(ANSA) - Rome, March 9 - A breakfast based on carbohydrates can be a source of improved creativity and inspiration, according to a study conducted by Doxa research group with Italian pasta and pastry-makers association Aidepi as part of the association's campaign around Italian breakfast habits.

"A typical sweet Mediterranean breakfast based on grains and rapidly absorbing sugars is the secret for improved brain function and therefore, to feed creativity," said Luca Piretta, nutritionist and gastroenterologist at Rome's La Sapienza University.

The ritual itself of a morning breakfast can also help fuel creative thoughts, according to Danilo Gasparini, a lecturer in food history at the University of Padua.

"Sitting down, sipping a cappuccino, nibbling or dunking a cookie helps to let thoughts from the night before flow and to start looking ahead at the day," Gasparini said. "And bread, toast, cookies and cereal contain slow-release sugars with a lower glycemic index, especially if they're whole wheat, which give energy for the whole morning," he said.

Tea and coffee also make up part of the "creative" breakfast.

"The caffeine in tea helps maintain concentration, while the caffeine in coffee increases serotonin levels and stimulates memory," Gasparini said.

"Chocolate is also an asset to well-being: it stimulates the central nervous system and improves imagination," he said.

