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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.

by Newbie (230 points)
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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.
by Newbie (310 points)
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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
by (100 points)
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The conclusion of the article states, "As far as making ice cream your a regular breakfast goes, don’t do it. In fact, the less sugar you eat, the better brain function you’ll have in the long term." I agree with this response, but I couldn't find reliable sources in the article. A lot of the information that was given was not properly supported by other sources. CBS News has an article that discusses the possibility of eating ice cream for breakfast, increasing someone's reaction rate and ability to process information. "According to The Guardian, a similar test performed back in 2005 by researchers at the Institute of Psychiatry in London revealed that one spoonful of ice cream gives your brain the same type of pleasure as winning money or listening to your favorite music."

https://www.cbsnews.com/sacramento/news/study-ice-cream-for-breakfast-boosts-brain-performance/
by (140 points)
edited by
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It's not hard to tell that the statement made in this article is untrue and meant to be clickbait. When something seems too good to be true, it often is. The fact that the study was first picked up by a website called "Excite News" raises much concern. A viable research study would include a dependent variable, an independent variable, and a control group. CBS News picked up on this ridiculous article to get more engagement on their site. The fact that they spent no time backing up their claim with evidence told me all I needed to know about this study. When researching this claim, I discovered a 2019 article from The Guardian that directly contradicts this claim. They state that heavily processed foods like ice cream increase the risk of disease and death. The study cited in the article by Professor Yoshihiko Koga claim eating ice cream in the morning improved alertness and mental performance. His conclusion was based on analyzing brain activity after eating different foods in the morning. If Ice cream is so good for brain health, then wouldn't I be able to eat a donut because it has similar amounts of fat and sugar? Lastly, a British nutritionist Katie Barfoot cited in The Telegraph article that the simple fact of consuming breakfast vs. not consuming breakfast could have a profound effect on mental awareness in the morning.

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

https://www.inc.com/minda-zetlin/does-eating-ice-cream-for-breakfast-make-you-smarter-maybe-but-dont-make-a-habit.html

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/23/ice-cream-breakfast-makes-smarter-japanese-scientist-claims/
by Newbie (300 points)
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While you proved a decent point on the topic, your title is very misleading. In an article by the “Business Insider”, A Nutritional Psychology Doctoral Researcher at Reading University claimed, "A possible explanation [for increased alertness]... is the simple presence of consuming breakfast vs. not consuming breakfast." While your claim is somewhat true, the real meaning isn’t that it truly makes you smarter, rather it just gives your body a sugar high, because food in general supports the body. Also, it would be interesting to see the long term effects of eating so much ice cream.

52 Answers

0 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (300 points)

A study conducted by Professor Yoshihiko Koga at Tokyo's Kyorin University suggests that consuming ice cream immediately after waking up can enhance mental alertness and performance. Participants who ate ice cream upon waking exhibited faster reaction times and improved information processing compared to those who did not. 

However, it's important to note that this study does not conclusively establish a direct cause-and-effect relationship between eating ice cream and increased intelligence. The observed improvements may be attributed to the act of eating breakfast itself, which provides glucose—a primary energy source for the brain. Additionally, the pleasurable experience of eating ice cream could contribute to heightened alertness. 

While the study indicates a potential link between eating ice cream for breakfast and improved mental performance, it does not provide definitive evidence that ice cream consumption directly enhances intelligence. Further research is needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and to determine whether this effect is significant enough to recommend ice cream as a regular breakfast choice.

In summary, while there is some evidence suggesting that eating ice cream for breakfast may temporarily boost mental alertness, it is not accurate to claim that it makes you smarter. The effects observed are likely due to the combined factors of eating breakfast and the pleasurable experience associated with consuming ice cream.

Exaggerated/ Misleading
0 like 0 dislike
ago by Newbie (300 points)
The article mixes truth with speculation. Yes, ice cream can temporarily boost mood and alertness. The claim that it significantly enhances cognitive function over other breakfast foods lacks evidence. Over a large amount of time a high sugar diet is super damaging to brain health

https://www.heart.org/en/news/2024/09/27/food-for-thought-how-diet-affects-the-brain-over-a-lifetime

https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/carbohydrates/
False

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