At worst, sugar only expands waistlines and rots teeth, right? Wrong. A new study out of UCLA says a steady diet of soda, candy and sugary snacks can actually make you dumb too.

According to research conducted by professor Fernando Gomez-Pinilla, who teaches at UCLA's medical school, binging on sugary foods can impact brain function in as little as six weeks. In particular, the brain slows down and memory and learning are hampered.

"Our findings illustrate that what you eat affects how you think," said Gomez-Pinilla. "Eating a high-fructose diet over the long term alters your brain's ability to learn and remember information."

When you consider that the average American consumes roughly 47 pounds of cane sugar and 35 pounds of high fructose sugar a year, this is certainly bad news for all of us.

So what's the alternative? Gomez-Pinilla suggests that those who want a boost try foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids instead, like salmon, walnuts and flaxseed. Blech. Even in our sugar-addled state, we know enough not to eat those things.

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