Glycemic Load Calculator

Calculate the glycemic load of a food or portion using GL = (GI x available carbohydrate grams) / 100, then see how it compares to standard low/medium/high bands and a daily glycemic-load reference.

Quick Facts

Formula
GL = (GI x carbs) / 100
GI is the food's glycemic index (glucose = 100); carbs is the available (fiber-excluded) carbohydrate grams in the portion eaten.
Per-serving bands
Low ≤10, Medium 11-19, High ≥20
Standard classification used across glycemic index/load databases such as the University of Sydney's.
Full-day reference
~80 low, ~120 high
Some nutrition sources describe a whole day's glycemic load this way; set your own target with the daily reference input.

Your Results

Calculated
Glycemic load (per serving)
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GI x carbs / 100
Total glycemic load
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This portion (all servings)
Per-serving classification
-
Low / medium / high band
Share of daily reference
-
Total GL vs your daily target

Ready

Enter the food's glycemic index, carbohydrate content, and servings, then calculate.

About glycemic load

Glycemic load (GL) estimates how much a portion of food is likely to raise blood glucose, by combining the food's glycemic index (GI) with the actual amount of carbohydrate in the portion eaten. GI alone measures carbohydrate quality per gram; GL adds carbohydrate quantity, which is why GL is considered a more practical, real-world measure of a meal's likely blood-sugar impact than GI by itself.

The formula

Glycemic load is calculated as:

  • GL = (GI x available carbohydrate grams) / 100 — where GI is the food's glycemic index (glucose = 100 on a standard reference scale) and available carbohydrate is total carbohydrate minus fiber, for the portion actually eaten.
  • Total GL for a meal or multiple servings is the per-serving GL multiplied by the number of servings consumed.

How to get accurate results

  • Use a published glycemic index value for the specific food, variety, and preparation method — GI can differ noticeably between raw and cooked, ripe and unripe, or whole and processed forms of the same food.
  • Enter available carbohydrate (total carbohydrate minus fiber) for the portion you actually eat, not the whole package or a different reference serving size.
  • Recompute whenever the portion size, ripeness, or cooking method changes, since any of these can shift both GI and the carbohydrate grams.

Putting the result in context

Compare the per-serving glycemic load against the standard bands: 10 or less is generally low, 11 to 19 is medium, and 20 or more is high. Some nutrition sources also describe a full day's total glycemic load as roughly low near 80 and high near 120, though individual targets vary with overall diet, activity, and any medical condition. A high glycemic load is a signal to look more closely, not a diagnosis.

When to consult a professional

This calculator performs the standard glycemic-load arithmetic; it does not provide medical or dietary advice. Anyone managing diabetes, prediabetes, or another condition affected by blood glucose should discuss glycemic load and meal planning with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is glycemic load and how is it different from glycemic index?
Glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food's carbohydrate raises blood glucose, per gram of carbohydrate, on a 0-100 scale. Glycemic load (GL) combines that quality measure with the actual portion size: GL = (GI x grams of available carbohydrate in the portion) / 100. A food can have a high GI but a low GL if the portion contains little carbohydrate, such as watermelon.
How is glycemic load calculated?
Multiply the food's glycemic index by the grams of available carbohydrate (total carbohydrate minus fiber) in the portion eaten, then divide by 100. For a meal or multiple servings, multiply the per-serving glycemic load by the number of servings to get the total glycemic load for that portion.
What glycemic load values are considered low, medium, or high?
For a single food or serving, a glycemic load of 10 or less is generally classed as low, 11 to 19 as medium, and 20 or more as high. These bands come from glycemic index and load research and databases such as the University of Sydney's; some nutrition sources also describe a full day's total glycemic load as roughly low near 80 and high near 120, though daily targets vary by individual.

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