WHAT ARE THE GLUCOSE RULES?

In practical terms, there’s one need-to-know molecule that’s the culprit of most of our diet woes – glucose. Once you know how it works, everything else will simply fall into place.

‘When we steady our glucose levels, the benefits range from more energy, fewer cravings, better sleep, slowed ageing and less development of chronic conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease,’ says Jessie. By eating in a way that creates fewer and smaller spikes, we can supercharge physical and mental wellbeing.

Get the order right

‘If you eat foods containing starch, fibre, sugar, protein and fat in a specific order, you can lower your overall glucose spike by a staggering 73%, as well as your insulin (a glucose-regulating hormone) spike by 48%,’ says Jessie.

Getting into the rhythm means eating fibre first, protein and fat second, then starches and sugars last. ‘It has to do with the fibre in the veggies coating our small intestine to reduce the absorption of glucose, and the proteins and the fats slowing down the speed at which glucose makes it through our stomach and into our bloodstream,’ adds Jessie.

So, for example, if you were eating broccoli with salmon and brown rice, you should eat the broccoli (fibre) first, followed by the salmon (fat and protein) and, finally, the carbohydraterich rice. One trial showed that diabetes patients who ate in this way over eight weeks began to experience a reversal in disease symptoms.

Have a veggie starter

In the Middle East, meals traditionally start with fresh herbs, while in the Mediterranean, tucking into an antipasti of grilled aubergine and courgette is the norm.

Whether you go for a green salad, a bowl of fattoush or a plate of grilled asparagus, the fibre in the vegetables creates a viscous mesh in our intestine that results in slowing down and reducing the absorption of molecules from food across the intestinal lining, says Jessie.

Don’t leave more than two hours between your starter and the rest of your meal – two hours is around the time it takes for fibre to be digested.