A new study has found sweetened drinks make people less aggressive and argumentative as the sugar rush provides the brain with the energy it needs to keep impulses under control, stopping people from lashing out when under pressure.

For the study, the researchers gave lemonade to a group of men and women. Some participants got the lemonade sweetened with sugar, the rest with an artificial sweetener.  The volunteers were then set a series of stressful tasks, culminating in preparing a speech. After giving their talk, some were provoked by being told the content was boring and disappointing. Those who had consumed the lemonade with sugar were less aggressive when provoked.

The study shows that having a sweetened beverage prior to events when provocation is likely could be good to control impulsive behaviour. A sweetened drink could also help to reduce aggression toward family members or fellow drivers after a stressful day at work.