Anyone with cold should have one sweet to boost 'mood and alertness' View Image

Eating peppermints can increase alertness in people who are ill with the common cold, according to research. Scientists at Cardiff University looked at whether having a cold impaired mood and performance and if these effects could be removed by sucking peppermints.

They monitored 81 students over 10 weeks and during that time 17 participants developed a mild upper respiratory tract illness. Six of the ill participants were given peppermints, six were given butterscotch, and five were not given sweets.

Of the 64 healthy controls, 21 sucked peppermint, 22 were given placebo sweets, and 21 did not eat any sweets. The healthy controls and unwell participants were given tests for their mood, performance, and

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