Ideal Snacks for the GMAT Breaks

I always love your perspective on the GMAT, Karishma, but I have to respectfully disagree with your advice in this case.

Unfortunately, pure sugar is arguably the worst thing a test-taker can consume prior to a four-hour exam, simply because it causes a crash afterwards. Yes, your brain desperately needs sugars (usually in the form of glucose) to function, but to succeed on a four-hour exam, your brain needs a nice, steady supply of energy. Sugary snacks cause a quick spike in glucose and insulin levels... and then a very speedy crash.

(A fun cautionary tale: back when I taught high school, one of my students ate a massive bag of Skittles before his SAT exam. He confidently ripped through the first section... and then literally fell asleep during the middle of the second section. Oops.)

I can see how the New York Times article could cause a little bit of confusion, though. All of the experiments in the article mentioned glucose (a relatively pure form of simple sugar), but the article didn't fully explain that our bodies ultimately break all carbohydrates down into glucose. If you consume pure glucose (or fructose or dextrose or any other closely related simple sugar), minimal digestion is required, and the glucose will rapidly work its way through your body. You'll get a wonderful spike, then an inevitable crash. But if you consume balanced foods that contain a nice mix of proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates, your body will slowly break them into glucose, and your brain will receive the steady supply of the energy it needs for a four-hour GMAT marathon.

The New York Times piece buried this little nugget deep in the article:



I hate to be the bad guy who discourages cupcake binges, but the sugary snacks are only useful if you need a very short-term glucose spike. The safer way to keep your brain consistently fueled is to eat foods that offer a nice mix of proteins, fats, and complex carbohydrates--a high-protein energy bar (such as Clif Builder bars or Think Thin bars or Balance bars) or a small sandwich on whole grain bread, for example. If you're familiar with the glycemic index (GI), then look for low GI foods for your breaks and pre-test meals.

Would it be possible to survive a GMAT exam on a diet of M&Ms and Jolly Ranchers? Sure--some people metabolize sugars more slowly than others, and some people will do just fine as long as they continue to inhale candy during their breaks. But for most of us, the best way to ensure a steady glucose supply to our brains is to avoid simple sugars, and eat balanced (and probably less appealing!) foods that contain a good mix of macronutrients.