Scientists in Australia have suggested that eating sugary breakfast cereals can improve the memory of teenagers.
For the new study, scientists studied 37 students, aged 14 to 17 who ate popular corn-based cereal with a high Glycaemic Index or a high fiber bran-based cereal with a low Glycaemic Index.
In case you didn’t know, Glycaemic Index (GI) is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood glucose levels in the first two hours of consumption.
The researchers then tested the students two see how well they could memorize a list of 20 names of tools, fruits, herbs, spices and kitchen utensils.
The participants who ate the high-GI cereal remembered on average two more words.
According to researcher Michael Smith of the University of Western Australia, “Those who had consumed the high-GI cereals recalled significantly more words than those who consumed the low-GI breakfast cereal.â€
Also, the participants were distracted by having to make a series of hand movements while trying to memorize the words.
According to Smith, this “divided attention†test reflects what happens in the real world, especially for youth in a busy classroom.
“Very rarely will the students have 100 percent attention focused on the teacher,” he said.
Meanwhile, medical experts in Australia have warned against giving teens more high-sugar foods and drinks to boost their performance.
Earlier studies have shown mixed results with some researchers saying that sugary cereals could contribute to obesity. Others claimed that it may help sharpen the brain.