Uma hora de Sudoku pode ajudar a perder peso!!!

An hour spent on crosswords and sudokus burns more calories than are contained in a chocolate chip cookie, brain trainers claim.

Mental exercises such as puzzles and quizzes are said to burn an average of 90 calories every hour – more calories than are contained in a jammy dodger or a chocolate hobnob.

Mental agility expert Tim Forrester from brain training website cannyminds.com which published the claims, said giving the brain a workout burns calories in the same way that giving the body a workout does.

So undertaking activity such as difficult crosswords or challenging sudoku’s means your brain will need more glucose and more calories.

Eight-time World Memory Champion Dominic O'Brien said brains needs work outs just as much as bodies.

"Just as you need to continually exercise your body to stay fit and healthy you also need to exercise your brain and memory to remain mentally agile," he said.