Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load: What Is the Difference?

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load. What Is the Difference?

If you want to lose weight, sooner or later you will come across the terms "glycemic index" and "glycemic load". Especially in connection with so-called "low carb diets", i.e. low-carbohydrate eating patterns, both are used with regard to their effect on blood sugar levels. Find out how "glycemic index" and "glycemic load" differ and how they affect a healthy diet.

Glycemic Index - what is it?

The term glycemic index refers to a measure that determines how a carbohydrate-containing food affects blood sugar levels. To determine the glycemic index of foods, nutrition scientists and doctors use the blood sugar effect of pure glucose as the benchmark. Pure glucose has a glycemic index of 100 percent. Like sugary foods or white flour products, it causes blood sugar levels to rise quickly. This simultaneously leads to a rise in insulin levels. This in turn causes the body's cells to absorb sugar, store fat, or makes the breakdown of fat more difficult - an effect that works counterproductively in any diet.

Glycemic Load - what does it mean?

The glycemic load takes into account not only the quality of the carbohydrates but also the size of the portion that is consumed by the body. Glycemic load therefore refers to the product of glycemic index and amount. As an example, scientists compare watermelon and white bread. Watermelons have a higher glycemic index than white bread. However, white bread contains more carbohydrates: the glycemic load is ultimately 2.5 times as high as that of watermelon. The glycemic index of carrots and white bread is, in turn, the same. However, the glycemic load of 100 grams of white bread corresponds to that of 700 grams of carrots.

Glycemic Index and Weight Reduction - does it work?

Nutrition experts have found in studies that a low glycemic index has a positive effect on satiety. Dietary patterns that favour a low glycemic index mainly rely on animal proteins - the health disadvantages of high meat consumption are not taken into account.

If a high glycemic index were the measure of all things for losing weight, one would have to avoid foods such as pumpkin or carrots on a diet - their glycemic index lies between 75 and 85. However, these vegetables are very healthy and there is no reason to avoid them. Moreover, these foods contain so few carbohydrates that you would have to eat enormous quantities of them for consumption to have a significant effect on blood sugar.
Various studies have also shown that the glycemic index of individual foods is subject to strong fluctuations - depending on how they were prepared. For example, pasta was found to have a glycemic index between 38 and 61, depending on how long it was cooked. It is therefore uncertain whether pasta causes blood sugar to rise slowly or quickly. A low glycemic index therefore does not necessarily mean that you can lose weight with it: without a calorie deficit and physical activity, the pounds will hardly drop off.

Glycemic Index or Glycemic Load: What does science say?

In modern nutrition science and medicine, experts now prefer glycemic load over glycemic index as the relevant variable for insulin release. However, it has not yet been conclusively established whether and how a high or low glycemic index or glycemic load affects weight loss or the prevention of certain diseases.

The German Nutrition Society has published a so-called carbohydrate guideline. This assumes that long-term consumption of foods with a high glycemic index increases the risk of pathological obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease and bowel cancer. The German Nutrition Society also assumes that foods with a high glycemic index raise cholesterol levels.
As part of the so-called EPIC study, scientists found a link between foods with a high glycemic index and abdominal obesity in men and women - while glycemic load only had a negative effect in women.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load - which is more practical?

Nutrition experts criticise the glycemic index for not being particularly practical for people who are aiming to reduce weight.

It is assumed that a glycemic index from 60 onwards promotes a strong rise in blood sugar levels. In diet guides, so-called "bad carbohydrates" are often mentioned. At the same time, however, carbohydrates with a glycemic index of 50 are described as "good carbohydrates". This refers, for example, to baked goods that consist mainly of wholegrain products - and which should undoubtedly be a central part of a healthy diet. Furthermore, a low or high glycemic index is only meaningful when foods are assessed individually. As soon as they are consumed as part of a meal, it is only partially possible to infer the effect on blood sugar levels from the glycemic index.

The glycemic load is better suited to evaluating carbohydrate-containing foods and is more practical than the glycemic index. The glycemic load does not consider the food in isolation. It also takes into account the amount, i.e. the portion size you eat. For people who want to reduce weight, the glycemic load is therefore a significantly more practical guide - keyword "calorie deficit". Tables on the internet and in guides show how high the glycemic load of individual foods is.

Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load: Which eating pattern is optimal?

In practice, this means opting for an eating pattern that is rich in vegetables, fruit and wholegrain products. Industrially produced and heavily processed foods should be avoided - their glycemic index is far higher than that of fresh foods. To avoid a rapid rise in blood sugar, you should prefer raw food to cooked, puréed and baked foods. Some experts recommend eating pasta or potatoes al dente and, if possible, cooled, since cooled carbohydrates reach the bloodstream more slowly. Fat should also be used sparingly. Although fat has a low glycemic index, it still provides many calories. A protein-rich diet - for example with plenty of dairy products, lean meat and fish - supports satiety and muscle building.

Most diets or dietary changes are today no longer based on the glycemic index but are oriented towards the glycemic load. A low glycemic load goes up to 10, while values above 20 are referred to as a high glycemic load. If you keep the total value of all foods eaten over the day from rising above 80, you can reduce weight with this eating pattern.