How ice cream tickles your brain (2024)

FAQs

How ice cream tickles your brain? ›

Neuroscientists at the Institute of Psychiatry in London scanned the brains of people eating vanilla ice cream. They found an immediate effect on parts of the brain known to activate when people enjoy themselves; these include the orbitofrontal cortex, the "processing" area at the front of the brain.

Ice cream is known to trigger positive emotions in the human mind and activates the pleasure spots in the brain.

Ice cream has both physiological and psychological effects, such as elevating serotonin levels and improving mood. Ice cream is also thought to increase men's motivation and appetite. Ice cream consumption stimulates the oral somatosensory area, induces reward and motivation, and heightens gratitude.

The science doesn't stop there. Ice cream contains protein and fat, both of which our bodies need to help level our moods. On top of that, the amino acids you take in when eating ice cream, such as tryptophan, are known to increase serotonin production. That leaves us feeling calm, satisfied, and well, happy!

Endorphins. When we consume something that we enjoy, it triggers our brain to release endorphins, a natural chemical that can induce feelings of pleasure and happiness. The cold temperature of ice cream can enhance this effect by providing an invigorating and refreshing experience, especially on a hot day.

At the moment, we simply don't have enough good quality evidence to suggest that ice cream definitely has any health benefits. But a couple of small portions a week – paired with an otherwise healthy diet and exercise regime – is unlikely to do much harm.

Experts suggest eating any foods that contain added sugar and saturated fat, like ice cream, in a moderate and mindful way. In excess, these foods might displace nutritious choices in your diet and increase the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes over time.

Nutrice ice cream, is a dietary supplementation of Omega-3 fats, which are classified as Poly Unsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA), and have been reported as beneficial for brain development in children.

Yes, eating ice cream can help relieve stress. The cold, creamy treat can have a calming effect on the body, and the act of indulging in comfort food can activate pleasure centres in the brain.

Dr. Richard Terry, LECOM Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, explained that sugar acts the same as cocaine and heroin. When you eat sugar, your brain releases dopamine, which makes your brain experience pleasure, the same pleasing feeling that can occur while doing drugs.

Can icecream help depression? ›

Similarly, when we consume carbs, serotonin, a hormone that promotes feelings of happiness and relaxation is released by our body. As ice cream is high in both sugar and carbs, so it turns out to be an ideal food for improving mood.

Full of happy calories

Ice cream makes you more alert and research shows that the fat in the ice cream reduces the intensity of sad emotions by almost 50%. It can be compared to taking antidepressants. Also, the sugar in ice cream increases your blood sugar levels and gives you a boost of energy.

Say No to Ice Cream, Say Yes to Berries

It won't help -- the problem is all that sugar. Spikes in your blood sugar can bring on changes in your hormone levels. They can start with “jitteriness” and eventually lead to crashes. But other foods may help boost your mood.

If you consume too much of it, it can cause weight gain, visceral fat, fat around the waist circumference (aka love handles!). It can also lead to diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, increased cholesterol and high blood pressure.

Eating lots of salty, sugary and high-fat snacks could impact your memory after midlife. If you're looking to keep your brain healthy as you age, you may want to lay off the packaged pastries for breakfast, frozen pizza for lunch and ice cream in the evening.

Ice cream stimulates your brain's happy centre

But don't get too excited – it only took one teaspoon to get these results. The flipside to this is that eating fatty, sugary treats like ice cream too often also changes the brain, but not in a good way.

Ice cream can help to reduce anxiety

Because ice cream contains milk, it also contains L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan is a type of a-amino acid that helps to reduce the activity of the nervous system. This means it's a natural tranquilizer that can help to reduce anxiety and increase sleepiness.