What is a glycemic load (GL)?
The glycemic load (GL) is a type of measurement.
Glycemic load takes serving size into account when estimating a food’s impact on blood sugar. (1)
The glycemic load gives a fuller picture than does glycemic index alone; it takes into account how much carbohydrates is in a serving of a particular food. (3)
Some experts believe the glycemic load gives a more realistic picture of how foods affect blood sugar. (2)
How is the glycemic load calculated?
glycemic load equals the glycemic index * carbohydrates / 100
What does the glycemic load do?
The glycemic load considers the amount of carbohydrate in a portion of food, as well as the glycemic index. (2)
| Low GL | Medium GL | High GL |
| 0 to 10 | 11 to 19 | 20 and higher |
| High glycemic load foods |
What is a low glycemic load food?
Foods with a glycemic index of 10 or less are considered low glycemic. (1)
What are the glycemic loads of foods?
| Food | Glycemic Load |
| HIGH | |
| pancake, 6″ diameter | 39 (5) |
| rice, white, boiled, 1 cup | 35 (5) |
| Russet potato, baked, 1 medium | 33 (5) |
| potato, white, boiled, 1 medium | 25 (5) |
| dates, dried, 2 oz | 25 (5) |
| spaghetti, white, boiled (20 min.), 1 cup | 25 (5) |
| jelly beans, 1 oz | 22 (5) |
| cornflakes, 1 cup | 20 (5) |
| spaghetti, white, boiled (average) 1 cup | 20 (5) |
| MEDIUM | |
| puffed rice cakes, 3 cakes | 17 (5) |
| doughnut, 1 medium | 17 (5) |
| spaghetti, whole-meal, boiled, 1 cup | 14 (5) |
| banana, raw, 1 cup | 13 (5) |
| soda crackers, 4 crackers | 12 (5) |
| pineapple, raw, 1/2 cup | 11 (5) |
| pearled barley, boiled, 1 cup | 11 (5) |
| LOW | |
| bread, white-wheat flour, 1 large slice | 10 (5) |
| All-Bran cereal, 1 cup | 10 (5) |
| honey, pure, 1 tbsp | 10 (5) |
| watermelon, 1 cup | 8 (5) |
| kidney beans, dried, boiled, 1 cup | 8 (5) |
| table sugar (sucrose), 2 tsp | 6 (5) |
| maple syrup, Canadian, 1 tbsp | 7 (5) |
| lentils, dried, boiled, 1 cup | 7 (5) |
| apple, raw, 1 medium | 6 (5) |
| parsnips, peeled, boiled, 1/2 cup | 5 (5) |
| rice, brown, boiled, 1 cup | 5 (5) |
| whole-grain pumpernickel bread, 1 large slice | 5 (5) |
| orange, raw, 1 medium | 5 (5) |
| pear, raw, 1 medium | 4 (5) |
| skim milk, 8 fl oz | 4 (5) |
| cashews, 1 oz | 2 (5) |
| carrots, boiled, 1/2 cup | 1 (5) |
| peanuts, 1 oz | 1 (5) |
Resources
1. https://www.verywellfit.com/cashew-nutrition-facts-4586608
2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/high-glycemic-index-foods#definition
3. https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/nutrition/glycemic-index-chart/
4. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/glycemic-load.html
5. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/food-beverages/glycemic-index-glycemic-load
