Does sugar increase brain activity?

Have you ever found yourself at work, struggling to concentrate on the task in front of you? Have you ever been so fatigued that even daydreaming feels like a chore? Well, I’ve got some good news for all my fellow sugar enthusiasts out there – it turns out that sugar may actually increase brain activity!

Yes, dear reader, it seems that consuming sugar can give your mind a quick boost. But before we start raiding the candy jar and mainlining soda like there’s no tomorrow, let’s dive deeper into what exactly is going on in our bodies when we indulge in sweet treats.

The Science Behind Sugar

First things first: what do we mean by “sugar”? When most people think of this delicious substance, they conjure up images of white granules or syrupy liquids. In scientific terms however, sugar refers to a class of molecules known as carbohydrates.

Alas! That’s true; not only cookies and cakes are included under the category ‘Sugar.’ We have about twenty different types of sugars such as fructose (found mainly in fruits), glucose (primary energy source) etcetera!

Once consumed carbs are broken down by digestive enzymes present inside our stomach thus absorbed through the bloodstream making way towards each cell present within us! So much diversity and complexity behind something that’s just supposed to sweeten your food, amiright?

The simplest form carb can take after absorption is glucose which happens to be one type of ‘sugar’ as well (not really an article about semantics). Okay enough talk about glucose- but why does eating sugary foods make us feel energized?

Glucose provides energy directly to body cells- particularly muscles and organs involved with bodily functions including reflex movementsand secretion among other things. Our brains require 130 grams (sourceless) per day solely for functioning!

However focusing became challenging mostly even after 130 grams, for our brains face difficulty sustaining fully when energy levels are low – Makes sense right? Our brains need constant communication and the ultimate source from which all our bodily processes originate (cue dramatic music).

Sugar Boosts Brain Activity

But this is not as simple as grabbing a can of soda to solve lack-of focus on complex problems. Studies have been conducted to investigate whether consuming sugar has an effect on brain activity overall only; it’s effects vary based on the type of cognitive function being assessed.

One experiment researchers performed involved monitoring test subjects’ blood sugar levels while giving them a series of mental tasks to complete. They found that when participants’ glucose levels were higher, they tended to perform better at certain aspects such as memory recall in reaction-time tests.

Now let’s be honest here: this finding does not mean we should go around gorging ourselves on chocolate bars and candy-filled coffee drinks. Besides leading us towards diabetes, excess Sugar intake may cause hyperactivity followed by lethargy or fatigue- surely familiar symptoms felt after overindulging in sweets!

The study simply shows that there is somewhat correlation between increased sugar consumption and short-term improvements in cognition depending upon type of task/mental work!

The Verdict?

Overall conclusion seems largely dependent upon individual behavior patterns amongst other factors – there’s no golden rule here unfortunately (along with sustainable habits surpassing temporary high)!

While indulging yourself once won’t hurt but getting into habit that ultimately leads your body down path filled with adrenaline crashes sounds quite unappetizing & must always be remembered!

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