In 2023 French biochemist Jessie Inchauspé released her book titled ‘the glucose
goddess method’ discussing blood sugar hacks and providing advise on how to
minimises blood sugar spikes. The book details a 4-week programme, each week
introducing a new ‘hack’, very much set out with the expectation of test it and
evaluate whether this is something you want to carry on. Asides from the new ‘hack’
each week, Jessie encourages you to eat whatever you fancy, and see how you feel.
Week one included having a savoury breakfast, she describes this as the
‘cornerstone of a day of steady glucose’. The book describes how a sweet and
starchy breakfast (such as cereal, pastries) may hit the spot in the moment, they
lead to a glucose spike which results in hunger only soon after. First thing in the
morning is when our bodies are most sensitive to glucose, so it is important to
reduce glucose spikes at this point in the day. Through this week I mostly ate eggs in
various forms and avocado which is a world of different from my usual bowl of
special k, which admittedly would leave me hungry about an hour after eating.
Throughout this week I did find that I wasn’t as hungry and could hang on until lunch.
Week two consisted of having a savoury breakfast as well as consuming one
tablespoon of vinegar a day. The book describes how consuming one tablespoon of
vinegar a day will slow down the rate at which our digestive enzymes break down
sugars and starches into glucose, therefore reducing the spikes of glucose. I
personally wasn’t a huge fan of taking a spoonful so I tended to have it as a salad
dressing, but the book provides a range of ways you can consumer your vinegar.
Whilst maintaining a savoury breakfast and now consuming a tablespoon of vinegar
a day I still felt less hungry in the morning and definitely less tired during the 3-5pm
time period.
Week 3 introduced the veggie starter alongside the savoury breakfast and
tablespoon of vinegar. This process included, before you begin having a meal, you
add a plate of vegetables (should make up about 30% of your meal) and start with
those. The types of vegetables and the way you prepare them is up to you, I
personally love broccoli and any type of roasted vegetables but it was also fun to mix
it up. The book describes how eating vegetables first reduces the post meal glucose
spike by up to 75%, meaning you stay satisfied for longer and cravings are reduced.
This week was where I saw the biggest difference, I no longer felt like I needed a
sweet treat in the evening and felt fully satisfied after every meal, as well as more
energised.
The fourth and final week employs movement, alongside the other hacks from the
previous weeks. This hack emphasises the need for movement after eating, whether
it’s a 10 minute walk or stretching, the science behind this is that some of the
glucose that you have just consumed will get used up by your muscle cells, meaning
we flatten our glucose curve. Its tricky being a student, particularly after a long day
trying to find the time to move after every meal, I would simply do my dishes straight
after eating which was good in multiple ways, as well as stretching and even going
on a walk. The movement doesn’t have to be intense but enough to flatten the
glucose curve.
At the end of the 4 week programme I was definitely impressed and will be
implementing these hacks and turning them into habits. I have noticed since eating
normally this week that I am definitely more tired and craving sugar a lot more than
when I used the programme. Whether it’s the placebo effect or not, I saw a
difference in myself and found the steps very attainable, unlike some of the more
extreme diets on the internet right now.