With so many diet plans and methods available to us, finding a sustainable way to eat nutritiously can sometimes feel a bit dizzying. This is why, when we first learned about the Glucose Goddess method, we were highly intrigued by the simple and effective way the diet supports overall health and well-being by focusing on one key component: glucose.
Created by Jessie Inchauspé (aka @GlucoseGoddess), the Glucose Goddess method is a diet designed to support and maintain glucose levels, which can impact everything from energy levels to inflammation to cravings and more.
Read on to learn more about the Glucose Goddess Diet, how some of our HUM staffers enjoyed the challenge and all about balancing blood sugar through food.
Glucose is a simple sugar and the primary energy source for our bodies. “When we consume carbohydrates, our digestive system breaks them down into glucose, which gets absorbed in the gut and enters our bloodstream,” Ella Davar, a registered dietitian and certified dietitian Nutritionist, explains. “Insulin, a catabolic hormone, is responsible for regulating blood glucose levels and stores excess glucose in glycogen form in the liver and muscles,” she adds.
Maintaining stable glucose levels is crucial for overall health as high blood glucose levels (which some experience in unmanaged diabetes or high intake of carbohydrate-containing foods) can lead to health complications. According to Davar, some of these health concerns include a loss of insulin sensitivity, diabetes, weight gain, cardiovascular issues, kidney problems, and nerve damage—and diet plays a key role in maintaining glucose levels and keeping these symptoms at bay.
The Glucose Goddess Diet: Understanding the Approach
The Glucose Goddess method focuses on optimizing blood sugar levels through strategic food choices. “By combining foods strategically, it aims to minimize glucose spikes and crashes, leading to more stable energy levels, reduced cravings, and potentially better long-term health outcomes,” says Davar.
There are several reasons why someone might want to try the Glucose Goddess method. Of course, there’s maintaining glucose levels to prevent diabetes and weight management. However, Roxana Ehsani, a registered dietitian nutritionist and board-certified sports dietitian, says those suffering from poor energy might also be inclined to try it since glucose is directly connected to the body’s energy levels.
In her book, The Glucose Goddess Method: The 4-Week Guide to Cutting Cravings, Getting Your Energy Back, and Feeling Amazing, Inchauspé shares a four-week and four-step plan centered around the best glucose hacks for maintaining levels through diet—and we put it to the test to see how the diet transforms our energy levels and healthy habits.
Observations on Blood Sugar Control
The reason why the Glucose Goddess diet is so intriguing is because it essentially biohacks our diet in order to ensure our meals work more efficiently and effectively for our overall health and well-being. Since glucose is directly connected to blood sugar and food impacts our blood sugar levels, the food we eat can significantly affect energy levels, whether they be low, high, or somewhere in between.
“Consuming complex carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats provides a steady source of energy,” says Davar. “These nutrients release glucose into the bloodstream slowly, maintaining stable energy levels.” On the other side of the spectrum, sugary and highly processed foods “can cause rapid spikes and crashes in blood sugar, leading to fluctuations in energy levels, fatigue, and more cravings,” Davar adds.
So, by maintaining blood sugar levels, you not only protect the body against potential health concerns but also help better maintain balanced energy levels and curb cravings.
The Benefits of Food Combining for Glucose Levels
The Glucose Goddess diet involves a method of food combining that allows you to optimize your food and nutrient intake to balance glucose levels and support overall well-being. “Food combining can impact health and blood sugar levels by influencing how the body processes nutrients,” says Davar. For example, eating more fiber-rich foods (such as salad) before carbohydrates can slow the absorption of glucose and lead to more stable blood sugar levels. “This approach is beneficial for managing blood sugar levels and reducing the risk of energy fluctuations and cravings,” Davar explains.
When it comes to food combining and the Glucose Goddess diet, the name of the game is consuming protein, healthy fats, and high-fiber foods before carbohydrates, and doing so can balance energy levels and prevent blood sugar levels from spiking.
Physical and Emotional Well-Being
Since the Glucose Goddess method is designed to balance glucose and blood sugar levels, it can have an impact on your mood. That, plus more energy from a nutrient-rich diet, can support physical and emotional well-being.
Experiencing the highs and lows of blood sugar levels can impact every aspect of life, especially when you feel that inevitably sugar crash—which can significantly impact your mood. By supporting blood sugar levels in a way that feels more sustainable for your body, you can start to feel the positive effects on your mood over time.
The Glucose Goddess Diet Testimonial
After trying the Glucose Goddess method for four weeks, HUM Nutrition team member Cindy noticed some significant changes to her health and well-being. One reason why Cindy was drawn to the Glucose Goddess method is the potential skin benefits. Increased glucose levels can lead to inflammation and spike sebum levels, making skin more susceptible to acne breakouts, eczema flare-ups, and irritation. By the end of the four-week period, Cindy saw changes in her overall skin health. Her eczema still flared up, but wasn’t as severe as previously experienced. Additionally, she didn’t see as much redness on her complexion and experienced fewer breakouts, too.
Although she didn’t experience noticeable weight loss in this four-week period, Cindy found that her energy levels were excellent, and she felt more awake with no brain fog in the mornings. Additionally, she noticed much less sugar cravings. “If I did want a specific thing, I could look at a sweet and not want it,” she explained at her end-of-the-month check-in. “We consistently had sweets in the house, and if they were sitting there for too long, I would throw them away as I felt having them in the house was unnecessary.”
Long-Term Outlook and Sustainable Changes
The Glucose Goddess diet is all about turning glucose hacks into habits for more balanced blood sugar levels. While that doesn’t mean you have to follow the diet strictly for the rest of your life, incorporating some of the habits in a way that feels sustainable can continue to have a lasting impact on health.
First, you can stick with food combining and ensure you eat greens and fiber first for optimal results. Part of the Glucose Goddess method also involves drinking a glass of water with a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar before eating to prevent blood sugar spikes, which can easily be continued after the four-week period. Going for a walk or moving your body in some way after eating can also keep blood sugar spikes at bay and is beneficial and sustainable from a long-term perspective.
Overall, the Glucose Goddess diet is worth considering if you experience fluctuating energy and want to support more balanced blood sugar levels for optimal health. We love this diet approach because it focuses on nourishing the body with a variety of whole foods while also teaching you how to biohack your way to improved energy and balanced glucose levels through habits like food combining, drinking vinegar before eating, and moving the body after a meal. While the initial four-week investment can be an adjustment, the diet boasts sustainable parameters that allow you to nourish your body while also living your life.
