Should I eat the rice first or drink the soup first? What you eat first makes a big difference

When it comes to nutrition and health, the first thing that comes to mind is "what to eat" and "how much to eat". The dietary guidelines recommend that we should eat 12 kinds of food every day, and the food pyramid also lists the recommended types and quantities of food.

However, with so many foods, should we eat staple food first or meat first, or meat first or vegetables first? What effects will different eating orders have on the body? In which order is it healthier to eat?

01

What effect does the order of eating have on the body?

The order in which we eat can have a significant impact on our post-meal blood sugar levels.

A study by Weill Cornell Medical College in the United States found that diabetic patients should save staple foods such as rice and noodles for last when eating, as this is more conducive to controlling blood sugar[1].

The researchers selected 16 patients with type 2 diabetes and asked them to eat the same meal at different times, including bread, potatoes, pasta, chicken and salad, but in a different order. The results showed that those who left staple foods such as bread, potatoes and pasta for last had the best blood sugar levels after meals.

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If the main meal was eaten last, post-meal blood sugar levels were about 50% lower than when the main meal was eaten first, and 40% lower than when all the food was mixed together . Following this eating order, the participants needed 25% less insulin to control their blood sugar.

Clinical studies in my country have also found similar results [2]. Eating vegetables first, then protein and fat foods, and finally carbohydrate staple foods can better maintain postprandial blood sugar levels.

The main reason for this is that doing so allows our body's digestive system to digest the fibrous vegetables first, increasing the feeling of fullness and preventing the patient from absorbing too much blood sugar in the intestines[3][4].

In general, eating vegetables first, then protein and fat, and finally carbohydrates with high glycemic response is the best way to control postprandial blood sugar and is also helpful for weight control . This is the correct order currently recommended.

For ordinary people, eating vegetables first can increase satiety and help reduce calorie intake, which is helpful in controlling weight and preventing obesity and cardiovascular disease.

02

Who can eat like this?

The eating order of "eating vegetarian dishes first, then meat dishes, and finally staple food" is particularly suitable for two types of people:

Diabetics and people with high blood sugar levels

The order of eating is very important for diabetics and people with high blood sugar. You can eat in this order at ordinary times. You can also drink some soup before the meal, then eat vegetables, fish and meat dishes, and finally eat staple food. For diabetics, it is easier to control blood sugar after meals by "adjusting the order of eating" . In addition to helping control blood sugar, it also improves some other indicators, such as weight, waist circumference, blood lipids, etc.

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People who want to control their weight

Whether you want to lose weight or control yourself from gaining weight, this method is more suitable for you.

When eating, give priority to high-fiber foods, such as vegetables, fungi, fruits, whole grains, etc., which can make people feel better when full. Eating meat, fish and shrimp afterwards can help reduce total energy intake .

However, we need to remind everyone that it does not mean that everyone should have a fixed eating order. Different people should adjust their eating habits according to their own needs . For example, if you have poor digestion or feel full in the stomach, or even suffer from chronic atrophic gastritis or gastric ulcer, then there is no need to eat in this way. Instead, you should give priority to eating foods that are easy to digest and absorb.

03

To be healthy and slim, it is important to do these 4 things

The key to losing weight is to control the balance of energy income and expenditure.

For most people, the most basic thing is to control your diet and exercise - don't eat too much, and exercise more when you have time. When a reasonable diet and exercise plan are used together, they can better help us control our weight. It is recommended that you pay attention to the following:

1) Eat in moderation, don’t overeat

This is the most basic point, which is equivalent to avoiding excessive energy intake from the source. If you want to maintain a healthy weight, you should not eat too much, eat less appropriately, and not eat too much meat and fish.

2) Eat a variety of foods and pay attention to dietary balance

The dietary guidelines recommend that we eat 12 kinds of food every day and 25 kinds of food every week to maintain food diversity and balanced diet. Therefore, we should prepare more ingredients every day and try to have a rich variety of food such as vegetables, fruit staple foods and meat .

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3) Eat light food instead of heavy flavors

If you eat too much greasy food, too sweet food, and too high calories, you will gain weight easily; if you eat too much salty food, it will taste good and your appetite will be good, which is not only not conducive to weight loss, but also not conducive to cardiovascular health. Therefore, try to eat lighter food, and don't eat stir-fry, deep-fry, dry pan, and other oily and salty foods for dinner .

4) Moderate exercise

Only exercise can consume excess energy and prevent it from being stored as fat in the human body.

It is recommended that you do not sit still for long periods of time when working at a desk in the office, studying at school, or after meals. Get up and walk around every half an hour. In addition, you may wish to adhere to daily physical activities, perform moderate-intensity physical activities at least 5 days a week, and accumulate more than 150 minutes; active physical activities are best to be 6,000 steps a day.

For example, you can do some light physical activity, such as taking a walk, one hour after lunch; reduce sedentary time when working or studying, and get up and move around every hour; in addition, you can try resistance muscle training 2-3 times a week.

References:

[1] Shukla AP, Dickison M, Coughlin N, Karan A, Mauer E, Truong W, Casper A, Emiliano AB, Kumar RB, Saunders KH, Igel LI, Aronne LJ. The impact of food order on postprandial glycaemic excursions in prediabetes. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2019 Feb;21(2):377-381. doi: 10.1111/dom.13503. Epub 2018 Sep 10. PMID: 30101510; PMCID: PMC7398578.

[2] Fan Xuejuan, Liao Yujuan, Song Renhuan, Zhao Yurong. Effects of changing the order of food intake on blood glucose levels in elderly patients with diabetes[J]. New World of Diabetes, 2022, 25(07): 42-45.

[3] Li Yao. Study on the effects of different dietary orders on patients with prediabetes[D]. Shanxi Medical University, 2019.

[4] Sun Yuan. Effect of carbohydrate intake order on blood glucose in diabetic patients[D]. Qingdao University, 2017.

[5] Chinese Food Composition Table (Standard Edition), 2019.

[6] Sun L, Ranawana DV, Leow MK-S, Henry CJ. Effect of chicken, fat and vegetable on glycaemia and insulinaemia to a white rice-based meal in healthy adults. European Journal of Nutrition, 2014; 53:1719e26.

[7] Sun L, Goh HJ Govindharajulu P, et al. Postprandial glucose, insulin and incretin responses differ by test meal macronutrient ingestion sequence (PATTERN study)[J]. Clinical Nutrition, 2020, 39(3), 950-957.

[8] Imai S, Fukui M, Kajiyama S. Effect of eating vegetables before carbohydrates on glucose excursions in patients with type 2 diabetes[J]. Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition, 2014, 54(1): 7-11.

[9] Chinese Medical Association Diabetes Branch. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes in China (2017 edition) [J]. Chinese Journal of Diabetes, Chinese Journal of Practical Internal Medicine, 2018, 38(04), 292-344.

[10]Shukla AP, Mauer E, Igel LI, Truong W, Casper A, Kumar RB, Saunders KH, Aronne LJ. Effect of Food Order on Ghrelin Suppression. Diabetes Care. 2018 May;41(5):e76-e77. doi: 10.2337/dc17-2244. Epub 2018 Feb 27. PMID: 29487079.[11]Shukla AP, Iliescu RG, Thomas CE, Aronne LJ. Food Order Has a Significant Impact on Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Levels. Diabetes Care. 2015. Jul;38(7):e98-9. doi: 10.2337/dc15-0429. PMID: 26106234; PMCID: PMC4876745.[12] Cao Xiaoting. Investigation of dietary factors and preliminary study of intestinal flora in patients with type 2 diabetes and greasy tongue coating[D]. Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2021.DOI:10.27368/d.cnki.gtzyy.2021.000009.

[13] Li Yao. Study on the effects of different dietary orders on patients with prediabetes[D]. Shanxi Medical University, 2019.

[14] Sun Yuan. Effect of carbohydrate intake order on blood glucose in diabetic patients[D]. Qingdao University, 2017.

[15] Fan Xuejuan, Liao Yujuan, Song Renhuan, Zhao Yurong. Effects of changing the order of food intake on blood glucose levels in elderly patients with diabetes [J]. New World of Diabetes, 2022, 25(07): 42-45.

Author: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of the Science and Technology Department of the Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Review｜Han Hongwei, Researcher at the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center

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