Research published by Lidan Xu, assistant professor of marketing, and her co-authors in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes shows that just a taste of something sweet can boost your creativity.

It's not due to a sugar rush to the brain, but is related instead to the positive experiences people tend to associate with a sweet taste.

"We often associate sweet things with a positive and safe environment," Xu says. "When we are in this environment, we are more willing to take risks."

Xu says this research is a first step in understanding how people's food choices can influence their thoughts and behavior, which could be valuable knowledge for employers to use in boosting innovation in their companies.