Jessie Inchauspé: What Sugar Is Really Doing to Women (Especially During Pregnancy)

Summary

Jessie Inchauspé (“Glucose Goddess”), a biochemist and author, discusses how food choices may affect blood-glucose patterns, energy, cravings, mood, and pregnancy. Her central message is to use practical habits to moderate glucose rises—not to ban favorite foods. Several health claims and recommendations are presented by Jessie in the conversation; pregnancy nutrition should be discussed with a qualified clinician.

Glucose-management strategies discussed

• Change the order of a meal: Start with vegetables, then eat protein and fats, and have starchy foods afterward. Jessie says the fiber in vegetables can slow carbohydrate absorption.
• Pair sweets and carbohydrates with other foods: Combine them with protein, fat, or fiber—for example, almonds with a doughnut or peanut butter with a banana. She recommends having a treat after a meal rather than making it the first food of the day.
• Choose a savory, protein-rich breakfast: Jessie favors options such as eggs over sweet cereals, sugary coffee, and energy drinks.
• Move after eating: A walk or other light activity is offered as a way to use glucose after a meal. She also notes that intense exercise itself can raise glucose as the body supplies energy to working muscles.
• Plan balanced pre-workout food: Jessie suggests protein with whole fruit, such as peanut butter and a banana, before weight training.
• Use vinegar selectively: She claims a tablespoon of vinegar in water before a carbohydrate-rich meal may reduce the glucose rise. She advises against giving vinegar to children.
• Favor whole fruit over juice or all-fruit smoothies: She says whole fruit retains fiber, while juicing or blending can make it easier to consume a large amount of sugar quickly. For smoothies, she suggests adding protein and fat, such as protein powder, milk, or nut butter.
• Build meals around vegetables and protein: Her example dinner starts with a vegetable dish, followed by protein, then pasta. For children, she suggests putting raw vegetables out while dinner is being prepared and pairing treats with a protein-, fat-, or fiber-containing food.
• Don’t assume “natural,” “unrefined,” or “vegan” means low in sugar or automatically healthy: Jessie specifically cautions that honey, coconut sugar, fruit juice, and some vegan products can still be sugary. She distinguishes whole fruit from juice and recommends checking ingredients.
• Use glucose monitoring as an optional experiment: Jessie wears a continuous glucose monitor much of the time and uses its readings to observe her responses to food and activity. The discussion presents monitoring as a way to gather personal data, not as a requirement for everyone.
• Plan ahead when healthy food is less convenient: Jessie contrasts shopping for fresh ingredients frequently in Paris with the expense and planning she experiences in the U.S. She says she considers grocery access and meal options when traveling for work.

Pregnancy and children

Jessie argues that pregnancy nutrition matters to fetal development and challenges three ideas she calls myths: that the pregnant person is merely an “oven,” that a baby will always get every nutrient it needs regardless of the mother’s diet, and that pregnancy means “eating for two.”

She identifies four priorities from her own framework:

• Choline, found in foods such as eggs, meat, and fish.
• Protein, with Jessie citing a target of at least 1.5 grams per kilogram of body weight per day in the second and third trimesters.
• Omega-3 DHA, which she describes as important for brain development.
• Managing large glucose rises, while still allowing occasional treats through meal pairing and timing.

For children, she recommends a protein-rich savory breakfast, vegetables before meals, and whole fruit instead of fruit juice. These are Jessie’s recommendations; the episode does not provide individualized medical guidance.

Mood, stress, and personal experience

Jessie says a glucose monitor helped her notice that a doughnut breakfast coincided with a severe glucose rise and an episode of depersonalization. She describes this as part of her personal recovery story, not proof that glucose explains everyone’s mental-health symptoms. She also mentions research linking frequent glucose spikes with depression and anxiety symptoms.

In describing her recovery, Jessie says she used EMDR and somatic therapy, including craniosacral therapy. She also developed self-directed practices such as lying on the floor, doing yoga, moving, and making sounds to release stress. These experiences are presented as personal and anecdotal.

Other points raised

• Jessie says a glucose-stabilizing approach is not meant to forbid favorite foods; it is meant to make eating them more intentional.
• On vegan diets, she advises getting adequate protein and omega-3s and not equating a vegan label with overall healthfulness. She says pregnancy may require particular attention to nutrients and supplements.
• On GLP-1 medications, she acknowledges their potential to help with weight loss but emphasizes maintaining muscle through adequate protein. She argues that medication does not address the food environment.
• She presents weight loss as a possible secondary outcome of steadier glucose and fewer cravings, rather than the main purpose of her approach.

Presenters and sources

• Presenters: Jessie Inchauspé, Lauryn Bosstick, and Michael Bosstick.
• Sources and authorities mentioned: Jessie’s research and unnamed studies; the World Health Organization; the American Academy of Pediatrics; Sandy, the hosts’ trainer; and Jessie’s book, Nine Months That Count Forever.
• Note: The episode also contains promotional segments for products and services; those ads are not treated here as evidence for the health claims.