The Myth:

Sugar makes kids hyper.

The Reality:

The sugar-hyperactivity connection is not supported by science.

Image credit: Josh Puetz via Flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Let’s settle this one once and for all: despite thorough investigation by numerous studies, none have turned up conclusive evidence for the “sugar rush.”

One of the most well-known of these studies found that children identified as “sensitive to sugar” by their parents did not show any difference in behavior between high-sugar and high-aspartame (a placebo) diets. In fact, the only sugar-related factor found to influence behavior seems to be parents’ own preconceptions. A separate study found that when mothers were informed their child had just consumed a large amount of sugar, they consistently reported worse behavior- even when their kid had actually been given a placebo.