Beat the Afternoon Crash: The Science of Food Order

Ever hit that energy crash right after having lunch? The problem might not be what you're eating, but how you're eating it.

Here's what's actually happening: When you eat carbs first (for example: bread, pasta, rice, or potatoes), your blood sugar shoots up rapidly. It's not about "good" or "bad" carbs - all carbs can have this effect, though some more dramatically than others. Your pancreas responds by dumping insulin (a hormone that lowers blood sugar) to bring it back down which can often cause your blood sugar to plummet below where it started. What this means is you leave your body more exhausted than before you ate, craving more food, and mentally foggy.

It's why you might have experienced eating a "healthy" lunch and still felt like you needed a nap 30 minutes later. Not to mention, if you grab something like a donut or pastry first, you're hitting your system with pure carbs and wondering why you crash hard afterward.

One powerful (and often overlooked) strategy is the order of your food. When you eat protein or fiber before carbs, you can reduce blood sugar spikes by a noticeable percentage.

Here's Why it Works:

• Protein & fiber slow digestion: They act like a natural buffer, delaying how quickly carbs move into your bloodstream
• Steady insulin response: Protein stimulates insulin in a controlled way, helping your body handle incoming glucose more effectively
• No sugar crash: Carbs eaten alone can flood your system with glucose (blood sugar). Adding protein and fiber smooths the curve for stable energy

Think of it like this: eating carbs first hits your system fast, like drinking alcohol on an empty stomach. Eating protein first slows everything down so

absorption is more controlled and steady.

How to Apply This:

• Start with protein: Eggs, chicken, fish, or beans before touching bread, rice, pasta, etc.
• Lead with veggies: Salad or fiber rich sides first (like broccoli with your stir fry), then main carbs
• Pair desserts wisely: Greek yogurt with berries beats sugar alone

What To Expect:

• Fewer cravings and better appetite control
• Consistent energy (reduced afternoon crash)
• Supports fat loss and long term metabolic health

Simple meal sequencing: Protein and veggies first, carbs last.

It's so simple, yet many of us were never taught this and we question why we always want to nap after our afternoon lunch. Try it at your next meal!

Want to Learn More? Check Out: 

• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4876745/
• https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5022147/

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