The way we eat our meals can play a big role in helping with glucose and blood sugar management. According to the US CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), it is important to keep blood sugar levels in a healthy target range as much as possible "to help prevent or delay long-term, serious health problems, such as heart disease, vision loss, and kidney disease. Staying in your target range can also help improve your energy and mood." Jessie Inchauspe, a French biochemist and NYT bestselling author, recently shared a simple and easy hack to aid in better blood glucose management. She called it the "Veggie Starter Hack," which involves having a plate of vegetables at the beginning of a meal. She shared this hack on a popular podcast called 'The School of Greatness' by New York Times best-selling author Lewis Howes.
Different Traditions of Eating Pre-Meal Veggies Around the World
In the podcast, Inchauspe noted that the concept of eating veggies before a meal "has been done for a long time" in several cultures. She explains, "In France, we have this concept called 'crudite,' which is raw veggies at the beginning of a meal." Crudites are French appetizers consisting of a platter of sliced raw vegetables like celery sticks, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, bell pepper strips, broccoli, cauliflower, radish, fennel, baby corn, and asparagus spears. These veggies are typically dipped in a vinaigrette.
The expert notes that a similar concept works in Italy called antipasti. Antipasto (plural antipasti) is the traditional first course or appetiser of a formal Italian meal. An antipasto platter usually includes roasted or grilled vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, mushrooms, olives, and cherry tomatoes. Along with the veggies, this platter can also include some cured or smoked meats and cheese.
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In the podcast, Inchauspe continued, "In the Middle East, herbs by the bunch are eaten at the beginning of a meal. Also, eating that salad with vinaigrette is quite a common way to start a meal and now we understand why."
Why Eating Veggies Before A Meal Is Healthy For You
"Veggies contain an amazing substance called fibre. When you have fibre-rich vegetables at the beginning of a meal, the fibre has time to go and coat your upper intestine and to create a sort of protective shield, like a superhero deploying herself on the walls of your upper intestine," the biochemist explains. "It's a sort of gooey, viscous mesh that is improving your gut lining. And then any glucose coming down (into your stomach) afterwards will not be able to get through to your bloodstream as quickly."
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Eating fibre-rich veggies first can help slow the absorption of carbs from the rest of your meal and the release of sugar into the blood. This will also prevent sudden blood sugar spikes and falls, which can cause lethargy and hunger in the short term and other health complications if not taken care of in the long term.