Look up the Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) for hundreds of common foods. Select a food category and food item, then enter the serving size (g) and carbohydrates per serve (g) to get the GI value, GL value, and GI category — Low, Medium, or High.
Glycemic Index (GI)
--
GI Category
--
Glycemic Load (GL)
--
GL Category
--
The Glycemic Index is a scale from 0 to 100 that measures how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises your blood sugar level after eating. Pure glucose is assigned a value of 100. Foods with a GI of 55 or below are considered low GI, 56–69 medium, and 70 or above high GI.
The Glycemic Index rates how fast a food raises blood sugar, but it doesn't account for portion size. Glycemic Load (GL) combines the GI value with the actual amount of carbohydrates in a serving, giving a more practical picture of a food's real impact. GL is calculated as: GL = (GI × carbs per serving) ÷ 100. A GL under 10 is low, 11–19 is medium, and 20+ is high.
Regularly eating high-GI foods can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes and crashes, which over time may contribute to insulin resistance, inflammation, and increased risk of cardiovascular disease. A diet rich in low-GI foods is associated with better cholesterol profiles and reduced heart disease risk.
Yes, significantly. Cooking generally increases a food's GI by breaking down starch structures, making them more easily digestible. For example, al dente pasta has a lower GI than overcooked pasta. Cooling cooked starchy foods (like rice or potatoes) after cooking can also lower GI by forming resistant starch.
Not necessarily. High-GI foods can be beneficial for athletes needing rapid energy replenishment during or after intense exercise. For people managing diabetes, obesity, or metabolic syndrome, however, consistently high-GI eating patterns can make blood sugar control more difficult. Context and overall diet quality matter.
Yes. Eating a high-GI food alongside protein, fat, or fibre significantly slows glucose absorption and lowers the overall glycemic response of the meal. Pairing a high-GI food with a low-GI food can also balance out the combined GL. Occasional consumption of high-GI foods as part of a balanced diet is generally acceptable for most healthy people.
Several strategies help: add vinegar or lemon juice to meals (acidity slows digestion), eat more fibre-rich vegetables, choose less processed whole grains, cook pasta and rice al dente, combine carbohydrates with protein and healthy fats, and opt for cooling cooked starches before eating to increase resistant starch content.
Glycemic Index only applies to foods containing significant carbohydrates. Cheese, meat, fish, eggs, and most fats contain negligible carbohydrates, so they do not raise blood sugar and have no measurable GI. The GI scale is only meaningful for carbohydrate-containing foods like grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and dairy products.