What is the GI or GL of food?

Not all carbohydrates have the same effect on blood glucose levels. The glycemic index of food (GI) is a rating given only to carbohydrate rich food to show the effect a particular food has on your blood sugar levels and hence your body’s insulin response.  It shows how quickly the glucose in a certain food enters the body’s system, the impact it has on your energy levels and how quickly it is stored. Each food on the scale is assigned a numerical value ranging from 1-100, glucose being the highest and used as the reference food.

The Glycemic Load of food (GL) goes one step further and takes into account the amount of carbohydrate and fibre in the portion of food.  It is a measure of quantity or energy of the food combined with the effect of the food (GI).  Foods with a low GL are considered safest and recommended to eat as they minimally impact your system, entering the system slowly providing a steady steam of energy making them suitable for weight-loss, giving you a feeling of fullness and sustained energy.

Here’s an Example.

The GI of watermelon is high (GI = 72), which would mean it has a large impact on the blood glucose levels, so it would normally be avoided.  However its glycaemic load is relatively low (GL = 7), because the quantity of carbohydrate in a serving of watermelon (150 g or a 5 mm thick slice) is minimal, as it contains a lot of water.  This makes it safe to eat!

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