Four researchers from different universities have debunked a popular myth that consuming a lot of sugar puts one in better mood widely known as sugar rush.
According to the researchers, Dr Konstantinos Mantantzis at Humboldt University of Berlin, Dr Sandra Sünram-Lea at Lancaster University, and Dr Friederike Schlaghecken and Professor Elizabeth Maylor in the University of Warwick’s Department of Psychology sugar does not improve mood and infact it makes people less alert and more tired.
The researchers investigated the effect of sugar on various aspects of mood such as: anger, alertness, fatigue and depression.
They also took into account factors such as the quantity, type of sugar consumed and how it may affect mood and whether engaging in demanding mental and physical activities made any difference.
In their research, they collected data from 31 published studies involving about 1300 adults.
The results collected revealed that, sugar consumption does not affect mood at any level regarding how much sugar has been consumed. people who engage in demanding activities also showed that the sugar consumption did not affect their tenor.
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People who consumed a lot of sugar felt less alert and more tired than those who did not take in sugar.
Professor Maylor said, “We hope that our findings will go a long way to dispel the myth of the ‘sugar rush’ and inform public health policies to decrease sugar consumption.”
Dr Sünram-Lea added, “The rise in obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome in recent years highlights the need for evidence-based dietary strategies to promote healthy lifestyle across the lifespan. Our findings indicate that sugary drinks or snacks do not provide a quick ‘fuel refill’ to make us feel more alert.”
“The idea that sugar can improve mood has been widely influential in popular culture, so much so that people all over the world consume sugary drinks to become more alert or combat fatigue. Our findings very clearly indicate that such claims are not substantiated, if anything, sugar will probably make you feel worse,” The led author of the study Dr Mantantzis, from Humboldt University of Berlin, commented.
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