Glycemic Load Chart: GL Values for 200+ Foods with GI Comparison

TL;DR: Glycemic load is the more practical cousin of glycemic index. It factors in how much carbohydrate you actually eat per serving, not just how fast it hits your blood sugar. This chart lists GI, typical serving size, and GL for 200+ foods so you can make better real-world food choices.

How to Use This Glycemic Load Chart

Glycemic load (GL) is calculated as: (GI × grams of net carbs per serving) ÷ 100. It solves the biggest limitation of GI alone: portion size. Some foods have a high GI but contain so little carbohydrate per serving that their real-world impact is minimal. Watermelon (GI 76, GL 5) and carrots (GI 39, GL 2) are classic examples.

This chart provides all three numbers so you can see the full picture. Use GL as your primary decision-making tool for meal planning, and GI as a secondary reference for understanding how quickly a food affects blood sugar.

Grains, Pasta & Rice

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Barley, pearled	28	150g cooked	28	8	Low
Bulgur wheat	48	150g cooked	26	12	Medium
Buckwheat	49	150g cooked	30	15	Medium
Quinoa	53	150g cooked	27	14	Medium
Spaghetti, white, al dente	46	180g cooked	44	20	High
Spaghetti, whole wheat	42	180g cooked	37	16	Medium
Fettuccine, egg	40	180g cooked	46	18	Medium
Macaroni, white	47	180g cooked	44	21	High
Rice noodles	58	180g cooked	39	23	High
Brown rice, long grain	50	150g cooked	33	17	Medium
Basmati rice, white	58	150g cooked	36	21	High
Jasmine rice	89	150g cooked	36	32	High
White rice, short grain	72	150g cooked	36	26	High
Wild rice	57	150g cooked	32	18	Medium
Steel-cut oats	42	40g dry	27	11	Medium
Rolled oats	55	40g dry	27	15	Medium
Instant oatmeal	79	35g dry	26	21	High
Couscous	65	150g cooked	33	21	High
Millet	71	150g cooked	34	24	High
Polenta	68	150g cooked	27	18	Medium
Cornmeal	69	150g cooked	30	21	High

Breads

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Pumpernickel	41	1 slice (30g)	12	5	Low
Sourdough, white	54	1 slice (30g)	14	8	Low
Sourdough, whole wheat	48	1 slice (30g)	12	6	Low
100% whole grain	51	1 slice (30g)	12	6	Low
Dark rye	50	1 slice (30g)	12	6	Low
Light rye	63	1 slice (30g)	14	9	Low
Pita, white	57	1 small (30g)	17	10	Low
Pita, whole wheat	56	1 small (30g)	15	8	Low
Whole wheat bread	69	1 slice (30g)	13	9	Low
White bread	75	1 slice (30g)	14	11	Medium
French baguette	95	1 slice (30g)	15	14	Medium
Bagel, white	72	1 medium (70g)	35	25	High
Corn tortilla	52	1 medium (30g)	12	6	Low
English muffin	77	1 muffin (57g)	26	20	High
Naan bread	71	1 piece (60g)	33	23	High
Croissant	67	1 medium (57g)	26	17	Medium

Fruits

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Cherries	22	120g	12	3	Low
Grapefruit	25	1/2 medium	11	3	Low
Strawberries	40	120g	7	3	Low
Raspberries	32	120g	6	2	Low
Blackberries	25	120g	6	2	Low
Blueberries	53	120g	14	7	Low
Apple	36	1 medium	15	5	Low
Pear	38	1 medium	15	6	Low
Plum	39	2 medium	14	5	Low
Peach	42	1 medium	10	4	Low
Orange	43	1 medium	12	5	Low
Apricot, fresh	34	3 medium	11	4	Low
Grapes	46	120g	18	8	Low
Kiwi	50	2 medium	16	8	Low
Mango	51	120g	17	9	Low
Banana, ripe	51	1 medium	25	13	Medium
Banana, underripe	42	1 medium	25	11	Medium
Pineapple	59	120g	13	8	Low
Cantaloupe	65	120g	8	5	Low
Papaya	56	120g	11	6	Low
Watermelon	76	120g	6	5	Low
Dates, dried	42	60g	40	17	Medium
Raisins	64	60g	44	28	High
Figs, dried	61	60g	28	17	Medium
Lychee	79	120g	16	13	Medium
Pomegranate	53	1/2 medium	16	8	Low

Vegetables

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Broccoli	10	80g	4	0	Low
Cauliflower	10	80g	3	0	Low
Spinach	15	80g	1	0	Low
Lettuce	15	80g	1	0	Low
Zucchini	15	80g	2	0	Low
Mushrooms	10	80g	2	0	Low
Bell peppers	15	80g	4	1	Low
Tomato	15	1 medium	5	1	Low
Carrots, raw	16	80g	6	1	Low
Carrots, boiled	39	80g	6	2	Low
Green peas	48	80g	10	5	Low
Corn on the cob	48	1 ear	17	8	Low
Sweet potato, boiled	44	150g	20	9	Low
Sweet potato, baked	61	150g	24	15	Medium
Butternut squash	51	80g	10	5	Low
Pumpkin	64	80g	6	4	Low
Beets, boiled	64	80g	8	5	Low
Parsnip	52	80g	12	6	Low
Potato, boiled	78	150g	26	20	High
Potato, baked	85	150g	30	26	High
Potato, mashed	87	150g	24	21	High
French fries	75	150g	33	25	High
New potatoes, boiled	54	150g	22	12	Medium

Legumes

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Soybeans, boiled	16	150g	6	1	Low
Hummus	6	30g	4	0	Low
Lentils, green	30	150g	20	6	Low
Lentils, red	26	150g	18	5	Low
Chickpeas	28	150g	24	7	Low
Kidney beans	24	150g	20	5	Low
Black beans	30	150g	20	6	Low
Navy beans	31	150g	22	7	Low
Lima beans	32	150g	20	6	Low
Split peas	32	150g	21	7	Low
Black-eyed peas	42	150g	21	9	Low
Baked beans, canned	48	150g	22	11	Medium

Dairy & Alternatives

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Greek yogurt, plain	12	200g	6	1	Low
Full-fat milk	27	250ml	12	3	Low
Skim milk	32	250ml	13	4	Low
Plain yogurt	36	200g	12	4	Low
Soy milk	34	250ml	8	3	Low
Almond milk, unsweetened	25	250ml	1	0	Low
Fruit yogurt, sweetened	41	200g	30	12	Medium
Oat milk	69	250ml	16	11	Medium
Rice milk	86	250ml	22	19	Medium
Ice cream, regular	51	50g	13	7	Low
Ice cream, premium	38	50g	14	5	Low

Snacks & Sweets

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Dark chocolate (70%+)	23	25g	8	2	Low
Milk chocolate	43	25g	15	6	Low
Peanut M&Ms	33	30g	17	6	Low
Snickers bar	55	60g	35	19	Medium
Potato chips	56	30g	15	8	Low
Corn chips	63	50g	26	16	Medium
Popcorn, plain	65	20g	10	7	Low
Pretzels	83	30g	22	18	Medium
Rice cakes	82	25g	21	17	Medium
Doughnut	76	47g	23	17	Medium
Jelly beans	78	30g	28	22	High
Honey	61	25g	20	12	Medium
Maple syrup	54	25g	17	9	Low
White sugar	65	10g	10	7	Low

Beverages

Food	GI	Serving	Carbs (g)	GL	GL Rating
Tomato juice	38	250ml	9	3	Low
Apple juice	41	250ml	29	12	Medium
Orange juice	50	250ml	26	13	Medium
Grapefruit juice	48	250ml	22	11	Medium
Cranberry juice cocktail	52	250ml	34	18	Medium
Coca-Cola	63	250ml	27	17	Medium
Pepsi	59	250ml	27	16	Medium
Gatorade	78	250ml	15	12	Medium
Lemonade	65	250ml	26	17	Medium

How to Read This Chart

Glycemic load values fall into three categories:

• Low GL (10 or below): Minimal impact on blood sugar. These foods are safe bets for glucose management regardless of how often you eat them.

• Medium GL (11-19): Moderate blood sugar impact. Fine in reasonable portions, especially when part of a balanced meal with protein and fat.

• High GL (20 or above): Significant blood sugar impact. These foods deliver a large glucose dose per serving. Consider smaller portions or pairing with protein and fat.

The GL formula is straightforward: (GI × net carbs in grams) ÷ 100. This means a food can have a high GI but low GL if the serving contains few carbs (like watermelon), or a low GI but high GL if you eat a large portion of carb-dense food (like a big bowl of pasta).

For daily planning, a total daily GL under 80 is considered low, 80-120 is moderate, and above 120 is high.

Key Takeaways

• GL is more useful than GI for real-world meal planning. It tells you the actual glucose load your body has to process per serving, not just the speed of absorption.
• Watermelon, carrots, and pumpkin are low GL despite high GI. Their high water content means each serving delivers very few carbs.
• Pasta is moderate GL when portioned correctly. The al dente cooking method keeps the GI lower, and a reasonable serving (180g) is medium GL.
• Dried fruit concentrates sugar dramatically. Raisins and dried figs have much higher GL than their fresh counterparts because the water is removed but the sugar remains.
• Legumes win on both GI and GL. Virtually every bean and lentil scores low on both scales.

Everyone’s glucose response is different. What spikes one person may be fine for another. Glycemic Snap uses AI to analyze photos of your meals and predict your glucose response, including a blood sugar curve prediction and personalized swap suggestions. Download for iOS or Android to discover your personal glycemic profile.

Related Resources

• Complete Glycemic Index Chart: 300+ Foods
• Low Glycemic Foods List: 200+ Foods Under GI 55
• High Glycemic Foods to Avoid (With Swaps)
• Complete Guide to Glycemic Index Foods