The lowdown on glycemic index and glycemic load

The glycemic index (GI) assigns a numeric score to a food based on how drastically it makes your blood sugar rise. Foods are ranked on a scale of 0 to 100, with ... RecentBlogArticles GynCare101:Whattoknowaboutseeingagynecologist Howgoodisyourcardiometabolichealth—andwhatisthat,anyway? Poisonivy:Scratchin’likeahound? Appstoaccelerometers:Cantechnologyimprovementalhealthinolderadults? OpioidaddictionandoverdosesareincreasinglyharmingBlackcommunities NewHarvardtoolhelpsfact-checkcancerclaims Handpainfromarthritis?Thismayhelp Polio:Whatparentsneedtoknownow Ketaminefortreatment-resistantdepression:Whenandwhereisitsafe? Havelupus?Whattoknowaboutbirthcontrol / Diseases&Conditions Thelowdownonglycemicindexandglycemicload May27,2021 Understandingglycemicloadisjustasimportantastheglycemicindexoffoods Whatarethefactsabouttheglycemicloadoffoods?Ifyouhavediabetes,youprobablyknowyouneedtomonitoryourcarbohydrateintake.Butdifferentcarbohydrate-containingfoodsaffectbloodsugardifferently,andtheseeffectscanbequantifiedbymeasuresknownastheglycemicindexandglycemicload.Youmightevenhavebeenadvisedtousethesenumberstohelpplanyourdiet.Butwhatdothesenumbersreallymean—andjusthowusefularethey? Glycemicindexvs.glycemicload Theglycemicindex(GI)assignsanumericscoretoafoodbasedonhowdrasticallyitmakesyourbloodsugarrise.Foodsarerankedonascaleof0to100,withpureglucose(sugar)givenavalueof100.Thelowerafood'sglycemicindex,theslowerbloodsugarrisesaftereatingthatfood.Ingeneral,themoreprocessedafoodis,thehigheritsGI,andthemorefiberorfatinafood,thelowerit'sGI. Buttheglycemicindextellsjustpartofthestory.Whatitdoesn'ttellyouishowhighyourbloodsugarcouldgowhenyouactuallyeatthefood.Tounderstandafood'scompleteeffectonbloodsugar,youneedtoknowbothhowquicklyitmakesglucoseenterthebloodstreamandhowmuchglucoseperservingitcandeliver.Aseparatemeasurecalledtheglycemicloaddoesboth—whichgivesyouamoreaccuratepictureofafood'sreal-lifeimpactonyourbloodsugar.Watermelon,forexample,hasahighglycemicindex(80).Butaservingofwatermelonhassolittlecarbohydratethatitsglycemicloadisonly5. Glycemicloaddiet Somenutritionexpertsbelievethatpeoplewithdiabetesshouldpayattentiontoboththeglycemicindexandglycemicloadtoavoidsuddenspikesinbloodsugar.TheAmericanDiabetesAssociation,ontheotherhand,saysthatthetotalamountofcarbohydrateinafood,ratherthanitsglycemicindexorload,isastrongerpredictorofwhatwillhappentobloodsugar.Andsomedietitiansalsofeelthatfocusingontheglycemicindexandloadaddsanunneededlayerofcomplexitytochoosingwhattoeat. Thebottomline?Followingtheprinciplesoflow-glycemic-indexeatingislikelytobebeneficialforpeoplewithdiabetes.Butreachingandstayingatahealthyweightismoreimportantforyourbloodsugarandyouroverallhealth. Image:©designer491|GettyImages ShareThisPage SharethispagetoFacebook SharethispagetoTwitter SharethispageviaEmail PrintThisPage ClicktoPrint Disclaimer: Asaservicetoourreaders,HarvardHealthPublishingprovidesaccesstoourlibraryofarchivedcontent.Pleasenotethedateoflastrevieworupdateonallarticles. Nocontentonthissite,regardlessofdate,shouldeverbeusedasasubstitutefordirectmedicaladvicefromyourdoctororotherqualifiedclinician. Diseases&Conditions Whattodowhenadiagnosisiselusive Diseases&Conditions Youdon’tsay?Thescooponicecreamheadaches Diseases&Conditions Doyoufalldownwhenyoustandup? FreeHealthbeatSignup Getthelatestinhealthnewsdeliveredtoyourinbox! NewsletterSignup SignUp Close Thanksforvisiting.Don'tmissyourFREEgift. TheBestDietsforCognitiveFitness,isyoursabsolutelyFREEwhenyousignuptoreceiveHealthAlertsfromHarvardMedicalSchool Signuptogettipsforlivingahealthylifestyle,withwaystofightinflammationandimprovecognitivehealth,plusthelatestadvancesinpreventativemedicine,dietandexercise,painrelief,bloodpressureandcholesterolmanagement,and more. Iwanttogethealthier Close HealthAlertsfromHarvardMedicalSchool Gethelpfultipsandguidanceforeverythingfromfightinginflammationtofindingthebestdietsforweightloss...fromexercisestobuildastrongercoretoadviceontreatingcataracts.PLUS,thelatestnewsonmedicaladvancesandbreakthroughsfromHarvardMedicalSchoolexperts. BONUS!SignupnowandgetaFREEcopyoftheBestDietsforCognitiveFitness Iwanttogethealthier Close StayontopoflatesthealthnewsfromHarvardMedicalSchool. Plus,getaFREEcopyoftheBestDietsforCognitiveFitness. Signmeup