Photography:
Getty Images
THINK PINK the next time you’re shopping for energy drinks or flavoured water. A new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Nutrition, led by the Centre for Nutraceuticals at the University of Westminster, found that pink drinks increase exercise performance by 4.4 per cent – much higher than clear drinks. It’s not that the colour pink has any magical nutritional properties, but bright colours trigger a ‘feel-good’ effect that can make exercise seem easier. The researchers chose pink as it is associated with sweetness and therefore makes the brain think of sugar intake. The subjects who consumed pink drinks enjoyed enhanced feelings of pleasure, and achieved higher running speeds and longer distances.