The glycaemic index

Here are a few representative samples (some numbers vary because there are different versions of the scale):

Nuts: 15-30
Cherries: 25
Beans: 30-40
Bananas: 60
Rice cakes: 80-133
French bread: 95+
Many processed breakfast cereals: 100

One food was a real standout, however. It's a complex carbohydrate, too, and blew the theory that these kinds of carbohydrates are always slower-releasing and 'better' for you. Want to guess what it is?

The bagel, which weighed in at 105. It beat the gold standard of pure glucose.

Now, the take-home point from this is not that high-glyacemic foods are ‘bad’ and low-glycaemic foods are ‘good’. In fact, high-glycaemic foods are useful if you're training twice a day and need the fastest replenishment of muscle glycogen stores.

But if you're trying to manage your weight, go with the lower-glycaemic foods as snacks. Eat the higher ones, if you must, with a little fat or protein to slow the response. Or avoid them completely for the time being, and begin to be aware of the powerful effect high insulin levels are having on your attempts to lose weight.