Monday, December 18, 2017

Japanese Study Claiming Ice Cream For Breakfast Makes Us Smarter Is Probably Bunk

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As the first Saturday in February rolls around, I am reminded of the most important of holidays: Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day! I'm usually reminded of this because a familiar story keeps cropping up in my feeds this time each year: that eating ice cream for breakfast makes us smarter. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it's most likely false.

The study was first published on the Japanese news site, Excite News, but the article has since been deleted. According to Business Insider, the article cited a study by Professor Yoshihiko Koga of Kyorin University but did not link to the study or provide proof. 

So how did it become so viral? Probably because we would all love for it to be true. 

Excuse me while I wipe the drool off my chin at this picture.

Unfortunately, its virality is promoting a habit that's not really the healthiest. There are now dozens of stories online that repeat the claim, but there remains no proof to back it up.

There are even some clues indicating that the study may have been done at the behest of a sweets company, which is pretty shady.

Why would ice cream make us smarter, anyway? "A possible explanation... is the simple presence of consuming breakfast vs. not consuming breakfast."

Katie Barfoot, a Nutritional Psychology Doctoral Researcher at Reading University continued, "Our brain needs glucose to function, and a high glucose meal will aid mental capacity considerably compared to a fasted brain." And there are healthier ways to get glucose into your breakfast — like fresh fruit!

But don't worry! There is always the first Saturday of February, A.K.A. Ice Cream for Breakfast Day, as an excuse to indulge at least oneday of the year!

You better believe I'm taking advantage of it.

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Author: verified_user

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