The Glucose Revolution: Unlocking Youthful Energy and Vibrant Health
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Introduction
Today, we’re diving into the secrets of youthfulness and vitality with a groundbreaking book called “Glucose Revolution” by Jessie Inchauspé. As we get older, we all strive to maintain our health and radiance, and this book offers a fresh perspective on achieving just that. Join us as we explore the main points from this empowering read and uncover actionable tips you can implement today.
Dietary science is making significant progress. For many years, people wrongly focused on reducing fat and calories, but we now understand that the real culprits are the foods that disrupt our blood sugar levels.
In her clear and empathetic writing style, biochemist Jessie Inchauspé explains why blood sugar spikes are detrimental to our health and how we can flatten them to improve our well-being.
Through extensive research and numerous experiments, where she wore a continuous glucose monitor, Jessie has identified ten simple and surprising hacks that can be easily incorporated into our daily lives.
By the end of this audiobook, you will gain an understanding of how food affects your body. You will learn which breakfast choices may trigger cravings, the ideal order to eat your food, what to avoid on an empty stomach, which foods contribute to mood swings, and how to prevent feeling drowsy at three PM. You will transform your eating habits, take control of your health, and experience a flourishing life.
"Glucose Revolution" highlights
The Glucose Connection
In “Glucose Revolution,” Inchauspé reveals the vital role that glucose plays in our bodies. Contrary to popular belief, glucose is not the enemy but rather an essential fuel that fuels our cells and provides us with energy. By understanding how glucose is processed in our bodies, we can make informed choices about our nutrition and lifestyle.
The Glycemic Index Demystified
The book delves into the concept of the glycemic index (GI), which measures how quickly carbohydrates are broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream. Inchauspé emphasises the importance of choosing low GI foods that provide a steady supply of energy and prevent blood sugar spikes. By incorporating more low GI foods into our diets, we can maintain stable energy levels, improve weight management, and support overall health.
Poke bowl - an example of balanced macronutrients
Balancing Blood Sugar Levels
“Glucose Revolution” talks about the significance of maintaining stable blood sugar levels throughout the day. Inchauspé offers practical advice on how to achieve this, including eating balanced meals and snacks that combine carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. By stabilising our blood sugar, we can reduce cravings, maintain focus, and avoid energy crashes.
Exercise and Glucose Utilisation
Regular physical activity is a cornerstone of youthful energy and overall health. Inchauspé highlights the positive impact of exercise on glucose utilisation and insulin sensitivity. By incorporating both cardiovascular exercises and strength training into our routines, we can optimise our body’s ability to utilise glucose efficiently and support a healthy metabolism.
How exercise contributes to health & vitality
Lifestyle Factors and Longevity
In addition to nutrition and exercise, “Glucose Revolution” explores various lifestyle factors that impact our glucose levels and overall wellbeing. The book touches on stress management techniques, the importance of quality sleep, and the significance of staying adequately hydrated. By addressing these factors, we can unlock the secret to maintaining youthful energy and vibrant health well into our 30s, 40s, and beyond.
Diary of a CEO
Steven Bartlett interviews Jessie Inchauspé on his podcast, Diary of a CEO, about her book “Glucose Revolution”.
Top #7 tips on how to be healthier
- Drink vinegar before meals: Admittedly, this sounds like an odd one but a study has shown that drinking a tablespoon of vinegar in a glass of water before a meal can help with weight loss. She recommends apple cider vinegar.
- Opt for whole, unprocessed foods: Choose low GI foods such as whole grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables to provide your body with sustained energy. Below we give suggested recipes for low GI meals throughout your day.
- Balance and order your meals: Aim to include a combination of carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats in each meal to support stable blood sugar levels but, more importantly, start meals with greens and salads, such as having a plate of steamed broccoli before your dinner. She also recommends going for a savoury breakfast, again to avoid sugar spikes.
- Exercise after eating: Engage in regular exercise that combines cardiovascular activities like brisk walking or cycling with strength training exercises to optimise glucose utilisation. She suggests exercising after eating to reduce blood sugar spikes – a short walk or even just 30 squats. Check out our blog article Walking: can it contribute to greater life expectancy?
- Manage stress: Incorporate stress management techniques like meditation, deep breathing exercises, or engaging in activities you enjoy to reduce cortisol levels and support stable blood sugar. Check out our blog article Is anxiety making you look older? Find out how to stop it!
- Prioritise sleep and hydration: Aim for 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night and stay adequately hydrated throughout the day to support overall health and glucose regulation. check out our blog article Sleep Soundly, Age Gracefully: The Role of Melatonin in Healthy Aging
- Choose healthy snacks: If you like to nibble in between meals, make sure you have a stock of healthy snacks, which could include slices of apple with peanut butter, carrot sticks with hummus or 90% dark chocolate.
Importance of sleep for health & vitality
How to manage your macronutrients
According to Inchauspé, the key is to prioritise our macronutrients in a strategic manner. Here’s the breakdown:
# Macronutrient 1: fibre
First up, we have fibre! This should be at the top of your list when it comes to macronutrient intake. Fibre, found in glorious plant-based foods, is a carbohydrate that can’t be fully digested by our bodies. It’s a powerhouse for digestive health, blood sugar regulation, and keeping us feeling full and satisfied. Load up on fibre-rich goodies like fruits, veggies, whole grains, and legumes, and you’ll be off to a fantastic start.
# Macronutrient 2: protein
Next in line is protein: this macronutrient is absolutely crucial for repairing tissues, building muscles, and producing those important hormones. Whether you opt for lean meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy, legumes, or plant-based alternatives like tofu or tempeh, make sure you’re getting enough protein to keep those muscles strong, maintain satiety, and support various bodily functions.
High protein foods
# Macronutrient 3: healthy fats
Moving along, let’s give a shout-out to healthy fats! These babies are essential for heart health, brain function, and absorbing important nutrients. Think avocados, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish, and oh-so-delicious natural nut butters. Incorporating healthy fats into your meals will not only provide a sense of satisfaction but also contribute to your overall wellbeing. Don’t be afraid to embrace these healthy sources of fat!
# Macronutrient 4: low glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates
Last but certainly not least, carbohydrates come into play. Now, before you get too excited, we’re talking about the right kind of carbs here. Inchauspé recommends opting for low glycemic index (GI) carbohydrates. These are the ones that are slow to digest, releasing glucose into the bloodstream gradually and keeping our energy levels steady. Whole grains, legumes, non-starchy veggies, and certain fruits are your go-to choices here.
By following this strategic order of macronutrient consumption, starting with fibre, moving to protein, embracing healthy fats, and finally considering low GI carbohydrates, you’ll create balanced meals that not only keep your blood sugar in check but also leave you feeling satisfied and energised throughout the day.
Apparently, the most important change you can make is to eat each of your meals in this order: vegetables first, then proteins and fat, and lastly starches and sugars, including fruits. For example, you could start with a salad, then the meat, and finally some sweet potatoes.
What are low GI meal examples?
As discussed above, low GI foods play a crucial role in maintaining stable blood sugar levels, promoting sustained energy, and supporting overall health. These foods are slowly digested and absorbed, resulting in a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. Let’s explore some examples of low GI foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
To be honest, the low GI meals are very similar to the meals we recommend for a diet high in protein – they tend to have a high protein content and use only healthy carbs, that have slow energy release and good nutrition. For example, quinoa and potatoes are carbs but both are slow release and have good nutrition content.
Check out our article The Ultimate Guide to Adding More Protein into Your Diet Without Relying on Chicken
Low GI breakfast recipes
Breakfast: here are two options
- Overnight Oats: Start your day with a delicious and nutritious bowl of overnight oats. Combine rolled oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and a touch of sweetener (like stevia or maple syrup). Add toppings such as fresh berries, chopped nuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon for added flavor.
- Veggie Omelette: Whisk together eggs, diced bell peppers, spinach, and a sprinkle of feta cheese. Cook the omelette in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil until set. Serve with a side of avocado slices and whole-grain toast.
Overnight oats with nuts and berries
Low GI lunch recipe
Air Fryer Chicken Quinoa Bowl
Ingredients:
- Boneless, skinless chicken breast
- Cooked quinoa
- Mixed vegetables (e.g. broccoli, bell peppers, carrots)
- Olive oil
- Garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper for seasoning
Instructions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C.
- Toss the chicken breast with olive oil and seasonings. Place it in the air fryer basket and cook for 15-18 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, mix cooked quinoa and mixed vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil and seasonings.
- Once the chicken is cooked, slice it and serve it on top of the quinoa and vegetable mixture. Enjoy a tasty and low GI lunch!
Air-fryed chicken with quinoa & veg
Low GI dinner recipe
Air Fryer Salmon with Roasted Vegetables
Ingredients:
- Salmon fillets
- Assorted vegetables (e.g. brussels sprouts, courgette, cherry tomatoes)
- Olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Dried herbs (such as dill, thyme, or rosemary)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
- Toss the vegetables with olive oil, lemon juice, dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Place the seasoned vegetables in the air fryer basket and cook for 12-15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for even cooking.
- While the vegetables cook, season the salmon fillets with olive oil, lemon juice, dried herbs, salt, and pepper.
- Once the vegetables are almost done, add the seasoned salmon fillets to the air fryer basket, skin side down, and cook for an additional 8-10 minutes or until the salmon is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.
- Serve the air-fried salmon alongside the roasted vegetables for a satisfying and low GI dinner option.
Which are the best air fryers?
Air fryers are very much in vogue at the moment and there are good reasons why. They are so easy and quick to use, the produce healthy, oil-free foods, and air fried food tastes great!
Below we give an overview of two of our favourite air fryers!
Air Fryer Oven
The Uten Air Fryer Oven is a convenient kitchen tool that helps users cook healthier and delicious meals with little to no oil. With its 5.5L fryer basket, this air fryer is perfect for small families or individuals.
The air fryer operates with the latest rapid air technology, which allows for frying, grilling, baking, roasting, steaming, and food dehydration all in one machine. The adjustable temperature setting and auto-switch off timer (0-60 mins) help users to cook their food with little to no oil in a variety of ways.
Made of high-quality food grade stainless steel, the Uten Air Fryer Oven is free of chemical coating, PFOA-free, and BPA-free, making it a safe and healthy kitchen tool.
It is easy to use and cooks everything perfectly, from steaks, chicken, and fish to turbo charged roast potatoes.
Ninja Foodi Air Fryer
The Ninja Foodi Dual Zone Digital Air Fryer AF300UK is an innovative kitchen appliance that offers numerous features and functions for efficient cooking. With 2 independent cooking zones, users can cook different foods simultaneously and have them ready at the same time.
It has a 7.6L capacity and 6 cooking functions including Air Fry, Max Crisp, Roast, Bake, Reheat, and Dehydrate. The air fry function, in particular, can reduce up to 75% of fat compared to traditional frying methods.
The Ninja Foodi AF300UK also comes with two 3.8L cooking drawers, crisper plates, and a recipe guide. It has a wattage of 2400W and is made of aluminium and plastic materials.
The dual zone cooking allows different foods to be cooked with different programs at the same time. The sync button, which duplicates the settings of one cooking zone to the other, is a feature that is particularly helpful.
Conclusion
“Glucose Revolution” by Jessie Inchauspé is a great book and provides some interesting new insights. Let’s face it, a lot of it is information we already knew but we still think it is well worth a read, or even a listen to the interview with Steven Bartlett in the video above, because anything that encourages us to create healthy daily habits can potentially add to the quality our lives, improve how we look and extend our longevity.
There is also some new information that could be relatively easy to build into your routine – like eating a savoury breakfast, starting dinner with a salad, allowing yourself to have snacks but making them healthy, and drinking vinegar before each meal. Having a glass of diluted vinegar before each meal doesn’t sound like fun but if its has been shown to help with weight loss, why not try it!
According to Healthline.com, the low GI diet may help with weight loss, reduce blood sugar levels, and lower the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes. However, you need to consider the balance of the other macronutrients, protein, fat and fibre. You also need to be wary of foods like ice cream that have a low GI rating but actually aren’t so healthy.
Would you be interested in reading a book like “Glucose Revolution”? What do you think about low GI foods and low GI meals? Do you just prefer to eat the foods you like or do you try to balance your macronutrients?