Remember when you were six years old and wanted to eat ice cream for breakfast?
Well, it turns out you were smarter than you thought.
A Japanese study, conducted by professor Yoshihiko Koga of Kyorin University, says eating ice cream can improve alertness and mental performance.
In the study, Professor Koga compared the brain activity of participants who had ice cream right after waking up with those who did not. Participants who had ice cream had faster reaction times and less mental irritation. The research has yet to determine a firm connection between the mental boost delivered by ice cream and any specific ingredient. It also has yet to fully prove that the effects aren't just from the fact that ice cream is considered a "treat," triggering positive emotions and added energy.
It's worthy to note that the study recommends homemade ice cream, made with the more natural ingredients of egg yolks, sugar, whole milk, and heavy cream. Many mass-produced ice cream varieties adds ingredients like soybean oil, corn syrup, and pectin - which won't help you as much as the natural, less processed stuff will.
Oh, and make sure you don't east quickly and get affected by ice cream headaches, that isn't good for mental performance.
Photo: Getty images