Glycemic index:  a measure of how quickly carbohydrates are digested and absorbed into the circulation.  The higher the glycemic index, the faster the digestion of the carbohydrates which, in turn, produces a greater and faster rise in blood sugar and insulin levels.  Glycemic load is even more important in determining the blood sugar and insulin response to a meal.  Glycemic load is the glycemic index of a food multiplied by its carbohydrate content.  For example, the glycemic index for pasta and broccoli is very similar but the glycemic load for one cup of pasta is twenty times that of one cup of broccoli: