How to Curb Cravings & Other Glucose Hacks

Jessie Inchauspé is a biochemist and bestselling author, known by the nickname “Glucose Goddess.” Using the latest scientific research as backing, Inchauspé earned respect and renown for her glucose “hacks”: easy-to-implement lifestyle and diet changes to help manage blood sugar.

In the following video, How to CURB CRAVINGS & other glucose hacks, Inchauspé delivers a masterclass on the bad effects of high glucose and the main things that spike blood sugar. She also educates on what we can do to stabilize blood sugar (including continuous glucose monitoring to measure the impact of meals), and how blood sugar determines our cravings. Scroll down for some key takeaways from the video.

The dangers of high blood sugar & glucose spikes:

• Major problems happen from dysregulated glucose: diabetes, heart disease, even dementia
• Minor issues like moodiness, bad sleep, acnes, anxiety, and weight gain may be caused by elevated glucose, too
• The insulin response from high blood sugar triggers fat storage‍

Other things besides food affect glucose:‍

• Sleep and stress are key factors in blood sugar regulation
• Our bodies think that we’re being chased by a lion when we’re under stress, and so the body dumps glucose into the bloodstream so we can “run faster”
• More exercise = better glucose control (sugar goes into muscle cells instead of hanging around in the bloodstream)

Some of her glucose “hacks”:‍

• Eat protein before carbs (doing this reduces glucose spikes by slowing down the rate of absorption)
• Always eat a salad or veggies before carb-heavy dishes (accomplishes the same thing as protein)
• Fat helps curb glucose spikes
• If you’re going to have carbs, go for a walk afterward. The exercise will help the glucose go into the muscles and not build up in the bloodstream.
• Consume a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar (always dilute with water) before carb-containing meals to reduce a blood sugar spike from that meal
• Pair fruits with nuts to balance out the sugar from the fruit with protein/fat

Important note about fasting:‍

• Blood sugar spikes faster if you’ve been fasting
• If you’re eating your first meal after a fast, don’t eat carbs first—eat protein and fiber first

‍Being proactive about controlling blood sugar helps to eliminate cravings:‍

• If your blood sugar spikes after a meal, your blood sugar will crash after the insulin hits, which cause your brain to send craving signals
• By eliminating one spike, you can help to eliminate snacking and cravings throughout the day
• Studies show that lower blood sugar is associated with higher cravings [1]‍

Some foods we think are healthy can actually be bad for blood sugar:‍

• Grapes (and other high-sugar, low-fiber fruit)
• Coconut water
• Fruit juices
• Sweet potatoes (spikes glucose more than a regular potato)

References:

1) https://dx.doi.org/10.1093%2Fajcn%2F84.1.274

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