Glycemic LoadThe glycemic load(GL) is a much better gauge of how a meal affects your blood sugar. Unlike the glycemic index , it does take into account the portion size and measures the actual fluctuation of blood sugar from a typical serving of food. It's found by taking a food's glycemic index and dividing by 100. Then multiplying by the available carbs (carbs minus fiber) in a single serving. A low GL is under 10. This is a much more useful tool for managing diabetes For Example:
Watermelon has a glycemic index of 72 (which is considered high). 72 divided by 100 equals .72. But there's only 6 available carbs in a serving of watermelon. So, 6 multiplied by .72 equals 4.3. That's a very low GL, meaning it won't raise your blood sugar very much.
Chocolate Cake has a glycemic index of 38 (which is low). 38 divided by 100 equals .38. Now multiply that by the available carbs in a single serving of cake (52) and you get a GL of 20! (which is very high)
While the glycemic index measures how fast a carbohydrate turns into blood sugar, it isn't very useful when calculating actual meals. The glycemic load is a better indicator of the effects of certain foods on our blood sugar levels, especially for diabetics. Return from Glycemic Load to Superfood-Guru Home
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