Jessie Inchauspé: 90% of Pregnant People Are Missing THIS Nutrient (Follow THIS Simple Diet To Reduce Glucose Spikes & Protect Your Baby’s Brain & Metabolism)

Summary of Jessie Inchauspé: 90% of Pregnant People Are Missing THIS Nutrient (Follow THIS Simple Diet To Reduce Glucose Spikes & Protect Your Baby’s Brain & Metabolism)

by iHeartPodcasts

1h 12m•February 23, 2026
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Overview of On Purpose — Jessie Inchauspé episode

This episode features biochemist and bestselling author Jessie Inchauspé (the "Glucose Goddess") returning to Jay Shetty’s On Purpose to discuss her new book Nine Months That Count Forever: How Your Pregnancy Diet Shapes Your Baby’s Future. Jessie summarizes decades of research linking pregnancy diet to lifelong metabolic, brain, and disease risks for offspring, explains four high-impact nutrients, shares practical, science-backed hacks to reduce glucose spikes during pregnancy, and opens up about her own miscarriage and pregnancy experience.

Key takeaways

  • Pregnancy is not passive: the nutrients a mother consumes co-create the developing baby via epigenetic programming — diet can influence metabolism, brain cell number, inflammation, and disease vulnerability for life.
  • Four nutrients have outsized effects during pregnancy: glucose (blood sugar control), choline, protein, and omega‑3s (DHA).
  • Most modern diets fail pregnant people: Jessie cites that large percentages of moms are deficient in choline (~90%), protein (~70%), and omega‑3s (~75%), while many consume far more sugar than recommended.
  • Practical, simple actions (food choices + small behavioral hacks) can meaningfully reduce fetal exposure to harmful glucose spikes and improve nutrient delivery to the fetus.
  • Pregnancy grief and miscarriage are common and under-discussed — nutrition can help but many causes of miscarriage are out of individual control.

The four core nutrients and why they matter

  • Glucose (blood sugar)
    • Excess maternal glucose and repeated glucose spikes increase fetal inflammation, program the baby’s genes toward fat storage and diabetes risk, and correlate with higher newborn fat mass.
    • Gestational diabetes is associated with substantially increased risk of the child developing type 2 diabetes (e.g., 21% vs 4% by age 22 in one cited comparison).
    • Jessie recommends aiming under WHO guidance for added sugar (25 g/day or less) and using glucose-control hacks (below).
  • Choline
    • Critical for fetal brain development. Low choline during pregnancy is linked to fewer neurons, smaller brains, and increased risk of certain brain defects and potentially miscarriage.
    • Jessie’s practical recommendation: 4 eggs per day to meet choline needs (supplement if vegan).
  • Protein
    • Required for building tissues, hormones, immune molecules; fetal protein restriction programs offspring toward lower muscle mass and long-term metabolic changes in animal studies.
    • Newer research suggests pregnancy protein needs are ~50% higher than older recommendations — roughly ~1 g/kg body weight (≈100 g/day for many individuals). Many pregnant people currently fall short.
  • Omega‑3s (DHA)
    • Essential for brain development; adequate maternal omega‑3 intake correlates with better cognitive outcomes (e.g., higher IQ measures in childhood in studies).
    • Best sources: oily fish or algae-based supplements for vegans. Jessie supplemented ~2 g/day in pregnancy.

Practical, science-backed recommendations (action items)

  • Four priority actions during pregnancy:
    1. Eat 4 eggs per day (choline).
    2. Include a protein source at every meal (aim toward ~1 g/kg/day total).
    3. Consume fish or take omega‑3 (DHA) supplements (algae source for vegans). Jessie used ~2 g/day.
    4. Actively manage sugar intake — try to stay at or below WHO guideline of ~25 g added sugar per day.
  • Glucose and blood‑sugar hacks
    • Protein in the morning and at meals to stabilize blood glucose.
    • Vinegar hack: 1 tablespoon of (pasteurized) vinegar in a large glass of water before carb-heavy meals can reduce the post-meal glucose spike by up to ~30% (use pasteurized vinegar in pregnancy).
    • Don’t eat sugar on an empty stomach — pair sweets after meals with protein/fat/fiber.
    • Add fiber/vegetable starter before carbs to slow glucose absorption.
    • Light movement after meals (walks, calf raises) helps blunt spikes; even short activity matters.
  • Exercise
    • Regular physical activity during pregnancy is beneficial; animal studies show offspring benefits (reduced anxiety measures). Do what’s safe and feasible — walking, strength training if accustomed to it.
  • Supplements vs food
    • Food is preferred (better absorption, cost), but supplements are recommended when food sources are limited (e.g., vegans: choline and algae DHA supplements).
  • Avoid or limit
    • Alcohol, smoking, recreational drugs, environmental toxins where possible (pesticides, mold, unnecessary plastics/heating plastics).
    • Limit processed foods and excess added sugars.
  • Partner/dad preconception
    • Dad’s diet and lifestyle before conception affect sperm quality; encourage healthy habits preconception (e.g., reduce alcohol, improve diet, exercise).

Pregnancy timeline & biology (simple framework)

  • First trimester
    • Nausea common; focus on what you can tolerate. Stabilizing blood sugar (small protein snacks, ginger, rest) helps manage nausea.
    • Many structural developmental processes occur early, but nutrient demands ramp up later.
  • Second trimester
    • Placenta fully connects maternal and fetal bloodstreams — maternal diet increasingly shapes fetal environment (epigenetic signaling).
  • Third trimester
    • Highest nutrient demands for growth; glucose control becomes particularly important (baby’s glucose needs are modest, but excess maternal glucose registers in fetal circulation).

Risks, associations, and nuance

  • Associations, not determinism: many studies show strong associations (e.g., gestational diabetes with higher lifetime diabetes risk in offspring; higher maternal glucose with increased offspring fat), but these are multifactorial and not absolute causes.
  • Neurodevelopmental links: maternal inflammation (often related to high glucose) can affect fetal microglia (immune cells in fetal brain) leading to excessive pruning of neurons — proposed pathway linking metabolic environment to higher rates of some psychiatric or neurodevelopmental conditions. Effects are complex, often small in absolute risk for individuals, but significant at population level.
  • Miscarriage: causes are varied (chromosomal abnormalities, nutrient deficiencies such as folate/choline, placental issues); many miscarriages cannot be prevented and are not the pregnant person’s fault. Emotional support is critical.

Emotional, social, and systemic context

  • Jessie stresses: this is not individual blame. The modern food environment and health system often fail pregnant people (doctors frequently don’t advise on choline; society normalizes sugar and “eat for two” messages).
  • Miscarriage is common and deeply painful; listeners should be offered compassion and space rather than platitudes. Grief may coexist with future pregnancies.
  • Education gap: Jessie calls for improved medical education, public health messaging, and societal support for evidence-based pregnancy nutrition.

Notable quotes

  • “Your diet during pregnancy is calibrating things in your child. It’s setting his metabolism, the number of brain cells he has. You are a co-creator when you’re pregnant.”
  • “A better metaphor [than ‘bun in the oven’] is soil out of which your baby’s little seed grows.”
  • “It’s not the mom’s fault. Society has…failed us. The food around us today is not helping us.”

Quick practical checklist (for someone preparing for pregnancy or pregnant now)

  • Daily: aim for 4 eggs OR a choline supplement if you can’t/choose not to eat eggs.
  • Daily: include protein at every meal; target roughly ~1 g/kg body weight total protein per day (adjust with provider).
  • Daily: ensure an omega‑3 (DHA) source — oily fish or algae supplement (~1–2 g/day as discussed with clinician).
  • Daily: reduce added sugars (target ≤25 g/day added sugar); swap juices for whole fruit.
  • Before carb-heavy meals: vinegar water (pasteurized) or include veggies/fiber first; move after meals (short walk or calf raises).
  • Avoid alcohol, tobacco, and unnecessary chemical exposures; discuss all supplements/medications with your provider.
  • If vegan or avoiding animal products: prioritize supplements for choline and DHA.

Short “This or That” highlights (Jessie’s quick answers)

  • Protein first when nauseous. Small frequent snacks help during bad nausea. Meet the body where it is rather than strict rules when symptoms are severe. Both rest and gentle movement are valuable. Prioritize stable glucose in the third trimester for growth/brain development but keep glucose control across pregnancy.

Recommended next steps / resources

  • Read Nine Months That Count Forever (Jessie Inchauspé) for detailed explanations, recipes, and hacks.
  • Discuss personalized nutrition and supplement needs with an OB/GYN, midwife, or registered dietitian (particularly choline, omega‑3 dosing, and protein targets).
  • If experiencing miscarriage or overwhelming anxiety, seek medical support and compassionate counseling or support groups.

This episode blends clear, actionable nutritional guidance with compassion about the emotional weight of pregnancy and miscarriage — emphasizing that small, practical changes can have outsized, lifelong benefits for children while calling out systemic failures that put the burden on expectant parents.