A given food’s glycemic load(GL) measures the total blood sugar released into the blood. This is often paired with the food’s glycemic index to understand the impact of that food on blood sugar levels. Usually, foods with high glycemic index have high glycemic load, too. However, there is an exception.
In this article, I, Dhirendra, a diabetic, will explain the meaning and significance of glycemic load, explain its calculation, and provide a chart showing the glycemic load of different foods.
Meaning and Significance
Glycemic Load is the number that shows you how much and how quickly a food can release glucose in your blood. Since the formula for Glycemic Load also contains its Glycemic Index, the Glycemic Load for a food item is a complete measure of how good or bad that food is for you.
The glycemic load (GL) of foods is divided into three categories:
- High GL – 20 and above
- Moderate GL – 11 to 20
- Low GL – 0 to 10
Diabetics like me, who do not use any medication and rely on food and exercise to reverse diabetes, should consume foods that have a glycemic load of 10 or less. Foods with a glycemic load higher than 10 and below 20 can be consumed in moderation.
How to Calculate a Food’s Glycemic Load
To calculate a food’s glycemic load, multiply its glycemic index values by the amount of carbohydrates contained in a 50-gram serving and then divide the result by 100.
The glycemic load for whole wheat is = 62(its GI) x 37g(carbs in 50 grams of whole wheat) / 100 = 22. Hence, the glycemic load of 3-4 thin whole wheat chapati is 22.
Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Charts For Different Foods
The glycemic index of glucose is 100, which serves as a reference in calculating the GI values of other food items.
Below are the different grains, vegetables, and fruits with GI and GL values. Use this list to understand how much 1 cup grain would weigh when cooked.
Cereals and Millets
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| White Rice | 73 | 23 (1 cup cooked) |
| White Bread | 70 | 10 (1 slice) |
| Whole Wheat Bread | 69 | 9 (1 slice) |
| Sorghum Millet | 62 | 14 ( 1 cup cooked) |
| Teff | 57 | 13 ( 1 cup cooked) |
| Chapati (Roti) | 50-55 | 22 |
| Freekeh (tender durum wheat) | 43 | 9 (1 cup cooked) |
| Multi-Grain Roti (50% wheat) | 25 | 4.25 (3 thin roti) |
| Oatmeal | 55 | 12 (1 cup cooked) |
| Whole Corn | 52 | 15 (1 cup cooked) |
| Bajra (whole) | 54 | 13 (100 gram cooked) |
| Buckwheat Grouts | 49 | 15 (1 cup cooked) |
| Bulgur Wheat / Daliya | 46 | 8 (1 cup cooked) |
| Quinoa | 35 | 7.3 (120 grams cooked) |
| Amaranth / Rajgira / Ramdana Millet | 35 | 10 |
| Barley/Jau Millet | 25-30 | 6.5 |
Lentils, Pulses, and Gram
Lentils generally have a low glycemic load because of their richness in dietary fiber.
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| Bengal Gram (Kala Chana), Chana Dal | 8 | 1.8 (50 grams cooked) |
| Lupin Beans | 15 | 3 (50 grams serving) |
| Toor Dal, Arhar | 22-29 | 6.82 (50 grams cooked) |
| Red Lentil, Masoor Dal | 21-30 | 7 (50 grams cooked) |
| Kidney Beans (Rajma) | 28-35 | 8 (50 grams cooked) |
| Chickpeas (Kabuli Chana) | 25-38 | 10 (50 grams cooked) |
| Black Beans (Kale Sem) | 30 | 7-8 (50 grams cooked) |
| Horse Gram (Kulathi/Kulud Dal) | 35 | 8 (50 grams cooked) |
| Mung Beans (Moong) | 25-35 | 7-8 (50 grams cooked) |
| Black Gram (Urad dal, Biri dal) | 43 | 10 (50 grams cooked) |
| Pinto Beans (Chitra Rajma) | 45 | 9 (50 grams cooked) |
Vegetables
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| Potato | 78 | Russet – 33, White – 25, Cooked and Cooled – 10 |
| Pumpkin | 75 | 3 |
| Sweet Potato | 70 | 1.1 |
| Beetroot | 61 | 5 |
| Yam | 54 | 9.3 |
| Carrot | 16 | 2 |
| Green Beans / French Beans | 15 | 1 |
| Brinjal/Eggplant/Aubergines (बैंगन) | 15 | 1 |
| Cucumber | 15 | 0.4 (raw) |
| Pepper (Capsicum) | 15 | 1 |
| Tomato | 15 | 1.1 |
| Onion | 10 | 1 |
| Cabbage | 10 | 1 |
| Radish (मूली) | 8 | 0.5 |
| Cauliflower | 10 | 1 |
| Broccoli | 10 | 0.9 |
Fruits
| Food | Glycemic Index | Glycemic Load |
|---|---|---|
| Watermelon | 75 | 5 |
| Muskmelon | 65 | 3.14 (150 gram serving) |
| Papaya | 60 | 5.15 |
| Pineapple | 59 | 8.6 (100 gram) |
| Grapes | 59 | 9.6 (100 gram) |
| Berries | 55-70 | * |
| Pomegranate | 53 | 6.7 |
| Mango | 51 | 6 |
| Orange | 43 | 4.4 |
| Peaches | 42 | 3 |
| Plum | 39 to 53 | 3.75 to 5 |
| Kiwi | 39 | 7.3 |
| Figs | 35 | 6.65 |
| Apple | 26 | 6 (medium-sized) |
High Glycemic Index Foods with a Low Glycemic Load Value
- Watermelon (GI 72, GL 5)
- Pumpkin (GI 75, GL 3)
Despite having a very high glycemic index, both Watermelon and Pumpkin have a very low glycemic load because of the presence of a high water content.
These foods are safe for diabetics as long as the potions remain small, often a few teaspoons.
Further, in my case, if you are a diabetic and do not have medication, it is best to avoid these foods or at best eat one or two small slices.
