A sugary treat may give you a short-term energy boost, but what it does to your brain isn’t so sweet: UCLA researchers discovered that high fructose corn syrup reduces your IQ, keeps you from learning and causes memory loss. And exactly how much high fructose corn syrup does the average American eat every year? About 40 pounds. There is one piece of good news: Filling your diet with omega-3 fatty acids, plentiful in foods such as salmon, can minimize sugar’s negative effect on your brain.