Are you looking for an easy way to boost test scores? Many students have heard the theory that
eating peppermint candy will help them increase exam grades. Whether it is chewing a piece of gum, or sucking on a minty lozenge, students believe that it will increase
their focusing abilities. Starting at a
young age, students are given mints before standardized tests in hopes of
enhancing their capabilities.
The consumption of
minty food is proven to make students more efficient. Many professors have tested the hypothesis
that peppermint increases memorization and focusing abilities. Bryan Raudenbush, a professor at Wheeling
Jesuit University, tested his athletes by giving some of them a whiff of
peppermint. He found that the control
group, (those who were not giving any peppermint scents) performed worse than
the experimental group (those who sniffed peppermint). Raudenbush says that the reason peppermint leads
to such increased aptitude involves a change in biological state. He explains that, “peppermint scent
significantly increases oxygen saturation and blood pressure, which results in
physiological arousal.” (Mortensen,
2014, 1) The two ingredients we can
attribute to these notions of increased mental capacity are: oil and sugar. The sugar, in these peppermint candies, is the leading force in brain function.
These conclusions show that peppermint consumption prior to
taking tests really does have a positive effect on a person’s brain. Many people believe that this idea is
something along the lines of a placebo effect.
In this scenario, the mint would be the placebo, and the products of
stimulated brain activity are solely due to the students’ beliefs. According to an article published in the
“North American Journal of Psychology,” this “placebo effect” was proven
wrong. Students who ate a piece of mint
gum were affected rapidly and worked more efficiently. Overall, studies have shown that the intake
of either peppermint scents, or foods stimulate the brain. With new exams being written everyday, conclusions
like these allow us to boost test scores for the individual as well as the
community.
Questions for Reflection:
It has been found that drugs such as Adderall are used in
high numbers for students hoping to increase their ability to focus. Could the discoveries about peppermint aiding
in memorization and concentration decrease this overuse of a potentially
harmful drug? Also, many experiments
focus on peppermint’s effects on exams.
How would these effects differ from completing a test to solving a rubix
cube? Lastly, do different minty
flavors, such as sweet mint and spearmint, have different effects on the brain?
Sources:
http://www.massdental.org/uploadedImages/3_For_the_Public/35_Just_for_Kids/Kid%20with%20cane.jpg
http://www.buzzle.com/img/articleImages/562653-20517-45.jpg
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