Food order can shift short-term blood sugar and insulin responses after a meal

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A report says the order in which foods are eaten can affect short-term blood sugar and insulin responses after a meal. Eating low-glycemic vegetables before carbohydrate-rich foods may help limit post-meal blood sugar rises, with potential relevance for people with type 2 diabetes.

Eating the components of a meal in a specific order is the principle of meal sequencing. For example, foods with a low glycemic index, especially vegetables or salad, are eaten first, followed by carbohydrate-rich foods with a higher glycemic index, such as bread, rice, potatoes or pasta. This sequence is intended to limit the rise in blood sugar after eating and, according to experts in health and nutrition, could also be relevant for people with type 2 diabetes.