Don't Take Important Decisions In An Empty Stomach

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A study by a Cambridge University team revealed that skipping meals could lead to reduced levels of serotonin a brain chemical that helped in keeping careless and impulsive behaviour in check.

A good meal may help prevent cranky and aggressive behaviour, it said.

The raw material for making serotonin an amino acid called tryptophan comes from diet, and hence levels of the feel good chemical declined between meals. This could lead to aggressiveness and impulsiveness, the researchers said. The team cut brain serotonin levels in 20 healthy volunteers for a short time by manipulating their diets and compared their behaviour, the daily Telegraph reported.

It found that people with depleted serotonin levels were far more likely to reject "unfair" offers.

One of the researchers said, "Our results suggest that serotonin plays a critical role in social decision-making by keeping aggressive responses in check. Changes in diet and stress cause our serotonin levels to fluctuate naturally, so it's important to understand how this might affect our everyday decision-making." Foods, particularly rich in the amino acid tryptophan, are chicken soup and chocolate. Other good sources include red meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, bananas, tuna, shellfish, and soya products.