The common sweet that can 'increase alertness' of people with a cold

New research has revealed that a common sweet can help people suffering with the common cold. According to scientists at Cardiff University, the sweet can "increase alertness" in people who are ill with the virus.

The researchers monitored 81 university students over a 10 week period. During that time, 17 developed a mild illness while 64 remained healthy. Of the ill students, six were given peppermints, six were given butterscotch and five were given nothing. Meanwhile, 21 of the healthy participants were given peppermint, 22 were given placebo sweets and 21 had nothing at all.

As reported by ITV, the scientists found that sucking a peppermint increased the alertness in both the ill and healthy students. The research was led by Dr Andy Smith who said the study proved that "simple things" can be done to improve our health when we're unwell.

He explained: "When people are sick with a mild upper respiratory tract illness, they will likely experience malaise - a general discomfort and a lack of well-being. This can impact performance and reduce our alertness.

"Vapours are known to have therapeutic benefits - and aromatics, such as mint, have been shown in previous research to have an impact on our wellbeing when ill and in perfect health."

He added: "We thought it was plausible that peppermints might help reduce the malaise associated with the common cold and its symptoms. Our results confirmed that common cold illnesses are associated with slower psychomotor speed and reduced alertness.

"But sucking on a peppermint, compared to a butterscotch or nothing, during a cold can increase your alertness. These results show that, with the right understanding, simple things can be done to improve our wellbeing when unwell - and that includes eating a peppermint to help with a cold."

According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the common cold has been on the rise in recent weeks. Flu cases have also increased over the past week among 15 to 25-year-olds.

According to Professor Jonathan Ball, from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, infections are on the rise for a number of reasons. These include children going back to school, adults returning to work after a summer break, and more people spending time indoors as the temperatures drop.