Do You Know How Your Intelligence Is Related To What You Eat?
Basically, a diet full of sugars makes us less intelligent (not to say more “dumb”), according to studies from the University of Los Angeles, California.
In times of great stress, people tend to consume more sweets and sugary drinks instead of a more elaborate meal, in order to “get out of trouble” and continue studying or working. What these people don’t know is that this behavior affects learning or performance.
UCLA research reveals that fructose slows down our brain and memory functions. This means, then, that sweet makes study or work difficult.
These findings were published in the “Journal of Physiology” and also indicate that Omega 3 acids play a good role, contrary to sugar. It could be said that they are the antidote or the medicine to counteract the effects that fructose can have on the mind, especially in the understanding and memory of information.
Previous studies always linked this ingredient to diabetes, obesity, fatty liver and cancer. But in this case, we talk about the collateral or secondary effects that fructose has on the brain. It is good to clarify that a little sugar is fine because it ensures the proper functioning of the body in general, but the problem lies when the intake is excessive.
Fructose is very popular in the United States, especially corn syrup, present in soda, ice cream, desserts, etc. In Asia and Europe, the consumption is not so high, but sucrose, which can have similar effects.
Fernando Gómez Pinilla is a professor of neurosurgery at the UCLA School of Medicine, and indicates that the findings have shown that everything we eat affects how we think. High fructose diets affect the ability to remember and learn. On the contrary, the consumption of Omega 3 fatty acids in meals minimizes this damage.
It is not so worrying what causes the natural fructose that fruits contain because they also provide the body with antioxidants, so the balance is balanced. What is alarming is the fructose in corn syrup, an essential ingredient in most manufactured foods that do not contribute anything good to our body.
The average sugar consumption per year in the United States is 21 kilos and fructose 35. The high figures for obesity, cancer and diabetes are undoubtedly related to excessive consumption of sugar.
This large intake is due to the fact that the vast majority of the products that make up the “basic diet” of an American have corn syrup: bread, tomato sauce, hamburgers, soft drinks, industrial fruit juices, etc. In addition, sugar is consumed without realizing it.
A diet that is high in sugar will cause more insulin release, which in turn will cause the cells to become tolerant to this hormone. What does this mean? That the body will need more and more quantity in order to “fulfill its obligations.” This is why junk food is so addictive, among other reasons. It is therefore recommended to eat a diet that is low in sugar and high in Omega 3 fatty acids.
The recommended foods are: flax seeds, salmon, walnuts, soybeans, sardines, tofu, tuna and shrimp. Do not hesitate to add them to your daily dishes to be more intelligent or avoid ignorance.
