What are the published glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) estimates for each drink from literature. Is that the same as Insulin index?

The glycemic index (GI) tells you how quickly a drink raises your blood sugar. The glycemic load (GL) considers both the GI and how many carbohydrates are in a serving — which makes it more accurate for real-life drinking.

  • Has a GI and GL of 0 — it has no carbs or sugar, so it doesn’t affect blood sugar at all.

  • Has a GI around 63–68. That’s fairly high. A standard can has a high GL too, because it has a lot of sugar per serving — it will quickly raise your blood sugar and insulin.

  • Has a moderate GI, around 50–57. Even though it’s natural sugar, it still raises blood sugar fairly fast and has a moderate GL.

  • Has a GI around 40–44. Slightly lower than orange juice, but still a decent sugar hit in a small serving.

  • Has a low GI (around 30–34) but still causes insulin to rise because of the natural sugar (lactose) and protein.

  • Also has a low GI, similar to milk, and a low GL if it’s truly unsweetened.

  • Usually have a GI in the 60s to 70s and a high GL if they’re made with added sugars — especially in large servings.

  • Have very high GIs (up to 78–89) and a medium-to-high GL depending on how much you drink.

  • Both have a GI and GL of 0 — they contain no carbs unless you add sugar.

Is the Glycemic Index the Same as the Insulin Index?

No — they measure different things.

  • The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how fast blood sugar rises after you eat or drink something.

  • The Insulin Index (II) measures how much insulin your body releases in response to the food or drink — which doesn’t always match blood sugar levels.

    For example, milk has a low glycemic index, but a higher insulin index. That’s because the protein in milk stimulates insulin even if blood sugar doesn’t rise that much.

    Another example is meat or eggs: they don’t contain sugar or carbs, but they still cause a small insulin response — so they have a low GI but non-zero insulin index.

Key Takeaway

  • Use GI and GL when thinking about blood sugar spikes.

  • Use the insulin index when thinking about how food or drink affects your insulin response, especially important for people with insulin resistance or diabetes.

  • For choosing drinks: focus on low added sugar, low GI/GL, and natural or unsweetened options when possible.