OLUFUNKE FROM PUNCH
Two factors influenced my choice of this topic. Recently, I went to the cinema and saw a lady stroll in with a bowl of ice cream. Something caught my attention—her weight. I kept wondering why someone as fat as that would still indulge in ice cream.
Not long after, she ordered a drink and popcorn again! I felt compelled to stand up, place a hand on her shoulder, smile at her, and educate her on the dangers of consuming processed foods. Being a healthy living enthusiast often drives me to take such actions.
The second reason I chose this topic is the increasing reports of limb amputations and kidney failures, which are complications linked to poorly managed blood sugar.
It’s time to remind ourselves that maintaining healthy blood glucose levels is essential for overall well-being. I will be discussing scientifically proven strategies to achieve this.
The first point to consider is that food sequencing has a significant impact on glucose and insulin levels. Consuming protein and vegetables before carbohydrates can lead to lower post-meal glucose and insulin spikes, particularly in obese patients with type 2 diabetes.
A study aimed to validate and expand on earlier research suggesting that eating vegetables or protein before carbohydrates helps control blood sugar levels more effectively. However, this time, the researchers tested a complete Western-style meal with a balanced mix of vegetables, protein, carbohydrates, and fat.
The study involved 11 participants, all of whom were obese, diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and on metformin—an oral medication that helps regulate glucose levels.
To assess how food order influences post-meal glucose spikes, the participants consumed the same meal twice, a week apart.
The meal included carbohydrates (ciabatta bread and orange juice), protein, vegetables, and fat (chicken breast, lettuce and tomato salad with low-fat dressing, and steamed broccoli with butter).
On the first test day, researchers measured the participants’ fasting glucose levels in the morning after a 12-hour fast. They were instructed to eat the carbohydrates first, followed 15 minutes later by the protein, vegetables, and fat. Post-meal glucose levels were then tested at 30, 60, and 120-minute intervals.
A week later, the same process was repeated with the food order reversed—protein, vegetables, and fat first, followed 15 minutes later by carbohydrates. The researchers measured glucose levels at the same intervals.
The results revealed that glucose levels were significantly lower—by approximately 29 per cent, 37 per cent, and 17 per cent at the 30, 60, and 120-minute checks, respectively—when vegetables and protein were consumed before carbohydrates. Insulin levels were also noticeably lower under the same conditions.
This study reinforces that the order in which we eat our food matters and highlights a practical strategy for managing post-meal glucose levels, particularly for diabetic patients.
According to Dr Louis Aronne, the Sanford I. Weill Professor of Metabolic Research and a professor of clinical medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College, who led the aforementioned study, “We’re always looking for ways to help people with diabetes lower their blood sugar. We rely on medicine, but diet is an important part of this process too.
“Unfortunately, we’ve found that it’s difficult to get people to change their eating habits. Carbohydrates raise blood sugar, but if you tell someone not to eat them—or to drastically cut back—it’s hard for them to comply.”
He further explained, “Based on this finding, instead of saying ‘don’t eat that’ to their patients, clinicians might instead say, ‘eat this before that.’ While we need to do some follow-up work, patients with type 2 diabetes might be able to make a simple change to lower their blood sugar throughout the day, decrease how much insulin they need to take, and potentially have a long-lasting, positive impact on their health.”
Mixing carbohydrates with other nutrients such as fat, protein, and fibre can help reduce post-meal blood sugar spikes. Jessie Inchauspé, a French biochemist popularly known as “glucose goddess” on Instagram, offers a hack she calls “putting clothing on carbs.”
She advises, “Anytime you eat carbs, make sure to never eat them naked—I mean on their own. Never snack on a piece of bread or just a cookie. Always add some ‘clothing,’ which means protein, fat, or fibre. For example, add some avocado to bread or almonds and yoghurt to cookies. This way, you will have less of a glucose spike.”
You can also “put clothing” on your local staples like fufu, eba, amala, and pounded yam by pairing them with plenty of vegetable soup.
Similarly, you can dress your yam with vegetable or garden egg sauce for a balanced meal.
A 2016 study found significant improvements in blood sugar control among individuals who consumed multiple species of probiotics for at least eight weeks.
A 2020 study on rats also revealed that apple cider vinegar reduced blood sugar spikes.
Additionally, a 2021 review of observational studies found that individuals who drank more water had a lower risk of developing high blood sugar levels.
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