Eat Carbs After Protein and Fat
Most of us think about what we eat. But there is growing evidence that the order in which we eat our food may matter too.
Studies have found that eating protein, fat, and vegetables before carbohydrate-rich foods can reduce the rise in blood sugar after a meal. The effect has been seen particularly in people with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, although studies in people without diabetes have also found lower glucose spikes.
Try Changing the Order
Suppose dinner includes salad, chicken, and potatoes.
Instead of starting with the potatoes, try:
Vegetables first.
Protein and fat next.
Potatoes, bread, rice, or other concentrated carbohydrates last.
You don't necessarily have to change what is on your plate—just the order in which you eat it.
Why Might It Work?
Protein, fat, and fiber can slow digestion and the movement of food from the stomach into the intestine. As a result, carbohydrates eaten later may enter the bloodstream more gradually.
In a small study of people with type 2 diabetes, eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates produced substantially smaller rises in blood glucose than eating the carbohydrates first.
A systematic review of 11 studies reached a similar conclusion: eating carbohydrates last tended to reduce post-meal glucose and insulin excursions, although much of the research has examined short-term effects rather than long-term health outcomes.
Don't Forget What You Eat
Food order isn't a license to eat unlimited carbohydrates or sweets. The amount and type of carbohydrate still matter.
But if you're already eating a meal containing vegetables, protein, fat, and carbohydrates, changing the sequence is an unusually simple experiment.
If you use a continuous glucose monitor, you can even try the same meal on different days and see whether food order makes a difference for you.
Bottom Line
When a meal contains carbohydrates, consider eating the vegetables, protein, and fat first—and the carbohydrate-rich foods last.
It costs nothing, requires no special food, and may help reduce the blood-sugar spike after a meal.
Learn More
A small study of adults with type 2 diabetes found that eating vegetables and protein before carbohydrates substantially reduced the rise in blood glucose and insulin after the meal.
A systematic review of studies examining the effects of food order. Eating carbohydrate-rich foods later in a meal generally reduced post-meal glucose and insulin responses, although evidence about long-term health benefits remains limited.