Juices & soft drinks · Glycemic index
Does cola spike blood sugar?
Yes — cola has a medium GI of 63, and a 370 g serving (one 12 fl oz can) has a glycemic load of 24, which is high. Regular cola has a medium GI, but a 12 oz can holds close to 40 g of sugar in liquid form, which gives it a high glycemic load.
Key numbers
- Glycemic index
- 63
- Medium GI
- Glycemic load
- 24
- High GL
- Available carbs
- 38 g
- 0 g fiber
- Serving
- one 12 fl oz can
- 370 g · sugar-sweetened
GI vs GL for cola
The glycemic index (GI) compares how fast the carbohydrate in a food raises blood sugar against pure glucose (100), using a fixed amount of carbohydrate. The glycemic load (GL) adds the other half of the story — how much carbohydrate a normal serving actually contains: GI × available carbs ÷ 100. For cola: 63 × 38 g ÷ 100 ≈ 24.
That figure is an average reported in the 2021 international GI tables (“Coca Cola®, mean of two studies”). The two tests behind the average disagree: 53 in Australia (2006) and 73 in Italy (2011). Other sugar-sweetened soft drinks are similar — lemon-flavored soft drinks averaged 59.
Eating a different amount? Work out the glycemic load of your portion.
How to eat cola with less of a spike
- Switch to sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea or a sugar-free soda.
- If you have a regular cola, choose a small can and drink it with a meal.
- Check fountain sizes: USDA's large fountain drink (32 fl oz) holds more than two and a half times the sugar of a 12 oz can.
Lower-GI swaps
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Frequently asked questions
What is the glycemic index of cola?
Cola has a glycemic index of 63, which is medium. That figure is an average reported in the 2021 international GI tables (“Coca Cola®, mean of two studies”). A 370 g serving (one 12 fl oz can) contains about 38 g of available carbohydrate, giving a glycemic load of 24 (high).
Is cola good for prediabetes?
Sugar-sweetened soda is one of the easiest things to cut if you have prediabetes: it adds a high glycemic load with no fiber or protein. Unsweetened drinks are the better everyday choice.
How much sugar is in a can of cola?
USDA data put regular cola at about 10 g of carbohydrate per 100 g, nearly all of it sugar, so a 12 oz can holds close to 40 g — with no fiber or protein to slow its absorption.
Sources
GI values come from the international GI tables; carbohydrate and fiber per serving are calculated from USDA FoodData Central.
- Atkinson FS, Brand-Miller JC, Foster-Powell K, Buyken AE, Goletzke J. International tables of glycemic index and glycemic load values 2021: a systematic review. Am J Clin Nutr. 2021;114(5):1625–1632, Supplemental Table 1
- USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 174852: Beverages, carbonated, cola, regular
Data last checked .