Once I assembled a basic daily menu that didn't put me to sleep, I started introducing foods one at a time, to test their effect on me.  I used the glycemic index as a guide, but didn't let it stop me from trying something a little higher up.  It turns out that fiber is a key player, and if you can distract your digestive system with fiber, a few extra glycemic index points can piggyback their way past the pancreas.  Apples, for instance, clock in at 38, but they are so high in fiber that there's no sleep effect.  Equally, if I pulverize a fibrous food into powder, its superpowers are gone; there's no protection against the Kryptonite (I mean insulin).

Fat, like fiber, has a similar camouflage effect on carbs, and the great news about fat is that it doesn't make you fat.  What puts fat on your body is insulin converting your carb intake into stored energy.  Fat isn't completely off the hook, if your arteries are the fat-collecting type, but it's not the meanie that makes you outgrow your favorite jeans.  Blame the carb+insulin combo, and eat instead from the list below.

The List of Foods that Don't Make Me Sleepy, Provided I Eat Slowly and Snackingly*

Vegetables

Artichoke

Asparagus

Broccoli

Cabbage

Celery

Chard

Cucumber

Garlic

Green beans (fresh)

Green peas (baby, fresh)

Lettuce

Onions

Peppers

Squash (summer & winter)

Sweet potatoes

Tomatoes

Zucchini

Fruit

Apples

Blackcurrants

Cherries

Elderberries

Plums

Prunes

Raspberries

Strawberries

Nuts

Coconuts (shredded, flour)

Peanuts

Pecans

Walnuts

Dairy

Butter

Cheese

Cream cheese

Half and half

Heavy cream (whipping cream)
Kefir

Milk (in small quantities)

Sour cream 

Condiments

Mayonnaise (the full-fat variety)

Mustard

Tamari or soy sauce (wheat-free)

Vinegar
Wine (for use in cooking)

Sweeteners

Agave nectar

Stevia

Molasses (in tiny amounts) 

Oils and Fats

Butter

Chocolate (unsweetened, baking)

Grapeseed oil (for frying)

Light olive oil (for baking)

Olive oil

Tallow (rendered beef fat)

Grains

Barley

Spelt flour (in small quantities) 

Protein

Beef

Eggs

Fish

Goat

Lamb

Turkey (also chicken for those who can eat it, but I can’t)

Venison

* These are the foods that check out so far, but the list is by no means complete yet.