In a 2015 Weill Cornell pilot study of 11 adults with type 2 diabetes, eating the vegetables and protein of a meal 15 minutes before the carbohydrate lowered blood sugar by 29% at 30 minutes, 37% at 60 minutes and 17% at 120 minutes, compared with eating the carbohydrate first. The meal was identical both times.
Most advice about blood sugar is about what to eat and how much. A research group at Weill Cornell Medical College asked a different question: with the same food on the plate, does the order you eat it in change anything?
What the study did
Eleven adults with type 2 diabetes, all with overweight or obesity and all taking a common oral diabetes medication, ate the same meal on two mornings a week apart. The meal was grilled chicken breast, a lettuce and tomato salad with vinaigrette, steamed broccoli with butter, ciabatta bread and orange juice.
- Visit one: bread and juice first, then the chicken and vegetables 15 minutes later
- Visit two: chicken and vegetables first, then the bread and juice 15 minutes later
Blood sugar and insulin were measured before the meal and at 30, 60 and 120 minutes.
What it found
When the carbohydrate came last, blood sugar was lower at every time point:
- 29% lower at 30 minutes
- 37% lower at 60 minutes
- 17% lower at 120 minutes
Insulin levels at one and two hours were also significantly lower, so the body needed less insulin to handle the same meal.
Why order could matter
Fiber, protein and fat slow the rate at which the stomach empties. When they arrive first, the carbohydrate that follows is absorbed more gradually, and the rise in blood sugar is flatter.
How to try it
- Start with the salad or cooked vegetables and the protein
- Leave bread, rice, pasta or potatoes for the second half of the meal
- At restaurants, ask for the bread basket to come with the main course
- Have fruit or dessert at the end of a meal, not alone on an empty stomach
Responses to food vary from person to person. Our article on why the same food produces different blood sugar responses explains why.
When to talk with a clinician
If you take insulin or medication that can cause low blood sugar, talk with your clinician before changing how you eat.
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own health.
References
- Shukla AP, Iliescu RG, Thomas CE, Aronne LJ. Food Order Has a Significant Impact on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels. Diabetes Care. 2015;38(7):e98-e99. Source
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