Glycaemic Load

Glycaemic load is a more practical measure than the glycaemic index alone — it tells you how much a typical serving of a food will actually raise your blood sugar, factoring in both how quickly the carbohydrate is absorbed and how much carbohydrate the food contains. For example, watermelon has a high glycaemic index but a low glycaemic load because it contains relatively little carbohydrate per serving. Managing glycaemic load helps control blood sugar, reduce cravings, and support weight loss.

Glycaemic load (GL) is calculated as the glycaemic index (GI) of a food multiplied by the grams of available carbohydrate per serving, divided by 100 (GL = GI × carbohydrate grams / 100). It quantifies the total glycaemic burden of a typical portion, providing a more clinically relevant predictor of postprandial glycaemic response than GI alone. Low-GL diets (GL < 10 per serving) are associated with improved glycaemic control, reduced postprandial insulin secretion, and favourable body weight outcomes in overweight and obese individuals. GL is a cornerstone concept in carbohydrate-conscious dietary strategies for weight management and type 2 diabetes prevention.

Understanding glycaemic load empowers patients to make smarter food choices — not just “what” but “how much” — and is a key concept in the nutritional counselling provided at Accord Medical.