Glycemic Load

A carrot has almost the same GL as sugar. But, carrot is safer for diabetic than sugar. So, nutrition scientist developed a new measure to rank foods called GL. It tells that how much is the sugar in the food, rather than just how it raises blood sugar levels.

Carrots and potatoes both have a high GI, but using the new GL, carrots dropped from high GI of 131 to GL of 10. Potatoes fall from a GI of 121 to GL of 45. Air popped popcorn, with GI of 79 has GL of 4. Food mostly are water or air will not cause a steep rise in blood sugar even if their GI is high. That is why the new measure is useful and thus important than GI.

Calculation of GL.

Glycemic load for every single of food can be calculated as quantity (in grams) of its carbohydrates content, multiplied by its GI and divided by 100. For example, a 100g slice serving of watermelon with GI of 72 and a carbohydrate content of 5g (it contains a lot of water) makes the calculation 5*0.72= 3.6. A food with GI of 100 and carbohydrate content of 10g has GL of 10 (10*1=10). Comparing - per 100 gm servings. Banana GI- 52, GL- 10 Rice GI- 64, GL- 15.4

GL and GI are important for research than the daily selection of foods. By using own common sense and eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans and other seeds. Avoid the refined carbohydrates foods made with extracted sugars, flour, white rice or milled corn products that have high GI.