A study has revealed that a bowl of sugary high-GI glycaemic index) cereals may significantly improve adolescents' memory.

Michael Smith a PhD student of the University of Western Australia studied the effect of low-GI and high-GI cereals on a group of healthy adolescents ability to recollect a long list of words'.

'Those who had consumed the high-GI cereals actually recalled significantly more words than those who consumed the low-GI breakfast cereal,' ABC Online quoted Smith, as saying.

In the study, 37 school students, aged 14-17 years, were put on a popular corn-based cereal (high-GI) or a high fibre bran-based cereal (low-GI).

The students were then asked to recollect a long list of names of tools, fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and kitchen utensils.

Smith said that the ones that ate the high-GI cereal could recollect an average of 1.52 more words than the ones put on low-GI cereal.

Though the difference may seem small, Smith said it is 'statistically significant'.

'But the findings go against previous research showing low-GI cereals are best for the memory,' he said.

Research psychologist Dr Janet Bryan, of the University of South Australia in Adelaide, agreed that finding is a 'well-replicated' discovery.

But she added that the practical application of the finding is limited.

'It could be useful. [But] I wouldn't advocate sugary drinks in the classroom and the same applies for a glucose rush from a high-GI cereal,' she said.

She added that it would be better to find which cereals result in a sustained improvement in memory.

Then there's the question of whether the low-GI cereal used by Smith is comparable to the low-GI cereals used in previous studies.

Nutritionist, Professor Jennie Brand-Miller, said that she would like to know if low-GI breakfast cereal actually has low GI.

'This sounds like an interesting study with a good design. But I'd like to verify that the low-GI breakfast cereal was really truly low GI,' said Professor Brand-Miller of the University of Sydney.