Gycemic Index / Load

"GI Load" refers to Glycemic Load (GL), a measure that combines a food's Glycemic Index (how fast it raises blood sugar) with the actual carbohydrate portion size, giving a more realistic idea of its total impact on blood glucose than GI alone, calculated by (GI x grams of carb) / 100, with categories: low (≤10), medium (11-19), and high (≥20).

Glycemic Index (GI) vs. Glycemic Load (GL)

• Glycemic Index (GI):
• Ranks carbohydrates (0-100) by how quickly they raise blood sugar, with glucose at 100. A low GI food raises blood sugar slowly, but doesn't account for serving size.
• Glycemic Load (GL):
• Considers both the GI and the amount of carbs in a typical serving, making it a better predictor of real-world blood sugar response.

How to Calculate GL (Example: Watermelon vs. Doughnut)

• Watermelon: High GI (~76) but low carb serving (8 GL).
• Doughnut: Similar GI, but higher carb serving (17 GL).
• Formula: GL = (GI x Grams of Carbohydrate per Serving) / 100.

GL Categories

• Low GL: 10 or less.
• Medium GL: 11–19.
• High GL: 20 or more.

Why GL Matters

• It gives a better picture of your blood sugar response for a whole meal, not just a single component.
• Focusing on GL helps manage overall carb intake for better diabetes control and weight management.