Glycemic Load

Glycemic load is a more practical and nuanced measure than glycemic index alone because it accounts for both the quality (GI) and the quantity of carbohydrates in a realistic serving of food, calculated as (GI × grams of carbs per serving) ÷ 100. A glycemic load below 10 is considered low, 11-19 is medium, and 20 or higher is high. For women with PCOS managing insulin resistance, glycemic load prevents the common mistake of avoiding nutrient-dense foods with a high GI but small portions (like watermelon, which has a high GI but low glycemic load), while identifying seemingly 'healthy' foods that actually deliver a significant blood sugar impact in typical portions.