To commemorate the 125th anniversary of Hovis bread, we're celebrating the many health benefits of the much-maligned yeasty food - and taking a look at why it isn't really the villain  low carb and low Gi diets would have you believe.

Here are eight great reasons to tuck into some bread:

1. Essential for energy
Bread is a great source of energy yielding carbohydrates.  The speed at which your body digests these carbohydrates varies depending on the type of bread you choose.  Some such as rye and whole grain varieties release their sugars at a fairly steady rate but most breads, whole meal as well as white, tend to rank quite highly on the GI index and therefore release their sugars quickly.  However, this doesn't mean they should be avoided as the speed at which they are digested is governed by two other factors  -  the amount that it is eaten at any one time and what they are eaten with.

Keeping portion sizes small will go a long way towards enabling you to eat your bread

How can you lose weight without feeling hungry?  Is it really so important to eat breakfast?  What's the best way to control cravings and which is more effective at shifting the pounds — eating less or exercising more?  We asked Rachael Anne Hill the answers to all these and more.

Whenever I cut calories to lose weight I am constantly hungry. What can I do?
Make sure you eat little and often throughout the day. This will help to prevent your blood sugar levels from dropping which can send hunger levels sky high.  Include plenty of foods in your diet that are high in water, fibre and protein too such as fruits, vegetables, beans, pulses, nuts, fish, chicken, lean meats and wholegrains as these will help to fill you up without piling on the calories.  Finally, there is evidence to suggest that even mild dehydration can also increase feelings of hunger so make sure you drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Will skipping breakfast really hinder my ability to lose weight?
Studies

According to The Sun readers who answered a survey on this very question, the Jaffa Cake is most definitely a biscuit  - a fact Jaffa Cake manufacturers would vehemently deny.  Why?  Because under UK law any chocolate covered biscuit is eligible for VAT.  A chocolate covered cake however, is not.

Consequently, in 1991 Her Majesty's Customs and Excise decided to challenge the claim that a Jaffa is a cake and took McVities (the leading manufacturer of Jaffa Cakes in the UK) to court over the issue.

During the legal proceedings a number of factors were considered in an effort to determine the true identity of the Jaffa such as it's name, size, ingredients and packaging  but thanks to some pretty sharp legal brains, the final decision all boiled down to one simple question ….when a Jaffa Cake goes stale does it become softer or harder?

[See also: What your biscuit choice says about you]

The answer, if you have ever mustered enough willpower to find out is, of course, that it becomes