How You Eat Matters With What You Eat
Small Changes With a Powerful Impact
Most of us think about what we eat when it comes to health, but not necessarily how we eat it. Believe it or not, the order in which you eat your food can have a big impact on your blood sugar and metabolic health.
Think about how Europeans traditionally eat meals: courses. First comes the salad or vegetables, then the main dish with protein and fat, and finally the starch or dessert. Turns out, there’s some real science behind this style of eating—and it’s not just about savoring each bite.
One of the reasons we need to begin shifting HOW you eat is because for long term health we want to transition insulin resistance to insulin sensitivity. We understand, insulin resistance seems to be a buzz term these days. Insulin resistance is when your body’s cells don’t respond as well to insulin—the hormone that helps move sugar (glucose) out of your blood and into your cells for energy. Because the cells aren’t listening properly, your pancreas has to make more and more insulin to keep blood sugar under control. Over time, this can lead to higher blood sugar levels, fatigue, weight gain (especially around the belly), and increased risk for conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and PCOS.
Shifting the order of HOW you eat can actually be the assistance your body needs to return to insulin sensitivity, which equals greater metabolic flexibility.
Start With Veggies
When you begin your meal with non-starchy vegetables, you’re doing two things at once: adding fiber and creating a “slowdown effect” for digestion. Fiber slows the breakdown of carbohydrates into glucose, which keeps your blood sugar more stable. Instead of that quick spike and crash, your body gets a steady release of energy.
So we encourage with every meal, even breakfast, starting with veggies.
The Glucose Goddess (Jessie Inchauspé) often uses the metaphor of a “clothing shield” or “fiber jacket” when talking about starting a meal with vegetables.
She explains that the fiber in veggies acts like a protective jacket or shield around your meal: it lines your gut and slows down how quickly sugars and starches get absorbed into your bloodstream. That way, when you eat carbs afterward, the glucose release is gentler—less of a spike, less of a crash.
Next Up: Protein and Fat
Following veggies with protein and fat is like putting up a protective wall for your blood sugar. Protein takes longer to digest, helps with satiety, and signals hormones that support stable glucose. Fat slows gastric emptying, meaning the carbs you eat later won’t flood your system all at once. Together, protein and fat act like anchors—they keep your energy balanced and help prevent cravings from hitting an hour after your meal.
At The Wellness Lounge, we recommend animal-based protein sources predominately with every meal—things like eggs, poultry, fish, beef, and dairy (if tolerated). These foods provide not only complete protein but also essential micronutrients such as vitamin B12, iron, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are far less bioavailable from plant sources. If you follow a vegan diet, you’ll need to be more intentional. Plant-based protein can work, but it usually requires combining sources (like beans and rice) and supplementing key nutrients that are often deficient in vegan diets, including B12, iron, zinc, and sometimes omega-3s.
Finally: Carbs
Carbohydrates are not the enemy. In fact, your body needs them—especially if you’re active. But eating them last makes a world of difference. When carbs come in at the end, after fiber, protein, and fat, their impact on blood sugar is much gentler. You still get the fuel, without the metabolic rollercoaster.
It’s also important to know that not all carbs are created equal. Complex carbohydrates (like sweet potatoes, beans, quinoa, lentils, and oats) contain fiber and digest more slowly, keeping blood sugar steady and energy stable. Simple carbohydrates (like soda, candy, white bread, or pastries) break down quickly and cause blood sugar spikes and crashes. If you’re going to choose carbs, complex ones are the better choice for long-term metabolic health.
A Word About Grains and Gluten
If you’re including grains in your diet, quality matters. Highly processed white bread or pasta doesn’t provide much more than starch. Instead, we recommend sourdough bread made with freshly milled, organic, ancient grains. Sourdough fermentation lowers gluten content, supports digestion, and can even improve the bioavailability of minerals. Ancient grains such as einkorn, spelt, farro, and emmer tend to be richer in nutrients and easier for many people to digest compared to modern hybridized wheat.
Why It Matters
This approach isn’t just about avoiding the dreaded “food coma” or trying to lose weight. It’s about long-term metabolic health. Research shows that consistently high glucose spikes are linked to increased risk of insulin resistance, inflammation, and even weight gain over time. By simply adjusting the order of your meals, you can make a measurable difference in your blood sugar control—even if the foods on your plate don’t change.
So the next time you sit down to eat, think “veggies first, protein/fat second, carbs last.” It’s a small shift with a big payoff.
References
Shukla, A. P., Dickison, M., Coughlin, N., et al. (2015). The impact of food order on postprandial glycemia in prediabetes. Diabetes Care, 38(7), e98–e99. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc15-0429
Tricò, D., Baldi, S., Tulipani, A., et al. (2016). Mechanisms through which a meal sequence with vegetables, protein, and fat before carbohydrate improves postprandial glycemia. Diabetes Care, 39(11), 1900–1907. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc16-0617
Tricò, D., Filice, E., Baldi, S., et al. (2019). Sustained efficacy of a meal sequence with protein and vegetables before carbohydrates over two years in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 42(1), 46–53. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc18-1247
Cordain, L., Eaton, S. B., Sebastian, A., et al. (2005). Origins and evolution of the Western diet: health implications for the 21st century. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 81(2), 341–354. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn.81.2.341
Gan, R. Y., Shah, N. P., & Corke, H. (2018). Fermentation and food digestion. Trends in Food Science & Technology, 81, 87–99. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tifs.2018.09.001