What Is the Order of Eating Glucose Goddess? A Deep Dive into Food Sequencing

October 23, 2025 •

4 min read

According to biochemist and author Jessie Inchauspé, eating the same foods in a different order can lead to vastly different glucose responses in your body. Her popular method, known as the 'Glucose Goddess' hacks, provides a simple, evidence-based answer to the question: what is the order of eating glucose goddess?.

Quick Summary

The Glucose Goddess method advocates a specific eating order—fiber first, followed by protein and fats, with starches and sugars last—to minimize post-meal blood sugar spikes. This strategic approach to consuming food leverages a scientific understanding of digestion to promote more stable energy levels and reduce cravings.

Key Points

Fiber First: Always begin a meal with fibrous vegetables to slow digestion and create a protective barrier in the intestines.
Protein and Fats Second: Follow your vegetables with protein and healthy fats, which further slow down gastric emptying.
Starches and Sugars Last: Consume carbohydrates and sugars at the end of the meal to minimize their impact on your glucose levels.
Minimize Spikes: This eating order helps flatten post-meal glucose curves, which translates to more stable energy and fewer cravings.
It's a Hack, Not a Diet: The food sequencing method is one of several 'hacks' designed to improve metabolic health, not a restrictive or rigid diet.
Evidence-Based: Research supports the concept of food sequencing for blunting glucose spikes, though individual results can vary.

Understanding the Foundational Principle

At its core, the Glucose Goddess method, developed by biochemist Jessie Inchauspé, centers on the concept of food sequencing to manage blood sugar levels. The guiding principle is to eat the most nutrient-dense components of a meal first, effectively preparing your digestive system to handle carbohydrates and sugars more gently. By altering the sequence in which you consume different macronutrients, you can reduce the magnitude of the glucose spike that typically follows a meal. This, in turn, can lead to more stable energy throughout the day, fewer cravings, and other long-term health benefits, such as reduced inflammation and improved metabolic health.

The Specific Eating Order

The recommended order of eating is simple and easy to remember:

Fiber First: Begin your meal with fiber-rich vegetables. This could be a salad, a plate of steamed greens, or any other fibrous vegetable starter.
Protein and Fats Second: After the vegetables, move on to consuming the protein and healthy fat components of your meal, such as meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, or avocados.
Starches and Sugars Last: Finish your meal with starches and sugars. This includes bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, sweet treats, and fruit.

The Scientific Rationale Behind the Order

This specific sequence isn't arbitrary; it's rooted in the science of how our digestive system processes different foods.

Fiber's Protective Role: When you eat vegetables first, the fiber they contain creates a viscous, mesh-like substance in your upper intestine. This mesh acts as a physical barrier, slowing down the speed at which food travels from the stomach to the intestines (a process known as gastric emptying) and delaying the absorption of glucose. It essentially acts as a protective layer against the glucose hit from the starchy foods that follow.
Protein and Fat's Contribution: The addition of protein and fat further supports this process by also slowing down gastric emptying. When consumed after fiber and before carbohydrates, they ensure that the starches and sugars are digested more slowly, leading to a flatter and more gentle glucose curve.
Minimizing the Spike: By saving carbohydrates and sugars for last, you prevent the rapid surge of glucose into your bloodstream that occurs when they are consumed on an empty stomach. A lower and more gradual glucose curve means a smaller insulin release, which is beneficial for metabolic health.

Practical Application and Considerations

Applying the Glucose Goddess eating order can be simpler than you think. It's not about giving up your favorite foods but rather about re-sequencing how you eat them. For a meal of chicken and rice with a side salad, you would eat the salad first, then the chicken, and finally the rice. For more complex dishes like stews or mixed plates, the approach might be less rigid. In such cases, simply starting with a side of steamed vegetables can make a meaningful difference.

A Comparison of Eating Orders for a Sample Meal (Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, and Broccoli)


Feature	Conventional Eating Order	Glucose Goddess Eating Order
Order	Mixed/Randomly (e.g., bites of all three)	Broccoli first, then chicken, then mashed potatoes
Digestive Impact	Rapid gastric emptying, especially if starting with potatoes	Slower gastric emptying due to fiber, protein, and fat
Glucose Response	Higher, sharper glucose spike	Lower, flatter glucose curve
Energy Levels	Potential for a "sugar crash" and fatigue after eating	More stable, sustained energy levels throughout the day
Insulin Response	Larger insulin release from the pancreas	Smaller, more manageable insulin release

Potential Downsides and Broader Context

While effective for many, it's important to understand the full context of the Glucose Goddess method. Some nutritionists caution that over-emphasizing rules and demonizing certain foods (like sweet breakfasts or specific types of carbs) could potentially lead to obsessive behaviors or an unhealthy relationship with food. The principles are best viewed as flexible guidelines rather than rigid rules. The food sequencing hack is also just one part of a larger set of recommendations, which include having a savory breakfast, incorporating vinegar before meals, and moving after eating. The overarching goal is to achieve more stable glucose levels, and food order is a powerful tool to achieve that.

Conclusion

In summary, the answer to what is the order of eating glucose goddess? is to eat fiber first, followed by protein and fats, and save starches and sugars for last. This approach is not a magic bullet but a scientifically supported technique for minimizing glucose spikes and promoting stable energy and better overall health. By strategically sequencing your meals, you can make a significant positive impact on your metabolic health without having to eliminate your favorite foods. It is a practical and accessible hack that, when combined with other healthy habits, can lead to substantial wellness improvements.

Glucose Goddess - About Science

Frequently Asked Questions

The Glucose Goddess recommends eating fiber (vegetables) first, followed by protein and fats, and finally, starches and sugars.

The order matters because fiber and fat slow down digestion and the rate at which glucose enters the bloodstream. By consuming these first, you prevent the rapid glucose spike that occurs from eating carbohydrates alone on an empty stomach.

No, the method is not about eliminating food groups. It is about timing your consumption of starches and sugars to minimize their negative impact on your glucose levels.

Yes, the principle of food sequencing has been studied by researchers, who have found that eating carbs last can help lower the post-meal blood glucose response.

For a meal with chicken, rice, and broccoli, you would eat the broccoli first, then the chicken, and the rice last. For a sandwich, you might eat the salad and protein filling first, and the bread last.

While it's not practical for every meal (like a blended soup), the principle can be applied wherever possible. Even starting with a small veggie starter before a mixed meal can provide benefits.

Other hacks include having a savory breakfast, drinking a glass of water with vinegar before meals, and incorporating movement after eating to use up excess glucose.