Glycemic Index Vs Glycemic Load

Glycemic Index

Glycemic index is a measure of how fast a food raises your Blood Glucose Levels.

Glycemic Index of a carbohydrate containing food is determined by comparing the glucose excursions or fluctuations of blood glucose levels after consuming a 50g of test food with glucose excursions after consuming 50g of reference food ( White Bread)

                               Blood glucose area under the curve (3h) for test food                                                                  
  Glycemic Index =   —————————————————————————   × 100                                                                           
                              Blood glucose area under the curve (3h) for reference food

Eating low glycemic index foods results in lower glucose levels after meals. 

GI is measured on a scale of 1 to 100 and 100 being the Highest. Foods which are 55 or less are considered Low GI Foods and those which are 70 and greater are considered High GI Foods.

Low glycemic index foods have values of 55 or less and include 

• Fruits
• Vegetables 
• Grainy breads
• Pasta
• Legumes

High glycemic index foods have values of 70 or greater and include 

• Baked potato
• White bread
• White rice.

Our meals would mostly consist of carbs, proteins and the presence of fats and Glycemic index tend to be lowered when we have mixed meals.

Glycemic Load

Glycemic load (GL) is a measure of how much a food raises your blood sugar levels in one serving. It takes into account both the glycemic index of a food and the amount of carbohydrates in one serving.

To calculate the glycemic load of a food, you multiply the glycemic index of the food by the grams of carbohydrates in one serving, then divide by 100. 

So, 

Which is more important for weight loss, Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load?

The glycemic load is more important for weight loss than the glycemic index. That’s because the glycemic load takes into account both the quality and quantity of carbohydrates in a food.

For example, watermelon has a high glycemic index (72), but it is mostly water and has very few carbohydrates (about 11 grams per cup). This means that watermelon has a low glycemic load (about eight).

On the other hand, a slice of white bread has a lower glycemic index (70), but it has more carbohydrates (about 15 grams per slice). This means that white bread has a higher glycemic load (about 11).

So, when you’re trying to lose weight, it’s important to pay attention to the glycemic load of the foods you’re eating, not just the glycemic index.

Glycemic Index of High Carbohydrate Foods

High Carbohydrate Foods	Glycemic Index
White Bread	75 ± 2
Specialty Grain Bread	53 ± 2
Wheat Roti	62 ± 3
Chapati	52 ± 4
Corn Tortilla	46 ± 4
White Rice, boiled	73 ± 4
Brown Rice, boiled	68 ± 4
Sweet corn	52 ± 5
Rice Noodles	53 ± 7
Barley	28 ± 2

Glycemic Index of Breakfast Cereals

Breakfast Cereals	Glycemic Index
Cornflakes	81 ±  6
Porridge, rolled oats	55 ±  2
Instant oat porridge	79 ±  3
Rice porridge	78 ±  9
Millet porridge	67 ±  5
Muesli	57 ±  2

Glycemic Index of Fruits

Fruits	Glycemic Index
Apple,raw	36 ± 2
Orange,raw	43 ± 3
Banana,raw	51 ± 3
Pineapple,raw	59 ± 8
Mango,raw	51 ± 5
Watermelon, raw	76 ± 4

Glycemic Index Food List of Vegetables

Vegetables	Glycemic Index
Potato, boiled	78 ± 4
Potato, instant mash	87 ± 3
Potato, French fries	63 ± 5
Carrots, boiled	39 ± 4
Sweet potato, boiled	63 ± 6
Pumpkin, boiled	64 ± 7

Glycemic Index List of Dairy Products

Dairy Products	Glycemic Index
Milk, full fat	39 ± 3
Milk, skim	37 ± 4
Ice cream	51 ± 3
Yogurt, fruit	41 ± 2
Soy milk	43 ± 4
Rice milk	86 ± 7

Glycemic Index of Legumes

Legumes	Glycemic Index
Chickpeas	28 ± 9
Kidney Beans	24 ± 4
Lentils	32 ± 5
Soya Beans	16 ± 1

Glycemic Index Food List of Common Snacks

Snacks	Glycemic Index
Chocolate	40 ± 3
Pop Corn	65 ± 5
Potato Chips	56 ± 3
Soft Drink / Soda	59 ± 3
Rice Crackers	87 ± 2

Glycemic Index of Sugars

Sugars	Glycemic Index
Glucose	100
Sucrose	65 ± 4
Honey	61 ± 3
Fructose	15 ± 4

To calculate Glycemic Load, multiply the glycemic index of the food by the grams of carbohydrates in one serving, then divide by 100.

Glycemic Index of Common Foods

Common Food List	Glycemic Index
Quinoa	53
Blueberries	53
Strawberries	41
Basmati Rice	55
Jasmine Rice	109
Grapes	53
Maple syrup	65
Pineapple	66
Mango	51
Black Beans	20
Pinto Beans	45
Red Kidney Beans	20
Pasta	50
Avocado	15
Tomato	15
Cantaloupe	54
Sourdough bread	54
Peanut butter	14
Maltodextrin	106 to 136
Stevia	0
Table sugar	65
Eggs	0
Raspberries	32
Agave	19
Honey	58
Raisins	64
Erythritol	0
Kiwi	50
Broccoli	15