Eating eggs helps people be more generous?

A compound in eggs can help people become much more generous, according to new research published.

Scientists at Leiden University (The Netherlands) said tryptophan in some foods can change our behavior. Chicken eggs and some other foods like fish and milk are thought to be rich in tryptophan - which will be converted into serotonin when in the body.

The tryptophan in eggs can help people become more generous.

The team conducted an experiment with 32 men and women. In which, half of the volunteers were given medicine containing 0.8 gram of tryptophan (equivalent to tryptophan in 3 eggs) and the rest were given placebo.

Each volunteer was awarded 11 USD for participating in the study and they were asked to donate part of this money to charity. Four donation boxes from the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), Amnesty International (AI), Green Peace and the International Fund for Nature Protection (WWF) are placed on the table.

After testing and analyzing, scientists found that people who took tryptophan supported an average of $ 1.15, while those taking placebo only supported an average of $ 0.6.

'This is the first time we find out whether tryptophan compounds in foods like fish, eggs, soybeans and milk can stimulate generosity. The results showed that serotonin-related foods can make people more supportive of charity , "the team said.

Scientists are not sure how supplements produce that effect, but they surmise it is related to oxytocin, the "cuddly" hormone produced by women during lactation and work ". "

Dr Adam Perkins, neurologist at the Royal College of London, said research could be used to encourage reconciliation among prisoners in prison by feeding them food. contains lots of tryptophan.