glycemic index vs. glycemic load: what's the difference? - johanna burani, ms, rd, cde
DESCRIPTION
What is the difference between glycemic index and glycemic load? What does each tell about a carbohydrate? Johanna Burani, MS, RD, CDE explains these differences and the calculations involved. [Also available with narration at http://www.EatGoodCarbs.com]TRANSCRIPT
Johanna Burani, MS, RD, CDE
www.EatGoodCarbs.com
It is a scale from 0-100 that ranks digested carbohydrates by how much they raise blood glucose levels compared to a reference food (glucose).
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High GI carbohydrates or “gushers” quickly digested produce rapid release (“gush”) of after-meal glucose GI values: 70+
Low GI carbohydrates or “tricklers” slowly digested produce slow gradual release (“trickle”) of after-meal
glucose GI values: 0 - 55
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A measurement of how high a blood glucose level will rise after eating a specific amount of a specific carbohydrate.
It combines the quality of the carbohydrate and the quantity of the carbohydrate portion into one number.
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GL = carbohydrate (grams/serving) x GI
100
Example #1: GL of a small apple
13 grams x 38 ÷ 100 = 5 grams
Example #2: GL of a large apple
26 grams x 38 ÷ 100 = 10 grams www.EatGoodCarbs.com
GL tells us how much insulin the body needs to release into the blood stream to deal with the increased blood glucose level resulting from the digestion of a specific amount of a specific carbohydrate.
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Individual food portion
Whole day
Low 0-10
Moderate 11-19
High 20+
Low < 80
Moderate 80 - 120
High > 120
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Glycemic Index: ranks carbohydrates based on their immediate blood glucose response.
GI = carbohydrate quality
Glycemic Load: helps predict a blood glucose response to a specific amount of a specific carbohydrate.
GL = carbohydrate quality + carbohydrate quantity
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www.GlycemicIndex.com
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