How is glycemic load calculated?

• A. The product of glycemic index and carbohydrate content in a serving divided by 100.
• B. The product of glycemic index and serving size in grams
• C. The ratio of carbohydrate content to total calories
• D. The glycemic index times carbohydrate content in a serving

Answer: (A)

Glycemic load reflects both how fast a carbohydrate tends to raise blood sugar and how much carbohydrate is in the serving. To calculate it, you multiply the glycemic index by the grams of carbohydrate in a serving, then divide by 100. This scales the GI (which is a percentage-like index) by the actual carb amount you eat, giving a practical measure of the glucose response you’re likely to see from a typical portion. For example, if a food has a GI of 60 and a serving contains 25 g of carbohydrate, the glycemic load is 60 × 25 ÷ 100 = 15. If you only used GI or only used grams without applying the GI factor, you’d miss how portion size and carbohydrate quality together shape the blood sugar response. Using calories or just serving size without the GI component also misrepresents the real impact on glucose.