Glycemic load (GL)

Glycemic load, or GL, builds on the idea of glycemic index. It combines two things: how quickly a food raises your blood sugar, and how much of that food you actually eat.

This makes it more realistic than glycemic index alone. A food might raise blood sugar quickly, but if you eat only a small amount, its real effect is smaller. Portion matters, and glycemic load takes that into account.

For PCOS, the practical takeaway is simple: both what you eat and how much you eat matter. You do not need to memorise numbers. Balancing your plate and keeping carb portions sensible does the same job in real life.

See glycemic index and can I eat rice and roti with PCOS.