Glycemic Load CalculatorGlycemic Index × Carbs: Real Blood-Sugar Impact
Build a meal from 23 common foods (or your own) to see each food’s glycemic load and the total for the meal, with traffic-light ratings and smart swaps that keep the carbs but cut the spike.
Built & medically reviewed by Manzoor Ahmad, Pharmacist & Calculator Developer · Updated
GI values from the International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load (2021) and the University of Sydney GI database.
How do you calculate glycemic load?
Glycemic load = glycemic index × grams of available carbohydrate ÷ 100. A GL of 10 or less is low, 11–19 is medium and 20 or more is high. A medium banana (GI 51, 24 g carbs) has a GL of about 12. A cup of white rice (GI 73, 44 g carbs) has a GL of about 32. For a whole meal, add up the GL of each food.
Build your meal
Low ≤ 10 · Medium 11–19 · High ≥ 20
Foods in this meal
Same carbs, different impact
Glycemic index and glycemic load of common foods
Values from the International Tables of GI and GL (Atkinson et al.), with available carbs per typical serving. GL = GI × carbs ÷ 100.
| Food (serving) | GI | Available carbs | Glycemic load |
|---|---|---|---|
| White bread (1 slice (30 g)) | 75 | 14 g | 10 · Medium |
| Wholegrain bread (1 slice (30 g)) | 74 | 12 g | 9 · Low |
| White rice, boiled (1 cup (158 g)) | 73 | 44 g | 32 · High |
| Brown rice, boiled (1 cup (195 g)) | 68 | 42 g | 29 · High |
| Basmati rice (1 cup (158 g)) | 58 | 43 g | 25 · High |
| Spaghetti, boiled (1 cup (140 g)) | 49 | 40 g | 20 · Medium |
| Potato, boiled (1 medium (150 g)) | 78 | 26 g | 20 · High |
| Sweet potato, boiled (1 medium (150 g)) | 63 | 25 g | 16 · Medium |
| Rolled oats porridge (1 cup cooked) | 55 | 25 g | 14 · Medium |
| Instant oats (1 cup cooked) | 79 | 25 g | 20 · Medium |
| Cornflakes (1 cup (28 g)) | 81 | 24 g | 19 · Medium |
| Banana (1 medium) | 51 | 24 g | 12 · Medium |
| Apple (1 medium) | 36 | 21 g | 8 · Low |
| Orange (1 medium) | 43 | 12 g | 5 · Low |
| Watermelon (1 cup diced) | 76 | 11 g | 8 · Low |
| Dates (2 dates (48 g)) | 42 | 32 g | 13 · Medium |
GI vs GL: why load matters more
The glycemic index (GI) ranks how fast a food’s carbohydrate raises blood sugar compared with pure glucose (100). But GI ignores portion size. Watermelon has a high GI of 76, yet a cup contains so little carbohydrate that its glycemic load is just 8. Glycemic load combines both.
Wholegrain toast + banana breakfast
- Wholegrain bread: 74 × 12 ÷ 100 = GL 9
- Banana: 51 × 24 ÷ 100 = GL 12
- Meal GL = 21, High
- Swap the banana for an apple (GL 8) to get GL 17, Medium. Adding eggs or Greek yogurt slows absorption further, although GL tables don’t capture that.
Using GL alongside diabetes medicines
Low-GL eating can noticeably smooth after-meal glucose spikes, and studies link it to modest HbA1c improvements in type 2 diabetes. If you’re on insulin or a sulfonylurea and switch from high-GL to low-GL meals, your after-meal glucose may drop more than you’re used to, so check your levels and talk to your care team about doses. Acarbose works by slowing carb digestion, so it already lowers the effective GL of a meal.
GI values come from lab tests in healthy volunteers. Ripeness, cooking time, cooling (cooled rice and potatoes have lower GI) and what you eat alongside all change your real response. A continuous glucose monitor shows your personal reaction.
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Glycemic Load calculator FAQs
Glycemic load (GL) estimates how much a serving of food raises blood sugar, taking both its glycemic index and how many carbs it contains into account. GL = GI × available carbohydrate (g) ÷ 100. Below 10 is low, 11–19 is medium and 20 or more is high.
Multiply the food’s GI by the grams of available carbohydrate in your portion (total carbs minus fibre) and divide by 100. For example, a banana with GI 51 and 24 g carbs has a GL of 12.
GI ranks how quickly a food’s carbs raise blood sugar per 50 g of carbohydrate. GL adjusts for the portion you actually eat. A food can have a high GI but a low GL if a serving contains few carbs, like watermelon.
A total daily GL under 80 is considered low and over 120 high. Most Western diets fall around 100–140. Meals with a GL of 20 or less are a good target for steady energy and blood sugar.
Yes. Meta-analyses show low-GI and low-GL diets modestly lower HbA1c and fasting glucose in diabetes. Combine it with portion control and medication guidance from your care team.
Fat, protein, fibre and acid (like vinegar) slow stomach emptying and blunt the blood-sugar rise from a meal. Standard GL tables don’t capture this, so a mixed meal usually has less impact than its calculated GL suggests.
Manzoor Ahmad
Pharmacist · Supplement & Nutrition Writer (9+ yrs) · Calculator Developer (13+ yrs)
I’m a practising pharmacist and DexoCalc’s developer. Many of the people I see with diabetes are told ‘avoid high-GI foods’ without being shown that portion size matters just as much. This meal builder makes glycemic load visible and adds the medication context they need.
References
- Atkinson FS, et al. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values: 2021. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625–1632. PubMed
- Salmerón J, et al. Dietary fiber, glycemic load, and risk of NIDDM in men. Diabetes Care. 1997;20(4):545–550. PubMed
- Chiavaroli L, et al. Effect of low glycaemic index or load dietary patterns on glycaemic control. BMJ. 2021;374:n1651. PubMed
- University of Sydney. Glycemic Index Database.
Medical disclaimer: GI and GL values are averages from laboratory testing, and individual responses vary. This is not medical advice. People with diabetes should use glucose monitoring and follow their care team’s guidance.