Glycemic Load (GL) is a measure that takes into account both the quality and

quantity of carbohydrates in a serving of food. It gives a more accurate picture of a

food's effect on blood sugar levels compared to the Glycemic Index (GI) alone.

While the GI measures how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood

sugar levels, the GL also considers the amount of carbohydrates in a typical serving
of that food. This is important because even if a food has a high GI, if the serving size
is small and doesn't contain much carbohydrate, its impact on blood sugar may be
minimal.

The formula for calculating Glycemic Load is:

100GlycemicLoad=100GI×Carbohydrategramsperserving

So, a food with a high GI but a small serving size may have a low glycemic load,
indicating that its impact on blood sugar levels may not be significant.

Similarly, a food with a low GI but a large serving size may have a high glycemic load,
suggesting that it could still cause a notable increase in blood sugar levels due to the
larger amount of carbohydrates consumed.

In summary, while the GI gives an indication of how quickly a food raises blood
sugar, the GL provides a more comprehensive understanding by taking into account
both the quality and quantity of carbohydrates consumed. This makes it a valuable
tool for managing blood sugar levels, particularly for individuals with conditions like
diabetes.