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Glycemic Index vs. Glycemic Load
Glycemic Index (GI)
Glycemic Index (GI) tells you how fast a particular carbohydrate food raises your blood sugar:
- It is a number (from 0 to 100) that shows how quickly a food raises your blood sugar after eating.
- Foods are compared to pure glucose, which has a GI of 100.
- The higher the GI, the faster your blood sugar goes up.
- But it does not consider how much of that food you’re actually eating.
Glycemic Index
- Speed of sugar spike
- Doesn’t consider portion size
- Quick Guide to Glycemic Index Values
- Low GI = 55 or less → Eat regularly
- Medium GI = 56–69 → Eat in moderation
- High GI = 70 or more → Eat rarely or in small amounts
Glycemic Load
- Speed of sugar spike
- Considers portion size
- Quick Guide to Glycemic Load Values
- Low GL = 10 or less → Eat regularly
- Medium GL = 11–19 → Eat in moderation
- High GL = 20 or more →Eat rarely or in small amounts
Glycemic Load (GL)
Glycemic Load (GL) tells you how much that food will raise your blood sugar based on both:
- How fast the carbohydrate turns into sugar (its GI), and
- How much carbohydrate the food contains in a normal serving
- GL = (GI × grams of carbohydrates per serving) ÷
If you have a diabetes, glycemic load is a better guide than glycemic index alone. It gives a more realistic idea of how much your blood sugar will rise after eating a meal.