Glycemic Load Calculator
An educational tool to help you estimate the Glycemic Load (GL) of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits to understand their potential impact on blood sugar.
⚠️ IMPORTANT MEDICAL DISCLAIMER
This tool is for **informational purposes ONLY** and is **NOT a substitute for medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional.** If you have diabetes or any other medical condition that requires blood sugar management, you **MUST** work with your doctor, a registered dietitian, or a certified diabetes educator to create a safe and personalized dietary plan. **Do not use this tool to self-manage diabetes or make changes to your treatment plan without medical supervision.**
Understanding GI vs. GL: A More Complete Picture
A certified diabetes educator (CDE) would explain that while many people have heard of the Glycemic Index (GI), the Glycemic Load (GL) is a more useful, real-world metric for understanding how a food affects your blood sugar.
What is the Glycemic Index (GI)?
The Glycemic Index is a rating from 0 to 100 that indicates how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar levels. However, its major limitation is that it **does not account for portion size**.
What is the Glycemic Load (GL)?
The Glycemic Load is a more practical measure because it considers **both the quality (GI) and the quantity (grams of net carbs)** of the carbohydrates in a specific serving size. This provides a better estimate of the actual blood sugar response to a realistic portion of food.
- Low GL: 10 or less
- Medium GL: 11 to 19
- High GL: 20 or more
Glycemic Load Estimator
Frequently Asked Questions
Are low-GI foods always “healthy”?
Not necessarily. For example, some high-fat foods have a low GI but are very high in calories and saturated fat. Glycemic metrics are just one tool for assessing food and should be considered alongside overall nutritional content.
Why do nuts have a low Glycemic Index?
Nuts have a low GI because they are very low in carbohydrates and high in healthy fats, protein, and fiber. This combination slows down digestion and the absorption of any carbohydrates present, preventing a rapid spike in blood sugar.
Why do dried fruits have a higher GI and GL than fresh fruits?
The drying process removes water, which concentrates the natural sugars in the fruit into a much smaller volume. This makes the sugar more readily available and dense, leading to a higher Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load compared to its fresh counterpart.