The Calming Effect of Sugar

Anger goes down with a sweet glass of lemonade or a chocolate bar, and the desire to hit out dies away.

Researchers in the US have found that consuming a spoonful of sugar can curb aggression, at least for a short time.

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Their research showed that people who drank a glass of lemonade sweetened with sugar acted less aggressively toward a stranger a few minutes later than did people who consumed lemonade with a sugar substitute.

Researchers believe it all has to do with the glucose, a simple sugar found in the bloodstream that provides energy for the brain.

"Avoiding aggressive impulses takes self control, and self control takes a lot of energy. Glucose provides that energy in the brain," said Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and professor of communication and psychology at Ohio State University.

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"Drinking sweetened lemonade helped provide the short-term energy needed to avoid lashing out at others."

The study appears online in the journal Aggressive Behavior and will be published in a future print edition.

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Source-ANI