Food order and meal timing
Does Eating Vegetables First Lower Blood Sugar Spikes?
By Midline. First published . Last reviewed .
The question
Does eating vegetables first lower your blood sugar after a meal?
Short answer
Yes, it can. Jessie Inchauspé says to eat vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars: same meal, smaller glucose spike, and fewer cravings later. Thomas DeLauer described a Diabetes Care study in people with type 2 diabetes in which the same meal gave a lower blood sugar rise and lower insulin when vegetables and protein came before the carbs. Think of it as an easy habit rather than a fix.
What do the experts say about eating vegetables first?
Two experts in our library point the same way.
- Jessie Inchauspé. On The Diary Of A CEO, she says to eat vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars. Same meal, smaller glucose spike, and fewer cravings later.
- Thomas DeLauer. In a YouTube video, he described a Diabetes Care study in people with type 2 diabetes: the same meal with vegetables and protein eaten before the carbs gave a lower blood sugar rise and lower insulin.
What order should you eat in?
The simple version: vegetables first, then protein, then the starchy carbs and anything sweet last.
That's the order Jessie Inchauspé uses: the vegetables go in before the carb-rich foods. You're not cutting anything out, just rearranging the plate. If a meal is mostly carbs, like a sandwich, there's less to reorder, but a side salad or some protein first still fits the idea.
What did the episode say?
On a September 2024 Diary of a CEO episode about glucose, this was one of Jessie Inchauspé's main habits. Her order was vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars. She pointed out that plenty of food cultures already start meals this way, with a plate of raw vegetables, a salad or a bunch of herbs before the main course.
Jessie Inchauspé also gave a big percentage for how much the blood sugar rise drops. We've left that figure out.
Why might eating carbs last help?
Jessie Inchauspé put it down to the fiber in the vegetables reaching your gut first.
Does it help with weight or diabetes long term?
We don't know yet, and we'd rather say so. The food-order statements here are about blood sugar and insulin after a meal, not weight.
So we treat food order like the walk after your biggest meal: a free, easy habit, not a promise.
Check first: if you take insulin or another diabetes medicine, are pregnant, or have had an eating disorder, don't set food rules without your doctor.
How do you do this on a normal day?
You don't need special food. A few easy ways in:
- At home: put the vegetables on the plate first and eat them first. Then the chicken, fish, eggs or beans. Then the rice, pasta, bread or potatoes.
- Eating out: order a salad or a vegetable starter, and let the bread basket wait until the main course arrives.
- A one-bowl meal: eat the vegetable and protein bites first, and finish with the noodles or rice at the bottom.
- Dessert: have it at the end of a meal rather than on its own.
If you're also working on your evenings, this pairs well with closing the kitchen a few hours before bed.
Try this today
At dinner tonight, eat your vegetables first, then the protein, and leave the rice, bread or potatoes for last. Same plate, same amount, just a different order.
Frequently asked questions
What is food sequencing?
Eating the parts of a meal in a set order: vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars. The foods and amounts stay the same; only the order changes.
Can I still eat carbs?
Yes. In the Diabetes Care study Thomas DeLauer described, the meal was the same. Only the order changed.
Is eating protein first the same thing?
It's one version of it. Jessie Inchauspé's order is vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars. Thomas DeLauer described a Diabetes Care study in which vegetables and protein before the carbs gave a lower blood sugar rise.
Sources
- Jessie Inchauspé on The Diary Of A CEO. Jessie Inchauspé, The Diary Of A CEOEat in this order: vegetables first, then protein and fat, then starches and sugars. Same meal, smaller glucose spike, and fewer cravings later.
- Thomas DeLauer on YouTube. Thomas DeLauer, YouTubeDescribed a Diabetes Care study in people with type 2 diabetes: the same meal with vegetables and protein eaten before the carbs gave a lower blood sugar rise and lower insulin.
- Food Order Has a Significant Impact on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels (Shukla et al.). Diabetes Care, 2015, the study Thomas DeLauer describedThe study Thomas DeLauer described, in which food order changed the blood sugar and insulin rise after the same meal.
All sources across the site are listed on the sources page.
Watch the episode
Last reviewed . Educational only, not medical advice. Check with your pharmacist if you take medication.
We draft articles with AI help. A reviewer checks every health statement against the expert's own words in the video before it goes up.
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