You all know you should probably eat more veggies and you’ve heard me go on and on about how important eating enough protein is.
But I bet you’ve never wondered if you should be eating those things in a specific order.
If insulin resistance and blood sugar are important issues for you, then you’re going to want to pay attention:
The order you eat macronutrients can impact your post meal blood glucose and insulin response.
In a recent study (2020) where the order of veggies, meat and rice were switched among different groups, eating veggies, then meat, then rice caused the smallest glycemic response and stimulated GLP-1 more than other orders. (GLP-1 is a hormone that signals satiety.)
Everything else was kept the same. The same types and amounts of veggies, meat and rice. The only thing that changed was the order people ate things in.
Interestingly, eating things separately, rather than all together (veggies, then meat, then rice vs. veggies, meat and rice at the same time) made a difference as well, as there was less of a need for insulin after eating the foods individually.
So what does this mean for you?
It means that if you’ve been struggling for a while to get your blood sugar down, this might be the key to making forward progress.
It means if you find yourself feeling groggy and low energy after a meal, switching up the order you eat things in might be a big help.
It means if you worry about eating too much, eating things in a different order could help signal fullness faster, helping you eat less.
There are limitations to this study, firstly that it was very small. But other studies have demonstrated similar effects, and most experts point to eating fiber first, then protein + fat before diving into starches or sweets.
There are definitely times when we don’t eat veggies then meat and then rice separately, we often eat things all together, like in a burrito bowl or curry.
But for meals (like, um, Thanksgiving) where you might have a serving of roasted squash and a serving of turkey and mashed potatoes and a roll on your plate, consider what order you ate those things in. Did you eat the mashed potatoes first? Admit it.
Next meal, try eating your fiber first, then meat, and then finish with your starch and see how you feel. Did you eat less? Do you feel heavy and foggy or alert and energized?
Here’s a few more tricks to help you eat less and lower blood sugar:
Chew each bite at least 20-30 times
Put down your fork between bites
Eat together with family or friends
Eat more protein
Don’t drink liquids while you eat
Take a walk after dinner
Y’all, figuring out tricks to balance your blood sugar, optimize your hormones and get you looking and feeling your best is what this is all about.
I know it’s hard and I know you’ve tried everything. The good news is, you don’t need to do it on your own anymore.
I’ve got spots in my 3 and 6 month nutrition coaching programs waiting for you. What are you waiting for?
Ready? Let’s go!
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