News: Sugar really does help the medicine go down: study

Hello, my name is Jenn and I’m an emotional sugar-eater. It’s true; I gravitate to sweet snacks when I feel upset and overtired. And as unhealthy as this little eating habit may be, I think sugar does help me feel less like a cranky baby. Well, it seems that sugar really does help actual cranky babies feel better when they’re getting immunized, reports The Canadian Press.

Researchers in Brazil, Australia and Toronto analyzed 14 studies that tested how babies responded to needles when given sucrose and glucose solutions. Their findings: Babies who were given a sugar solution cried less and showed less evidence of pain compared to babies who did not receive the sweet stuff. So Mary Poppins was right all along’sugar really does help the medicine go down. Go figure. While I’d love to transfer these results to justify my own persistent sweet tooth, I have a feeling that’s probably not the best idea. Or is it? Do you think it’s a-OK to indulge in a bit of sugar when you’re not feeling great or is that an unhealthy habit?

Related:
‘ 8 foods with less sugar
‘ 4 lower-sugar food swaps
‘ Does eating sugar cause diabetes?