If you’re looking for ways to eat healthier, you may have come across the terms glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL). Both are used to measure how quickly a food affects your blood sugar.

But understanding the difference between these two concepts can help you make healthier choices.

What is Glycemic Index?

Glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises your blood sugar levels. The scale ranges from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating that the food raises blood sugar more quickly. Pure glucose has a glycemic index of 100.

High GI foods include white bread, white rice, and sugary drinks. Low GI foods include most vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Eating more low GI foods may help stabilize your blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of developing chronic health problems like type 2 diabetes.

What is Glycemic Load?

Glycemic load (GL) takes into account both the quantity and quality of carbohydrates in a food. The formula is the glycemic index of a food multiplied by the amount of carbohydrate in a serving, then divided by 100.

This determines how much a particular food raises blood sugar levels per serving.

Some foods with a high GI rating, such as watermelon, have a low glycemic load because they have relatively few carbohydrates compared to other high GI foods, such as white bread.

Eating foods with a lower glycemic load can help manage blood sugar levels over time.

Which is Better?: Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load?

While both glycemic index and glycemic load measure how quickly and how much a particular food can raise blood sugar levels, neither is a perfect measure.

Glycemic index doesn’t account for portion sizes, while glycemic load doesn’t take into account the quality of carbohydrate in a food.

However, research suggests that following a low glycemic load diet can be beneficial for overall health.

A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that diets with lower glycemic loads can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases.

Eating more low GI and low GL foods can also provide other health benefits, like improved weight management and lower risk of heart disease.

How to Incorporate Low GI and Low GL Foods

Here are some tips for incorporating low GI and low GL foods into your diet:.

Choose whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
Avoid foods with added sugar and refined carbohydrates, like sugary drinks, pastries, and white bread and pasta.
Pair carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats to help slow down the absorption of sugar into your bloodstream.
Eat smaller portions of high GI foods, like white rice or potatoes, and pair them with low GI and high fiber foods to help offset their impact on blood sugar levels.

The Bottom Line

Glycemic index and glycemic load can both be useful tools for understanding how different foods affect your blood sugar levels. While neither is perfect, research suggests that following a low glycemic load diet can provide important health benefits.

To incorporate more low GI and low GL foods into your diet, focus on whole, unprocessed foods and avoid sugary and refined carbohydrate-rich foods.