The glycemic load (GL) of food is a number that estimates how much a food will raise a person's blood glucose level after it is eaten. One unit of glycemic load approximates the effect of eating one gram of glucose. The glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the weight of available carbohydrates in the food (in grams) by the food's glycemic index, and then dividing by 100. For one serving of food, a GL greater than 20 is considered high, a GL of 11-19 is considered medium, and a GL of 10 or less is considered low. The glycemic load is a useful tool for people on the keto diet to determine whether or not certain carbohydrate-rich foods will sabotage their efforts to get into or stay in ketosis.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Glycemic Load Calculation | Glycemic Load = (Glycemic Index x Carbohydrate) / 100 |
Glycemic Load Rating Scale | Low: under 10, Medium: under 20, High: 20 or greater |
Glycemic Index Rating Scale | Low: 55 or under, Medium: under 70, High: 70 or over |
Carbohydrate Foods Categorisation | Glycemic Index, Glycemic Load |
Glycemic Load Target | Under 100 each day for diabetes and general purposes |
What You'll Learn
- Glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index number by the grams of carbohydrates in the portion and then dividing by 100
- Glycemic load is a more accurate measure than the glycemic index because it takes into account the amount of carbohydrates eaten in a serving
- The glycemic load of a food can be calculated for any size serving, an entire meal, or an entire day's meals
- The glycemic load is the most powerful predictor of a food's effect on blood insulin levels
- Glycemic load is a useful tool for people with diabetes to assess which foods and quantities are likely to help them maintain good blood glucose levels
Glycemic load is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index number by the grams of carbohydrates in the portion and then dividing by 100
The glycemic load (GL) is a measure of how much a food will raise a person's blood glucose level after eating it. It is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index (GI) number by the grams of carbohydrates in a portion and then dividing by 100.
GL is a useful tool for diabetics and those on low-carb diets, like keto, to help them decide whether to include certain foods in their diets. The glycemic index is a rating system that categorises foods as low, medium, or high based on how they are expected to make someone’s blood sugar levels respond after consumption. However, the glycemic index alone does not consider portion size. For example, a large portion of a low-GI food would still produce a glucose spike, while a small portion of a high-GI food might not have much impact.
The glycemic load, on the other hand, takes into account the type of carbohydrate in a food, its macronutrient profile (how much fibre, protein, or fat it contains), and the serving size. This provides a more accurate picture of how food will impact a person’s glucose levels after eating it. The glycemic load also has a rating scale: foods under 10 are low, under 20 are medium, and 20 or greater are high. For diabetes and general purposes, it is recommended to keep your glycemic load under 100 each day.
Let's say you are planning to eat half of a medium-sized apple. A raw apple has a GI of 40 and contains 16 grams of carbohydrates per serving. To calculate the glycemic load, you would first multiply the GI by the number of grams of carbohydrates in the portion you plan to eat: 40 x 8 = 320. Then, you would divide this number by 100 to get the glycemic load: 3.2.
It is important to note that there is not a one-size-fits-all carb count for people on a ketogenic diet, but using the glycemic load can help determine whether certain carbohydrate-rich foods will align with the goal of staying in ketosis.
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Glycemic load is a more accurate measure than the glycemic index because it takes into account the amount of carbohydrates eaten in a serving
The glycemic load (GL) is a more accurate measure than the glycemic index (GI) because it takes into account the amount of carbohydrates eaten in a serving. The GL of a food is a number that estimates how much that food will raise a person's blood glucose level after it is eaten. One unit of GL approximates the effect of eating one gram of glucose.
The GL is based on the GI but also accounts for the amount of carbohydrates in the food and how much each gram of carbohydrate in the food raises blood glucose levels. The GL of a food can be calculated by multiplying the GI of the food by the weight of available carbohydrates in grams and then dividing that number by 100. For example, watermelon has a high GI of 72, but a typical serving of watermelon does not contain many carbohydrates, so the GL of eating it is low at 3.6.
The GI does not consider the portion that is eaten. A large portion of a low-GI food could still produce a glucose spike, while a small portion of a high-GI food might not have much of an effect. The glycemic load, on the other hand, provides a more accurate picture of how food impacts blood sugar levels by taking into account the following factors:
- The types of sugar and starches in the food
- The way the food is prepared
- Fiber and carbohydrate content
- Rate of absorption and digestion of food products
For this reason, GL is widely regarded as a more reliable tool than the glycemic index alone.
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The glycemic load of a food can be calculated for any size serving, an entire meal, or an entire day's meals
The glycemic load (GL) of a food is a measure of how much a given food impacts blood sugar levels. It is calculated by multiplying the weight of available carbohydrates in the food (in grams) by the food's glycemic index (GI), and then dividing by 100. The glycemic index is a rating system that goes from 1 to 100, with 50 grams of pure glucose ranking as the control at 100. The glycemic load takes into account the type of carbohydrate that a food contains, its macronutrient profile, and the serving size. This provides a more accurate picture of how food will impact a person's glucose levels after eating it.
The glycemic load can be calculated for any size serving of food, an entire meal, or an entire day's meals. For example, to calculate the glycemic load of a 100-gram serving of watermelon, you would multiply its glycemic index (72) by its carbohydrate content (5 grams) and then divide by 100, resulting in a glycemic load of 3.6. This means that eating 100 grams of watermelon will have a relatively small impact on your blood glucose levels.
The glycemic load of a food can also be influenced by factors such as its ripeness, size, texture, and viscosity. For instance, an unripe banana may have a lower glycemic index than a ripe banana, and therefore a lower glycemic load. Additionally, the glycemic load of a food can be affected by the presence of fat, protein, soluble fibre, fructose, and lactose, which generally lower a food's glycemic response.
By understanding how to calculate glycemic load, individuals can make more informed decisions about their food choices and overall diet, especially those following a very low-carb diet like keto or managing type 2 diabetes. It is generally recommended to aim for a daily glycemic load of under 100.
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The glycemic load is the most powerful predictor of a food's effect on blood insulin levels
The glycemic load (GL) of food is a number that estimates how much a food will raise a person's blood glucose level after it is eaten. One unit of glycemic load approximates the effect of eating one gram of glucose. The glycemic load accounts for how much carbohydrate is in the food and how much each gram of carbohydrate in the food raises blood glucose levels. The glycemic load is based on the glycemic index (GI), and is calculated by multiplying the weight of available carbohydrates in the food (in grams) by the food's glycemic index, and then dividing by 100.
The glycemic load estimates the impact of carbohydrate intake using the glycemic index while taking into account the amount of carbohydrates that are eaten in a serving. GL is a GI-weighted measure of carbohydrate content. For example, watermelon has a high GI, but a typical serving of watermelon does not contain many carbohydrates, so the glycemic load of eating it is low.
The glycemic load of a food can be calculated as its carbohydrate content measured in grams (g), multiplied by the food's GI, and divided by 100. For instance, watermelon has a GI of 72. A 100 g serving of watermelon has 5 g of available carbohydrates, making the calculation (5 x 72) / 100 = 3.6, so the GL is 3.6.
For one serving of food, a GL greater than 20 is considered high, a GL of 11-19 is considered medium, and a GL of 10 or less is considered low. Foods with a low GL in a typical serving size almost always have a low GI. Foods with an intermediate or high GL in a typical serving size range from a very low to very high GI.
The glycemic load is a significant factor in dietary programs targeting metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and weight loss. Studies have shown that sustained spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels may lead to increased diabetes risk. The Shanghai Women's Health Study concluded that women whose diets had the highest glycemic index were 21% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women whose diets had the lowest glycemic index. Similar findings were reported in the Black Women's Health Study. A diet program that manages the glycemic load aims to avoid sustained blood-sugar spikes and can help avoid the onset of type 2 diabetes. For diabetics, glycemic load is a highly recommended tool for managing blood sugar.
The glycemic load is a system that takes into account the type of carbohydrate that a food contains, how much fiber, protein, or fat it contains (the macronutrient profile), and the serving size. These factors together help give a more accurate picture of how it will impact a person's glucose levels after eating it. Working with a glycemic load calculation produces a more consistent clinical outcome when tracking how carbs affect a person's glucose and insulin levels.
The glycemic load is, therefore, the most powerful predictor of a food's effect on blood insulin levels.
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Glycemic load is a useful tool for people with diabetes to assess which foods and quantities are likely to help them maintain good blood glucose levels
Glycemic load (GL) is a useful tool for people with diabetes to assess which foods and quantities are likely to help them maintain good blood glucose levels. GL is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index (GI) of a food by the amount of carbohydrate in a serving of that food, then dividing the total by 100. GL provides a more accurate picture of how food impacts blood sugar levels than GI alone, as it takes into account the following factors:
- The types of sugar and starches in the food
- The way your food is prepared
- Fiber and carbohydrate content
- Rate of absorption and digestion of food products
GL gives a fuller picture than GI alone, as it estimates both how quickly a food causes blood sugar to rise and how much blood sugar levels will rise in total after eating. For example, watermelon has a high GI of 80, but its low carbohydrate content per serving results in a GL of only 5. This highlights that high or low GI does not necessarily equate to healthy or unhealthy.
GL is a significant factor in blood sugar management and diet planning, especially for people with diabetes. Research shows that sticking to a low GL diet can play an important role in staving off type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Observational studies have found that higher GL diets are associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and gallbladder disease.
GL is a useful tool for people with diabetes to assess which foods and quantities are likely to help them maintain good blood glucose levels. By taking into account the type and amount of carbohydrates in a food serving, GL provides a more accurate prediction of how a food will impact blood sugar levels than GI alone. This information can help people with diabetes make informed choices about their diet to maintain good blood glucose control.
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Frequently asked questions
The glycemic load (GL) of food is a number that estimates how much the food will raise a person's blood glucose level after eating it. One unit of glycemic load approximates the effect of eating one gram of glucose. The GL is calculated by multiplying the weight of available carbohydrates in the food (in grams) by the food's glycemic index (GI), and then dividing by 100.
The glycemic index is a rating system that goes from 1 to 100, with 50 grams of pure glucose ranking as the control at 100. Foods are categorised as low (55 or under), medium (under 70), or high (70 or over) based on how they are expected to affect someone’s blood sugar levels after consumption. However, the glycemic index does not take portion size into account. An extra-large portion of a low-GI food would still produce a glucose spike, while one bite of a high-GI food probably wouldn’t do much. The glycemic load was developed to solve this problem and provide a more standardised system.
The glycemic load is calculated using the formula: glycemic load = (glycemic index (%) x the amount of available carbohydrates (g)) / 100.
Ultimately, there is not a one-size-fits-all carb count for people on a ketogenic diet. However, most ketogenic diets contain 20 grams of carbohydrates or less, and for diabetes and general purposes, the aim is to keep your glycemic load under 100 each day.