Glycemic Load Calculator
Watermelon has a high index and a low load.
Work out Glycemic Load. Watermelon has a high index and a low load. Names the misconception directly.
Glycaemic load
7.9
Low — minimal effect on blood glucose · High GI
Glycaemic index describes the carbohydrate; glycaemic load describes the food. Index measures how fast a fixed 50 g of carbohydrate raises blood glucose, and load multiplies that by how much carbohydrate a serving actually contains. Watermelon is the standard illustration: an index of 72 — high — and a load of about 8 per serving, because a slice is mostly water. Judging it by index alone gets the answer backwards. Both are laboratory averages with wide individual variation, and both shift with ripeness, cooking, processing and what else is on the plate. Fat and protein alongside carbohydrate slow absorption considerably, which no index value captures.
How the Glycemic Load Calculator works
Glycaemic load from a food's index and the carbohydrate in a real serving, with both categorised. Index describes the carbohydrate; load describes the plate, and for several foods they point in opposite directions.
Also known as: glycemic index versus glycemic load · does watermelon spike blood sugar · low gl food calculator · carb impact on blood sugar
Not medical advice. This calculator gives a general estimate, not medical advice. It cannot account for your individual health, medical history, or medication. Talk to a qualified healthcare professional before acting on any result.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between glycaemic index and load?
Index measures how fast a fixed 50 g of carbohydrate raises blood glucose. Load multiplies that by the carbohydrate actually in a serving, so it accounts for how much of the food you eat.
Why does watermelon have a high index but a low load?
Its carbohydrate is absorbed quickly, giving an index of about 72. But a serving is mostly water and contains little carbohydrate, so the load lands around 8 — low.
What counts as a low glycaemic load?
Conventionally 10 or under is low, 11 to 19 is medium and 20 or more is high, per serving. Daily totals under 100 are usually described as low.
Do these numbers apply to me exactly?
No. Published values are laboratory averages with wide individual variation, and they shift with ripeness, cooking, processing and what else is on the plate.
Does adding fat or protein change the load?
It changes the response without changing the published load. Fat and protein slow gastric emptying considerably, blunting the glucose rise in a way no index value captures.
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