Sugar isn’t just in the cookies. It’s in your bread. Your juice. Your “heart-healthy” granola. And, yes, even in that overpriced “organic” energy bar you bought because it had a leaf on the label.

Sugar isn’t always the enemy. The way your body responds to it is.

Welcome to the world of Glycemic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL), two misunderstood tools that could help you feel more human and less like a sluggish flesh bag dragging itself through the day.

Glycemic Index: The Speed Demon

The Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 based on how quickly they spike your blood glucose levels after eating. The higher the number, the faster your blood sugar rises. The faster the rise, the more you’ll crash and regret it later.

• High GI (70 and above): white bread, instant rice, baked potatoes.  Basically, betrayal in edible form.
• Medium GI (56–69): sweet corn, bananas, and ice cream.
• Low GI (55 and under): lentils, rolled oats, most non-starchy veggies.

GI doesn’t care how much of the food you eat. It’s only measuring how fast it affects your blood.

Glycemic Load: The Bigger Picture

Glycemic Load = GI x the number of carbs (in grams) in a serving ÷ 100

This is where things get scientific in a way that matters.

GL gives you the real impact a real portion of food will have on your blood sugar. Because let’s face it: nobody’s eating two teaspoons of rice and walking away.

• High GL (20 and above): Big bowl of pasta, large fries, or that “healthy” smoothie that’s mostly sugar with a hint of kale.
• Medium GL (11–19): Modest servings of grainy things, sweet fruits.
• Low GL (10 or under): Broccoli, beans, berries, your blood sugar’s besties.

How to Use These Tools Without Losing Your Mind

1. Use GI as a compass. It tells you where a carb is pointing you: blood sugar heaven or a crash-and-burn nap in 45 minutes.
2. Use GL to control the journey. You can eat a high GI food in a small portion and still have a low GL. That’s called strategy, friend.
3. Pair wisely. Combine higher-GI foods with fiber, protein, or fat. This slows the glucose release and keeps your insulin receptors from screaming for mercy.
4. Timing is everything. Eating a carb-heavy meal right before bed? Not ideal unless your dream is waking up insulin-resistant. Try those carbs earlier in the day or around workouts when your muscles are primed to soak them up like a sponge.

Real-World Examples: Because This Isn’t a Theory Class

• Watermelon has a GI of 72 (high), but a GL of 4 (low) because it’s mostly water. Translation: You’d need to eat an entire watermelon for it to matter, and if you do, call me. I have questions.
• Carrots? Also high GI. But no one ever became prediabetic from munching carrots unless they were deep-fried in denial and dipped in ranch.
• Steel-cut oats with chia seeds and berries = low GI, low GL, high satisfaction. Bonus: your gut microbiome will high-five you.
• Plain bagel with jam = high GI, high GL, and likely high regret. You may feel invincible for 20 minutes, then existentially vacant by lunch.

Why You Should Even Care

Because high blood sugar isn’t just about diabetes. It’s about:

• Feeling foggy when you want to be focused
• Mood swings that make you hate your own face
• Inflammation that shows up as belly fat, joint pain, and skin that looks like it gave up

Dialing in your GI and GL awareness gives you control. Not weird orthorexic food fear, but actual control — where you can enjoy carbs intelligently and feel like your body is working with you, not against you.

Bottom Line (Before You Scroll Away)

Knowing your Glycemic Index is like knowing your ex is toxic.
Knowing your Glycemic Load is like deciding how much time you’re really going to give them.
Use both, and suddenly you’re not just surviving the day, you’re showing up for it with power, presence, and blood sugar that doesn’t ping-pong you into oblivion.