Differentiate between glycemic index and glycemic load.

• A. GI ranks how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose; GL accounts for both GI and the amount of carbohydrate in a typical serving.
• B. GI and GL are identical.
• C. GL is a measure of fiber quality.
• D. GI measures fat content; GL measures protein content.

Answer: (B)

The difference lies in what each metric incorporates. Glycemic index tells you how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood glucose, based on a standard amount of carbohydrate (usually about 50 grams) and referenced to a standard food. It focuses on the rate of rise, not the amount you actually eat. Glycemic load builds on that by including portion size: it combines the GI with the amount of carbohydrate in a typical serving, effectively estimating the real-world blood glucose impact of a serving. That makes the statement describing GI as the rate measure and GL as incorporating both GI and carbohydrate amount the best description. The other ideas don’t fit: GL isn’t a measure of fiber quality, and neither GI nor GL assess fat or protein content. They are not identical—the load adds portion size to the index.