. having your source from a reliable source connected to this topic also makes your fact check more reliable.
ago by (180 points)
0 0
By doing further research on the claim, instead of using the article the original claim provided to disprove the claim, another article was used to further the information provided. This response is very information as not only does it partially agree with the claim, it adds on the important negative health impacts it has.
ago by (180 points)
0 0
I like the fact check you gave for the theory: Eating ice cream for breakfast makes you smarter. I appreciate how you show how this claim could be true while also putting warning signs on how this could be unhealthy. I also appreciate that you are diving further into research and showing where you got this new information. Great response!
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (340 points)
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.
by Apprentice (1.5k points)
0 0
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.
0 like 1 dislike
by Novice (840 points)

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.” 

by Novice (670 points)
0 0
While you answered the question of is the claim believable, you never said if it was factual. You also added text but never cited the source of the information. You never backed up your thinking with other sources or information about the study.
2 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (340 points)

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. 

Exaggerated/ Misleading
by Novice (810 points)
0 0
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.
by Apprentice (1.3k points)
0 0
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.
by Apprentice (1.0k points)
0 0
I enjoyed reading this response to the original poster, with you clearly stating that although the deeper facts are not completely false, the articles title exaggerates and misleads the readers. I do believe adding a more factual and informative source to your response would of helped strengthened your claim.
0 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (300 points)
edited by

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

True
by Newbie (280 points)
0 0
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.
by Novice (980 points)
0 0
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.
by Apprentice (1.0k points)
0 0
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.
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (310 points)
edited by
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
False
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (320 points)

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...
Exaggerated/ Misleading
by Novice (670 points)
0 0
I like how you cited another source and study to back up your reasoning. You added a link to the article and described the study. You answered the question of does eating ice cream for breakfast make you smarter.
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (480 points)
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.
Exaggerated/ Misleading
1 like 0 dislike
by Newbie (200 points)

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

by Newbie (380 points)
0 0
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!

Community Rules


Be respectful.

There is bound to be disagreement on a site about misinformation. Assume best intentions on everyone's part.

If you are new to factchecking, take some time to learn about it. "How to Factcheck" has some resources for getting started. Even if you disagree with these materials, they'll help you understand the language of this community better.

News Detective is for uncovering misinformation and rumors. This is not a general interest question-answer site for things someone could Google.

Posting

The title is the "main claim" that you're trying to factcheck.

Example:
Factcheck This: Birds don't exist

If possible, LINK TO to the place you saw the claim.

Answering

LINK TO YOUR EVIDENCE or otherwise explain the source ("I called this person, I found it in this book, etc.")

But don't just drop a link. Give an explanation, copy and paste the relevant information, etc.

News Detective is not responsible for anything anyone posts on the platform.
...