Glycaemic index and glycaemic load

Glycaemic index ranks carbohydrate foods by their two-hour blood glucose response relative to glucose; glycaemic load multiplies this by carbohydrate content per serving. Meta-analyses associate high glycaemic load with modestly higher risk of colorectal and endometrial cancer and with worse outcomes in colon cancer survivors (CALGB 89803), consistent with an insulin-IGF-1 mechanism. The concept is legitimate but is frequently stretched into the unsupported claim that dietary sugar directly feeds tumours.