I recently read Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess, and it made me look at food in a slightly different way.
The book focuses on something we don’t always think about when we talk about healthy eating: what happens to our blood sugar after we eat.
Rather than telling you to completely change your diet, Jessie shares simple habits designed to reduce large glucose spikes. What I found most interesting is that many of them don’t actually require you to eat less or remove your favourite foods.
And that is probably what made me want to try them.
After just a couple of weeks of putting some of these ideas into practice, I have already noticed a few changes in the way I eat.
I naturally went from eating four or five times a day to eating three meals. I no longer feel the need to snack between meals, and I don’t seem to have the same sweet cravings I used to.
My weight has stayed about the same, but I feel a little more toned. I have also noticed that I am naturally eating more protein and vegetables and slightly less carbohydrate, simply because of the way I am structuring my meals.
It doesn’t feel like a diet, more like a healthier way of eating I can maintain for the long run.
And that is what I like about it. But let’s dig deeper into the topic.
What Is Blood Sugar Regulation?
When we eat carbohydrates and sugars, they are broken down into glucose, which enters the bloodstream and provides our cells with energy.
Our blood glucose naturally rises after eating. That is completely normal.
The interesting part is how quickly and how high it rises, and what happens afterwards.
A meal that contains carbohydrates on their own can generally cause a faster rise in blood glucose than the same carbohydrates eaten alongside fibre, protein or fat. Fibre can also slow digestion and the absorption of glucose.
This doesn’t mean that every glucose spike is bad or that we should try to keep our blood sugar completely flat.
The goal is simply to support a more balanced response where possible.
Why Should We Care About Glucose Spikes?
Blood glucose regulation is particularly important for metabolic health. Long-term problems with glucose regulation are strongly associated with conditions such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Research into glucose variability is also growing, although there is still more to learn about exactly how much short-term glucose fluctuations matter in healthy people.
For everyday life, though, there is another reason I find the topic interesting.
Large changes in blood sugar may be linked with the way we feel after eating. Some people notice energy dips, hunger or cravings when their blood sugar rises and then falls.
And this is where I have noticed the biggest difference personally.
I don’t feel like I am constantly thinking about food.
My Experience So Far
It has only been a couple of weeks, so I definitely wouldn’t say I have discovered a magic solution.
But the changes have been surprisingly simple.
I used to eat more frequently throughout the day. Now, three meals often feel completely sufficient.
I also don’t feel the same need to have something sweet simply because it is there.
One of the biggest changes is the way I approach a meal.
Instead of starting with bread, rice, pasta or another carbohydrate, I will often start with vegetables, then eat my protein and fats, and have my carbohydrates afterwards.
By the time I get to the carbohydrate part of the meal, I am already feeling more satisfied.
Interestingly, I sometimes feel like I am actually eating more food because I am adding vegetables or having a starter before the main part of my meal.
That makes it feel very different from restriction.
And for me, that is the biggest appeal.
The 10 Glucose Hacks I Learned From Glucose Revolution
These are the ten core hacks Jessie Inchauspé shares in Glucose Revolution. You can read more about the science behind them on the Glucose Goddess website.
1. Eat Your Food in the Right Order
This is probably the easiest one to start with.
The suggested order is:
Vegetables and fibre → protein and fats → carbohydrates and sugars.
The idea is that starting with fibre can slow the absorption of glucose from the carbohydrates eaten afterwards.
This is one of the hacks I have naturally incorporated into my meals the most.
2. Have a Vegetable Starter
Try beginning one meal a day with vegetables.
It could be a simple salad, some steamed vegetables, grilled vegetables or whatever you already have available.
You don’t need to create an elaborate starter.
Sometimes it can be as simple as a few pieces of cucumber or a small salad before your main meal.
3. Stop Counting Calories
This is probably the hack I find the most interesting — and also the one I would interpret differently from simply saying that calories don’t matter.
Jessie argues that focusing on glucose and food quality can be more useful than obsessing over calorie numbers. However, if your goal is weight loss, overall energy intake still matters.
For me, the useful takeaway is not “calories don’t count.”
It is:
Don’t let calorie counting become the only thing you consider when looking at your diet.
The quality, composition and structure of your meals matter too.
4. Have a Savoury Breakfast
Instead of starting the day with a very sweet breakfast, the book recommends a savoury, protein-focused meal.
Think:
- Tofu with vegetables
- Eggs with avocado and vegetables
- A savoury oat bowl
- Wholegrain toast with a protein source
This doesn’t mean you can never have porridge or fruit for breakfast.
It is simply about experimenting with a breakfast that gives you a more balanced start to the day.
5. Choose the Sugar You Actually Enjoy
This one sounds slightly strange at first.
The idea is that instead of worrying endlessly about whether one type of added sugar is better than another, you can choose the one you genuinely enjoy.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that sweets and sugary foods suddenly become health foods.
It is more about avoiding the mindset that you need to find the “perfect” sugar.
6. Choose Dessert Over a Sweet Snack
If you want something sweet, have it as part of a meal rather than eating it on its own as a snack.
For example, instead of having a cookie by itself at 3pm, you could enjoy something sweet after lunch.
The food you have already eaten can change how quickly the sugar is absorbed.
And personally, I like the mindset behind this one.
You don’t have to eliminate dessert.
You simply change when you have it.
7. Try Vinegar Before a Meal
Jessie recommends having a tablespoon of vinegar diluted in water before a meal, particularly one containing carbohydrates.
Vinegar contains acetic acid, which may slow the digestion and absorption of carbohydrates.
You can also simply use vinegar as part of a salad dressing if drinking it isn’t appealing.
This is one hack I would treat as optional rather than something you need to do every day.
And if you have a medical condition, take medication affecting blood sugar, or have concerns about vinegar, speak to your healthcare professional first.
8. Move After You Eat
This might be my favourite hack because it is so simple.
You don’t need a workout.
A short walk after a meal can be enough to get your muscles moving and help them use glucose.
It could be a 10-minute walk around the block, walking home from lunch, tidying the kitchen or simply moving around instead of sitting down immediately.
Regular physical activity is already an important part of healthy blood sugar management.
9. If You Snack, Go Savoury
If you genuinely need a snack, the recommendation is to choose something savoury rather than reaching for something sweet.
Think about foods containing protein, fibre and healthy fats.
For example:
- Hummus and vegetables
- Nuts
- Edamame
- Wholegrain crackers with a protein-rich topping
For me, this hack has become less relevant because I am simply not feeling as hungry between meals.
10. Put Some “Clothes” on Your Carbs
This is probably the most memorable phrase from the book.
The idea is not to eat carbohydrates “naked”.
Instead, pair them with protein, fibre or fat.
So rather than having a bowl of plain rice on its own, have it with vegetables and tofu.
Instead of eating toast by itself, add a protein or fat source.
Instead of having a piece of fruit alone when you are particularly hungry, you could pair it with some nuts or another source of protein or fat.
It is a simple way of thinking about balanced meals without needing to count every gram of carbohydrate.
What Causes Blood Sugar Spikes?
The biggest dietary trigger is carbohydrates, particularly foods that are quickly digested and absorbed.
But the response isn’t identical for everyone.
The type of carbohydrate, portion size and what you eat alongside it can all make a difference. Eating carbohydrates with protein, fat or fibre can slow the rate at which blood glucose rises.
Other factors can also influence blood glucose, including physical activity, stress, sleep and overall health.
Lately, glucose monitors have become more and more popular. If you are interested in seeing what spikes your glucose levels, you can purchase one online. The monitor usually comes with access to an app to track and get an explanation and tips to the results.
What About Blood Sugar Drops?
If you have ever experienced the classic afternoon slump, intense hunger or suddenly feeling like you desperately need something sweet, you may have wondered whether your blood sugar has “crashed”.
Blood glucose naturally fluctuates throughout the day, and a drop after a meal is not automatically a dangerous low.
True hypoglycaemia is a medical issue and is particularly important for people with diabetes or those taking certain medications.
For the rest of us, the more useful question is often:
Why am I suddenly so hungry or tired?
Sometimes the answer may be the composition of your previous meal. But sleep, stress, hydration, activity and simply not eating enough can also play a role.
This is why I don’t think we need to become obsessed with tracking every glucose fluctuation.
Is Blood Sugar Regulation More Important Than Calories?
This is probably the ultimate question.
And I don’t think it is an either-or situation.
If your goal is fat loss, your overall energy intake still matters. You cannot simply eliminate glucose spikes and expect body fat to disappear regardless of how much you eat.
At the same time, looking only at calories doesn’t tell you everything about the quality of your diet, how satisfying your meals are or how you feel after eating them.
For me, the most useful takeaway from Glucose Revolution is not to replace calorie awareness with glucose obsession.
It is to think about how I build my meals.
Adding vegetables, eating enough protein, pairing carbohydrates with other foods and moving after meals are all habits that can support a balanced diet without making eating feel restrictive.
And fibre itself has well-established benefits for digestion, blood sugar management and overall health.
What About Weight Management, Skin and Longevity?
Better glucose regulation can be part of a healthy lifestyle, but it is not a magic weight-loss or anti-ageing treatment.
Stable blood sugar does not automatically mean you will lose weight, have perfect skin or live longer.
However, the habits that support healthy glucose regulation often overlap with habits we already associate with good health: eating more vegetables and fibre, including adequate protein, being physically active and reducing reliance on highly processed sugary foods.
Long-term glucose dysregulation is strongly connected with metabolic disease, particularly in people with diabetes, while research continues to investigate the wider relationship between glucose variability and long-term health.
The Best Part? It Doesn’t Feel Like a Diet
This is probably why I wanted to share this experiment.
I have tried plenty of approaches to eating over the years.
Some work for a while but make you think about food constantly.
Others involve cutting out entire food groups or following rules that become difficult to maintain.
These glucose hacks feel different.
I am not being told that I cannot eat carbohydrates.
I can still have fruit.
I can still have something sweet.
I can still eat the foods I enjoy.
I’m simply changing the way I combine and structure them.
And because I am naturally feeling more satisfied, I am not thinking about food as much.
That, to me, is much more interesting than following another restrictive diet.
My Conclusion
I have only been trying these habits for a couple of weeks, so I am definitely not claiming that they have transformed my health.
But I am enjoying the experiment.
My weight hasn’t dramatically changed. Instead, the changes I have noticed are much more subtle: fewer cravings, less snacking and meals that seem to keep me satisfied for longer.
And perhaps most importantly, it doesn’t feel restrictive.
I don’t think you need to implement all ten hacks tomorrow.
Start with one.
Maybe eat your vegetables first.
Try a savoury breakfast.
Take a short walk after lunch.
Or simply start paying attention to what happens when you eat carbohydrates on their own compared with when you combine them with protein, fibre or healthy fats.
You can also read more about the science and the original approach directly from Jessie Inchauspé’s Glucose Goddess resources or explore the book Glucose Revolution yourself.
For me, the biggest lesson so far is that healthy eating doesn’t necessarily need to mean eating less.
Sometimes it can simply mean eating differently.
And if a few small changes can help me feel more satisfied, reduce cravings and make my everyday meals work a little better for me, I think they are worth exploring.
As always, wellness doesn’t have to be about perfection.
It should make your life feel better — not give you another list of things to worry about.
A note from me: This post is based partly on my personal experience and my reading of Glucose Revolution. Blood glucose responses vary from person to person. If you have diabetes, prediabetes, take medication that affects blood sugar, or have symptoms of hypoglycaemia or hyperglycaemia, speak with your healthcare professional rather than trying to manage a medical condition through these lifestyle hacks alone.
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