Interview with Jessie Inchauspé (The Glucose Goddess), How Blood Sugar Spikes Can Steal Your Energy, Mood, and Results

There is a moment most of us recognize. You eat something “healthy-ish,” or something that feels routine. You feel fine for a bit. Then, around late morning or early afternoon, your energy tanks. Your brain fog rolls in. Suddenly, you are craving something sweet, or you are reaching for a snack you promised you would not need.

We tend to explain that moment with everything except the real driver. We call it stress. We call it hormones. We call it “just getting older.” Or we call it weak willpower, which is a cruel explanation because it makes you think you are the problem.

But when we follow the science, the pattern becomes clearer. Blood sugar and glucose spikes and crashes can shape how you feel: your mood, cravings, fatigue, inflammation, and even how steady your mind feels through the day.

That is the foundation behind Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess. Dr. Thais Aliabdia and Mary Alice Haney talk to this French biochemist and bestselling author whose work focuses on one core idea: glucose is the body’s energy source, and how quickly glucose rises and falls matters. The goal is not to eliminate carbs. The goal is to keep your glucose steady, so you do not spend your day on a roller coaster.

Disclaimer: This article is educational and not a substitute for medical advice. If you have diabetes, PCOS, pregnancy-related concerns, or any medical condition, we should partner with a clinician to personalize what “steady blood sugar” means for us.

Table of Contents

• Meet Jessie Inchauspé: how a glucose monitor led to a whole new way of thinking
• Glucose basics: what it is and why it affects everything
• Why glucose spikes and crashes can wreck your day
• The “healthy breakfast” trap: why sweet mornings can backfire
• The truth about fruit juice and why orange juice is a glucose spike machine
• How to enjoy sweet foods without destroying your glucose day
• The food order hack: veggies first, carbs last (and why it matters)
• Vinegar and acetic acid: an easy way to soften carb spikes
• Movement after meals: why muscles help lower glucose spikes
• Sleep, dinner, and glucose: why night spikes can steal restorative rest
• Intermittent fasting and coffee: what to be mindful about
• GLP-1s: helpful tools, but not magic, and not muscle-friendly by default
• Blood sugar and mental health: the connection is not “just vibes.”
• Pregnancy nutrition and the “co-creating” concept: why your blood sugar matters
• Glucose throughout life: perimenopause, menopause, and why the same cookie hits differently
• Five takeaways we can use starting today
• Frequently asked questions
• Find Jessie and the books that organize this whole framework

Meet Jessie Inchauspé: how a glucose monitor led to a whole new way of thinking.

How did you become the Glucose Goddess?

Jessie’s origin story is very “science brain.” She studied mathematics and biochemistry, and she describes herself as someone who loves research and studies. The turning point came when she started using a glucose monitor around 2019, before the trend really took off.

She expected the monitor to be about biology. Instead, it connected food with mental health in a way she could measure. Seeing real-time glucose patterns helped her understand how her diet influenced her mind, her energy, her mood, and her daily emotional stability.

That connection sparked her obsession with translating complicated glucose science into simple, actionable habits. She started building graphs from her own monitor data and sharing them even when her account had no followers. Her message was not popular at first, but she kept going because she believed the science mattered.

Why focus on glucose instead of just “carbs” or “diet trends”?

Jessie explains it like this: we have all these nutrition trends, like focusing only on protein, or fat, or fasting, or low-carb. But glucose sits apart because glucose is your body’s energy. Every single cell uses it. Your brain cells use glucose to communicate. Your heart cells use it to pump. Your muscle cells use it to move. Glucose is already running the show every day.

So the question becomes not “Are carbs good or bad?” but “What is our glucose pattern when we eat?”

That is a huge mindset shift. It turns nutrition from a moral test into a measurable physiological problem.

Glucose basics: what it is and why it affects everything

What is glucose, in plain language?

Glucose is a primary source of energy for the body. Jessie emphasizes that every cell uses glucose for energy, which means glucose is not a niche topic. It is foundational.

Whenever we eat, we are deciding what kind of fuel arrives in our bloodstream. That is why food matters.

Where does glucose come from?

We can get glucose through foods called carbohydrates. In Jessie’s framing, carbs include two major categories:

• Starches such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, oats.
• Sugars such as sweets, chocolate cake, fruit juice, and other sweet foods.

So when people say “cut carbs” or “avoid sugar,” Jessie points out the real mechanism: you are changing the glucose delivered to your system.

Is glucose always bad?

No. A little bit of glucose is “perfectly great.” The issue starts when there is too much glucose arriving too quickly, which creates a glucose spike.

Jessie uses a simple analogy: if we give a plant too much water, it can drown and suffer. The body is similar. Too much glucose delivered too fast can create downstream problems.

Why glucose spikes and crashes can wreck your day

What happens when we spike blood sugar?

When we eat a glucose-heavy meal, the body responds. But the pattern matters. A spike can be followed by a crash, and that rise-and-fall can show up as real symptoms.

Jessie lists consequences she connects with glucose spikes:

• Inflammation
• Faster aging
• Fat gain
• Hormone deregulation
• Brain fog
• Mood changes
• Cravings
• Fatigue

And if that sounds dramatic, the lived experience is often familiar. We eat something, we feel fine, then we hit a wall. We get sleepy. We get irritable. We want a repeat performance of the same fuel.

Why do cravings happen after a crash?

Jessie explains that when glucose levels crash, research has shown it can activate the brain’s craving center. In other words, cravings are not always a “preference.” Sometimes, they are a biological response to your glucose pattern.

This is why “just have more willpower” never really works. If your physiology is driving the urge, your brain will argue for cookies.

And it explains the timeline many people report: a morning sugar or refined carb, then fatigue and cravings later. Jessie describes a common scenario: a crash around 10 a.m., then a cravings roller coaster for the rest of the day.

The “healthy breakfast” trap: why sweet mornings can backfire

What is the most powerful breakfast hack for steady glucose?

The single most important hack Jessie recommends is to have a savory breakfast built around protein.

The reason is timing. Breakfast is often the first meal of the day, and it is a moment when many people default to sweet options. If that first meal creates a spike, your day can be influenced before you even know what happened.

In the conversation, Jessie explicitly contrasts a sweet breakfast with a savory one. She also uses a real example that most people recognize: a glass of orange juice (and she highlights the sugar content) can create a glucose spike even though it feels “healthy.”

What counts as a savory breakfast?

Jessie’s framework is practical: build breakfast around protein, and pair it with fiber-rich whole foods when desired.

Examples she gives include:

• Savory protein breakfasts like sausage meat (for example, a sausage roll) or other protein-forward meals.
• Omelet with feta and tomatoes, plus whole fruit like a whole banana.
• Toast with nut butter (protein and healthy fats) and berries.
• Yogurt or kefir plus berries (as a savory breakfast option, when built around protein).

Do we have to give up fruit?

No. Jessie actually says whole fruit is fine when it is within what she calls a savory breakfast.

But she also addresses a misconception: we are taught that fruit is natural, therefore automatically healthy. Jessie agrees we should eat fruits and vegetables. She is not promoting “no fruit.”

Her concern is about how fruit is prepared and consumed.

The truth about fruit juice and why orange juice is a glucose spike machine

Why does orange juice cause problems for blood sugar?

Jessie’s argument is molecule-based, not brand-based.

She points out that a glass of orange juice can contain around 25 grams of sugar, which is the same amount of sugar as in a can of Coca-Cola. That is the key detail because your body does not treat “orange juice sugar” as a special case.

Her explanation is straightforward: your body does not know the difference between sugar from orange juice and sugar from Coca-Cola. It is the same kind of sugar molecules (glucose and fructose together). The body reacts based on glucose availability and spike patterns, not on how “healthy” the label feels.

So yes, orange juice has vitamins. But vitamins do not slow down the conversion of sugars into blood glucose in the way you might assume. Fiber is what changes the pace. When juice removes fiber, you are left with sugar and water.

What changes when we eat whole fruit instead of juice?

Whole fruit contains fiber. Fiber helps blunt the speed of glucose absorption, leading to a smaller glucose spike. Juice removes fiber. So the same “fruit sugar” can behave very differently depending on preparation.

How to enjoy sweet foods without destroying your glucose day

If we love sweet foods, what should we do?

Jessie offers a rule that feels less restrictive than “never.”

Do not eat sugar or carbs on an empty stomach.

Her practical suggestion is:

• Build a meal with protein and vegetables first.
• Then have sweet foods after, so you get a smaller spike.

She says that when sugar or carbs are consumed after other foods instead of alone on an empty stomach, the glucose spike can be smaller. And she frames it as a “do it every time it happens” kind of lever.

Does the rule apply to every meal?

Jessie says it is especially important when you eat something sweet. For meals where you do not eat sugar, it matters less.

In other words, we can still have treats. We just do not let treats lead the meal.

The food order hack: veggies first, carbs last (and why it matters)

What does “eating in the right order” mean?

Jessie describes a simple approach you can do at home without tracking macros, buying special foods, or memorizing complex plans.

When it is easy, we:

1. Start with vegetables
2. Then have protein and fats
3. Finally, eat carbs (and desserts if they are on the plate)

Her claim is that this approach can reduce the glucose spike of a meal by up to 75%, even when the meal contains the same foods. The difference is speed and sequencing.

We might not feel the spike, but the body feels it. A smaller spike means less “up and down” and less of that biological hunger signal later.

Is there a “real life” reason people get hungry later and order dessert?

Jessie talks about a dinner pattern: if bread is served at the beginning of a meal and you eat it on an empty stomach, it can create a spike. Then, about 90 minutes later, your glucose may be crashing. You feel hungry. You feel like you want something sweet.

It becomes easier to justify dessert because your body is literally seeking more glucose.

She jokes that if she owned a restaurant and wanted to maximize profit, she would likely structure service in a way that increases the odds of dessert at that exact moment. But the real point is that this “timing effect” is biological, not random.

Vinegar and acetic acid: an easy way to soften carb spikes

What is the vinegar trick?

Jessie recommends vinegar because it contains a molecule called acetic acid. The idea is not that vinegar cancels carbs. The idea is that it slows how quickly carbs break down into glucose in the stomach.

Her suggested method:

• Have one tablespoon of vinegar in a big glass of water
• Before you eat carbs
• So the glucose spike is reduced by up to 30%

In this framework, we still enjoy the meal. We just soften the glucose curve so the body experiences more “rolling hills” and fewer dramatic mountains.

Is vinegar safe, and how should we take it?

Jessie says vinegar is easy, cheap, and accessible. She also notes an important practical detail: avoid cleaning with vinegar. Use vinegar for cooking or kitchen use.

Also, because vinegar is acidic, she says to dilute it in water so it is gentler on the mouth and teeth.

Movement after meals: why muscles help lower glucose spikes

Why does moving after eating reduce blood sugar spikes?

Jessie explains that one way the body brings down a glucose spike quickly is by using muscles. When muscles contract, they absorb glucose. So if we move after we eat, we can help “use up” the glucose instead of letting it linger and spike harder.

Her suggestion is refreshingly flexible:

• A simple 10-minute walk can be “amazing.”
• If we cannot walk, we can do calf raises at our desk for about 10 minutes.
• She includes house chores too: vacuuming, cleaning, doing dishes, and doing laundry. The point is muscle activity.

She frames the timing as within about 90 minutes of the end of the meal.

Sleep, dinner, and glucose: why night spikes can steal restorative rest

How does glucose relate to sleep?

Jessie points out that when people go to bed after a dinner that causes a big glucose spike, they may get less deep sleep. Deep sleep is the restorative component that helps us feel okay the next day.

So if our goal is better sleep, dinner matters. Doing the hacks at dinner becomes more important than doing them at other times, because the meal can influence how restorative the night is.

Once again, the message is not “starve yourself.” It is “stabilize your glucose in the hours that matter.”

What can we do after lunch if we are busy?

If we are already set for lunch, Jessie still recommends movement after eating. Even light activity can help absorb glucose and lower the spike.

Intermittent fasting and coffee: what to be mindful of

What do you think about intermittent fasting?

Jessie does not reject fasting. She says it is fine if it works for you. But she raises two important considerations.

First: fasting can be a stressor on the female body. If fasting is paired with additional stress (sauna, cold plunge, high-intensity training, coffee, job stress, family demands), it may become too much.

Second: how we break the fast matters. After an overnight fast, the digestive system is empty, so anything we eat can quickly enter the bloodstream. That means breaking the fast with something sweet can still create a spike.

Jessie’s rule: always break your fast with protein or vegetables. Avoid breaking the fast with something sweet.

What if someone wants to drink coffee and delay breakfast?

Jessie says black coffee is fine. Coffee with sugar is the part she advises against. Her suggested upgrade is to add protein powder to coffee so it becomes a “savory breakfast in a cup.”

That way, we are not starting the day with a sugar spike.

GLP-1s: helpful tools, but not magic, and not muscle-friendly by default

What are your thoughts on GLP-1 drugs?

Jessie calls them “very interesting.” In her explanation, GLP-1s act on cells in the intestines (called L-cells) that sense when food arrives. They send signals to the brain saying you are full, and that you can stop eating, sometimes even before you have eaten much.

Her view is nuanced: GLP-1s can help people who are having a very hard time with food and health. She compares the situation to tap water being toxic. In that analogy, you could either try to fix the whole water system (which is hard) or give a tool that reduces harm (less thirsty).

However, she warns against using GLP-1s mindlessly for weight loss trends.

What should we be careful about if we are using GLP-1s?

Jessie emphasizes two main concerns:

• Protein intake becomes even more important. She warns that up to 50% of the weight lost on GLP-1s can be muscle mass.
• Weight regain: studies from manufacturers show many people gain weight back after stopping. Some gain mainly fat back, meaning body composition can get worse.

Her practical guideline for protein is roughly 1.6 grams per kilo of body weight per day, and she pairs that with lifting weights to protect muscle mass.

Her core message is that GLP-1s can be a tool. If we use them, we should also use the fundamentals that help our bodies stay strong.

Blood sugar and mental health: the connection is not “just vibes.”

You mentioned mental health improvements. How did glucose show up in your own experience?

Jessie shares a personal story that gives this topic real stakes. When she was 19, she had an accident that broke her back. She had intense surgery and a physical recovery that she describes as going fairly well because she was young and the doctor was excellent.

But then she developed mental health symptoms that she found terrifying. She describes experiences like looking in the mirror and not recognizing herself, or looking at her hands and feeling like, “Whose hands are these?” She was diagnosed with depersonalization, meaning a feeling of no longer having a sense of self or feeling like a stranger in one’s own body.

For almost 10 years, she did not find solutions. The episodes came and went without obvious triggers.

Then, during a glucose monitor pilot in Silicon Valley, she had a breakfast of a donut. Soon after, she felt depersonalization come on. When she looked at her monitor, she saw a massive glucose spike. She connected the dots: maybe spikes were contributing to her mental symptoms.

She could not prove causation immediately. But as she learned glucose hacks and applied them, her episodes went away. She describes it as a complete resolution. She also describes how her sense of safety returned, including being able to sleep alone, something she previously could not do.

Jessie’s larger point is not that glucose is the only factor in mental health. It is possible that glucose patterns can influence the nervous system, brain function, and mental clarity for some people.

Pregnancy nutrition and the “co-creating” concept: why your blood sugar matters

How does glucose fit into pregnancy?

Jessie’s newer book is called The Nine Months That Count Forever. She frames pregnancy nutrition as not just “supporting the baby” in a vague way, but as co-creating the baby’s development.

She says that parents are often told that whatever the mother eats goes straight to the baby. But the glucose dimension is rarely discussed. Many standard guidelines tell people what to avoid and what not to worry about, rather than giving concrete tools to influence the metabolic environment.

Jessie argues that science has long shown that maternal diet influences outcomes. That includes protein, omega-3s, choline, and glucose levels.

You experienced a miscarriage and then later a term pregnancy. What did you learn from that?

Jessie describes first becoming pregnant after removing a hormonal IUD. She experienced a silent miscarriage at around three months, including surgery. She says people do not talk about silent miscarriage enough.

After that, she got pregnant again. She felt anxious because she worried it might happen again. During the first time, she had advice from clinicians in France that was mostly about avoiding certain behaviors and not stressing. She did not feel like she had “power” in the way she would later through science-based nutrition changes.

In her second pregnancy, which went to term and resulted in a baby now eight months old, she implemented information from studies. She found a big gap between what parents are told and what science knows about nutrition and developmental outcomes.

And she says the food system is often the culprit, not mothers. Many moms are missing critical nutrients and do not realize it.

What are the biggest pregnancy nutrition differences according to your research?

Jessie focuses on three main nutrients that she says many pregnant moms do not get enough of.

1) Choline

Choline supports brain cell development and the chemical messengers between brain cells. Jessie says it builds memory, learning, and attention-related structures.

She recommends aiming for 450 milligrams of choline per day, which she says can equal about four eggs. She notes that organ meats like liver contain high choline, but that liver during pregnancy can be controversial due to vitamin A concerns, so she suggests checking with a doctor if considering liver.

She also emphasizes that a large percentage of pregnant moms worldwide, in developed countries, are missing the bare minimum of choline. She mentions that only a small fraction of healthcare providers talk about choline, and she highlights a statement from a major pediatric organization: failure to provide choline during the first thousand days can result in lifelong brain deficits that cannot be compensated for.

2) Protein

Protein is not only for muscles. Jessie explains that protein contributes to skin collagen and immune system components. She also frames insulin as a protein-based hormone involved in managing blood sugar spikes.

She shares rough targets for pregnancy protein intake:

• First trimester: about 1.2 grams per kilo
• Second and third trimesters: about 1.6 grams per kilo
• Breastfeeding: about 1.9 grams per kilo

She also says studies show many moms fall short of these needs.

3) Glucose stability (the glucose environment)

While protein and choline are “nutrients,” glucose stability is the metabolic environment. Jessie describes pregnancy as a time when your blood sugar patterns matter because they influence development.

So the “glucose hacks” still matter during pregnancy and for the preconception period.

What about vinegar during pregnancy?

Jessie advises using pasteurized vinegar during pregnancy and checking labels.

Do postpartum and breastfeeding change the glucose rules?

She notes that when breastfeeding, nutrient needs increase. She also says that choline in the diet can influence choline in breast milk.

If using a formula, she says to look for a formula that contains choline because not all formulas include it.

Glucose throughout life: perimenopause, menopause, and why the same cookie hits differently

Does glucose change as hormones change?

Yes. Jessie emphasizes that during perimenopause, your hormones change, and your body becomes less adept at managing glucose. That means what used to create a minor spike can create a bigger spike later.

She describes the key cascade: bigger spikes can create more consequences, so the diet that “used to work” may stop working.

That is why perimenopause is a good time to start glucose hacks: they teach steady glucose habits that can reduce symptoms for some people.

Why are glucose hacks an “easy lever”?

Jessie highlights that glucose responds immediately to meal structure. If today we eat the next meal with vegetables first, protein after, and carbs last, we can see an impact right away. We can even verify with a glucose monitor if we want to.

So instead of waiting months for “results,” we can start adjusting in real time.

Five takeaways we can use starting today.

If we want the simplest starting point, Jessie offers five practical hacks that reduce glucose spikes.

1. Have a savory breakfast built around protein. Aim for protein first, not sugar first.
2. When it is easy, eat vegetables first at lunch and dinner.
3. Use your muscles after you eat. Walk or do light activity for about 90 minutes.
4. Use vinegar (pasteurized if pregnant). Take it diluted in water shortly before higher-carb foods.
5. Put “clothing” on your carbs. Do not eat carbs “naked.” Pair them with protein, fat, or fiber. Example: pasta with salmon, spinach, olive oil, and parmesan. Or a cookie paired with almonds or Greek yogurt.

FAQs

Do we have to give up carbs to have steady blood sugar?

No. Jessie’s approach is about keeping glucose levels steady, not about eliminating carbs. We can still eat starches and sugars, but we structure meals to reduce spike speed, especially by eating protein and vegetables first and keeping carbs from being the first thing on an empty stomach.

Is fruit bad for glucose?

Whole fruit is fine. The issue is not the fruit itself, but consuming fruit in a form that removes fiber, like juice. Fiber helps blunt glucose spikes.

Why does breakfast get so much focus?

Because breakfast sets the tone for the day. If a sweet breakfast creates a large spike and then a crash, cravings and fatigue are more likely to follow. A savory, protein-forward breakfast helps stabilize the pattern.

How soon can we expect results from these glucose hacks?

Jessie describes glucose as an “immediate lever.” If we change the order and structure of our meal today, we can often see an impact on glucose patterns right away. Some people confirm this with glucose monitors.

What is the simplest meal order rule we can remember?

Vegetables first, then protein and fats, then carbs (and sweets) last.

Can vinegar really reduce carb spikes?

Jessie says vinegar contains acetic acid that can slow how quickly carbs break down into glucose, reducing the glucose spike by up to about 30% when taken diluted in water before carb-heavy foods.

Is it safe to use vinegar during pregnancy?

Jessie recommends using pasteurized vinegar during pregnancy and checking labels.

What should we do if we use GLP-1s and want better body composition?

Jessie emphasizes prioritizing protein and lifting weights to protect muscle mass, because a significant portion of weight lost on GLP-1s may come from muscle. She also warns that weight can return after stopping medication.

What pregnancy nutrients did you highlight most?

Jessie focused on choline, protein, and glucose stability. She recommends about 450 mg choline daily (often achieved through around four eggs) and outlines protein targets that increase through pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Find Jessie and the books that organize this whole framework

If we want the full science-backed map, Jessie shares her work through her community and two main books. Her glucose science book is Glucose Revolution, which covers how glucose spikes work. For pregnancy, she created The Nine Months That Count Forever, focused on optimizing nutrition before conception, during pregnancy, and beyond.

Her core message is simple and empowering: steadier blood sugar can help us feel better in our bodies and our minds. And we do not have to “be perfect” to start. We just need a few high-leverage habits, done consistently enough to create a new pattern.

If we take one thing today, we can change our next meal. Vegetables first. Protein after. Carbs last. And if we choose something sweet, we choose the timing wisely.

This article was created from the video The ‘Healthy’ Breakfast That’s Secretly Hurting You ft. The Glucose Goddess | SHE MD for Dr. Thais Aliabadi’s website.