How to Calculate the Glycemic Load of Your Meal

Co-authored by John Diaz

Last Updated: July 8, 2022

The Glycemic Index is a tool used to measure food based on how rapidly the carbohydrates are digested and released as sugar into the blood. The glycemic load takes into account how much carbohydrates are in the food as well as how rapidly they’re absorbed which gives you a good idea how a certain food is going to affect your blood sugar levels. Many people can benefit from a low-glycemic diet, especially diabetics. Maintaining a low glycemic diet helps diabetics control their blood sugar and insulin levels. These instructions will show how to determine the glycemic load of a meal so that you can make wise diet decisions.

Steps

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1
Know portion sizes. In order to have accurate results you’ll need to know the amounts of each part of the meal.^{[1]
X
Research source} Throughout these instructions we’ll be using an example meal of:
- 1 cup instant oatmeal
- 1 medium sized golden delicious apple
- 7oz serving of plain Greek yogurt
2
Find the total amount of carbohydrates (carbs) in the meal. Add the carbs of each item in the meal together. Example:
- The oatmeal has 22 carbs
- The apple has 16 carbs
- The yogurt has 8 carbs
- 22 + 16 + 8 = 46 total carbs in the meal.
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3
Calculating the percentage of carbohydrates (carbs) that each item in the meal contributes. ^{[2]
X
Research source} Divide the number of carbs in each item by the total number of carbs in the meal. Example:
- To figure out the percentage of carbs the oatmeal contributes take 22 (the oatmeal) and divide it by 46 (total carbs in the meal) to get 0.48. (Rounded to keep the math simple)
- Then do the same thing with the rest of the items so:
- Oatmeal - 22 / 46 = 0.48
- Apple - 16 / 46 = 0.35
- Yogurt - 8 / 46 = 0.17
4
Verify the results from the previous step. All of the numbers calculated in the last step should add up to be 1.00 (may be slightly off due to rounding, that’s okay) Example:
- Oatmeal = 0.48
- Apple = 0.35
- Yogurt = 0.17
- 0.48 + 0.35 + 0.17 = 1.00
5
Find the value of each item on the glycemic index. This information can be found at http://www.glycemicindex.com simply type in the name of the item into the search bar on their front-page.^{[3]
X
Research source} Example:
- Oatmeal: GI of 83
- Apple: GI of 39
- Yogurt: GI of 12
6
Find the percentage glycemic value of each item. Take the percentage we calculated in step 3 for each item and multiply it by the GI value of that item. Example:
- Oatmeal: 0.48 * 83 = 39.84
- Apple: 0.35 * 39 = 13.65
- Yogurt: 0.17 * 12 = 2.04
7
Find the total glycemic value of the meal.^{[4]
X
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Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute
Research center dedicated to promoting optimal health through cutting-edge nutrition research and public outreach

Go to source} Add all the numbers you got in the previous step to get the overall value of the meal on the glycemic index. Example:
- (Oatmeal) 39.84 + (Apple) 13.65 + (Yogurt) 2.04 = 55.53
8
Find the total amount of dietary fiber. Add the dietary fiber of each item in the meal together. This information can be found on the nutrition label of most foods. Example:
- The oatmeal has 4 grams of dietary fiber
- The apple has 3 grams of dietary fiber
- The yogurt has 0 grams of dietary fiber
- 4 + 3 + 0 = 7 total amount of dietary fiber in the meal.
9
Find the net carbs. Take the total amount of carbs in the meal (found in step 2) and subtract the total amount of dietary fiber from the last step. Example:
- 46 (carbs) - 7 (fiber) = 39 (net carbs)
10
Find the glycemic load of the meal. Take the total glycemic value of the meal from step 7 and multiply it by the net carbs of the meal from the previous step and then divide your answer by 100. Example:
- 55.53 (GI value) * 39 (net carbs) = 2165.67
- 2165.67 / 100 = 21.66 (rounded)
You now know the glycemic load of the meal. A glycemic load of under 10 is considered low and any glycemic load of over 20 is considered high. In our example the meal has a glycemic load of 21.66, which is considered high.

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Are there any other ways to track the glycemic load of my meals?

John Diaz
Personal Trainer
John Diaz is a personal trainer and exercise professional with over 35 years of experience, based in Los Angeles, CA. John was first certified as a personal trainer in 1984 and later in 1989 co-founded Ultimate Health Medical Exercise Center with his sister Joanne. He creates prescriptive exercise programs designed specifically for his clients’ needs ranging from chronic pain relief, sports injury recovery, weight loss goals, and more. John has a degree in Exercise Science, is a member of the American College of Sports Medicine, and is certified through the National Federation of Personal Trainers (NFPT). He also holds a 2nd degree Black Belt in martial arts and is a certified self-defense instructor.

John Diaz

Personal Trainer

Expert Answer

You can also use a food tracking app. Many apps let you input details like your height, age, and weight, and then help you set goals based on whether you want to lose weight or follow a specific diet. For example, you can set up your macronutrient breakdown like how much fat, carbs, and protein you want to eat—and the app will track it as you log your food. This helps you see not just the calories, but also how much sugar and carbohydrates you’re consuming, which are important for managing your glycemic load. Some apps even provide a pie chart that shows you a visual breakdown of your daily intake, so you can quickly see if you’re eating too many carbs, especially simple sugars, or if you’re getting enough protein and healthy fats. If you're someone who eats similar meals throughout the week, it becomes super easy to track, and the app can help you stay on top of your food choices, even for snacks. It might show you that you’ve already had enough carbs and recommend something like sugar-free gum or a small piece of fruit instead.

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