Podcast Summary: The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

Episode: Pregnancy Diet Expert: The Pregnancy Diet That Rewrites DNA! Why Pregnant Moms Are Being Lied To!

Date: February 26, 2026
Guest: Jesse Inshospay ("The Glucose Goddess")
Host: Steven Bartlett

Overview

In this episode, Steven Bartlett sits down with biochemist and author Jesse Inshospay, known as the "Glucose Goddess," to unpack the science and misinformation around pregnancy diets. Jesse, speaking from both research expertise and personal experience as a recent mother, explains how modern nutrition advice fails pregnant women—and how diet during pregnancy uniquely influences a baby’s DNA, metabolism, and future health through epigenetic programming. The conversation covers practical nutrition guidance, debunks persistent myths, discusses emotional realities (including miscarriage), and spotlights the societal and systemic gaps in information that leave families unsupported.

Key Themes & Discussion Points

1. Modern Pregnancy Diets: Misinformation & Crucial Gaps

• The Core Message: Diet during pregnancy has a profound, lasting impact on a child's brain, body, and lifelong health—via changes in DNA's epigenetic "switches."
• The Problem: The food system and prevailing medical advice fail pregnant moms by neglecting key nutrients and overstating others.
• “There's such a big gap, Stephen, between what science knows and what parents are told.”
  — Jesse (15:53)

2. Epigenetics: How Pregnancy Diet Writes the Script

• What is Epigenetics? Chemical tags ("switches") turn genes on or off based on environmental inputs—pregnancy diet shapes these switches in the developing fetus.
  • High maternal glucose → increased risk for child’s diabetes, obesity, and psychiatric disorders due to epigenetic programming (19:20, 28:58).
• Quote: “With your diet during pregnancy, you’re programming your baby’s DNA...on their future risk of disease.”
  — Jesse (01:01)

3. Critical Nutrients Often Missing

• Choline: Vital for fetal brain development; found predominantly in egg yolks and organ meats.
  • “Today, 90% of moms are not getting enough choline during pregnancy.” (23:41)
  • 4 eggs a day meets requirement (~450mg/day).
• Omega-3s (DHA): Supports baby’s neurons and brain efficiency. Ideal sources: sardines, fatty fish, or high-quality supplements.
• Protein: Directly impacts baby’s growth and muscle mass via epigenetic messaging.
  • Pregnant women need ~1.6g/kg body weight in third trimester (“This is basically the amount of protein I needed to eat every single day...” 81:16).
• Sugar: Baby requires glucose (from starches), not sugar/fructose (found in desserts, juice, sweets). Excess sugar increases disease and fat risk in offspring.

4. Debunking Myths and Dangerous Advice

• "Bun in the Oven" Myth:
  • Being pregnant is NOT a passive process; diet radically affects fetal development (16:34).
• “Baby gets everything needed from mom” is false:
  • Nutrient shortfall in the mother = shortfall in the baby.
• Fruit Juice ≠ health food:
  • “A glass of orange juice...and a glass of Coca-Cola, it’s the same amount of sugar...and your body absorbs them the exact same way.” (07:02)

5. Consequences of Glucose Spikes

• Mood and Behavior:
  • Glucose lows/crashes cause irritability, cravings, “hangry” moods, and compulsive behaviors (doomscrolling, snacking) due to prefrontal cortex energy dips and dopamine fluctuations (06:50, 11:00).
• Physical Health:
  • Repeated glucose spikes during pregnancy directly program for higher future risk of diabetes, obesity, and even psychiatric issues in the child (32:23, 33:04).

6. Fertility: Role of Diet for Both Parents

• Sperm Quality (men): Improved by exercise, low alcohol, and a nutrient-rich diet, with a 3-month “window” prior to conception (14:43).
• Egg & Nutrient Reserves (women): Health and diet influence implantation and first trimester development.

7. Breastfeeding vs. Formula

• Breastmilk is 'alive', containing molecules for continued epigenetic programming; formula is nutritionally sufficient but often lacks critical extras (choline, DHA) (27:14).
• Less breastfeeding = lower leptin gene activity and impaired satiety signaling in offspring (28:01).

8. Pregnancy and Exercise

• Moderate movement (like 30 minutes walking a day) improves offspring’s brain plasticity, cognitive and emotional outcomes, shown in both animal and human correlational studies (46:35).
• Building/maintaining muscle helps buffer glucose spikes (40:55).

9. Supplements, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Other Habits

• Supplements: Omega-3s, choline, iron (if deficient), prenatal with methylated folate recommended (59:55, 62:07).
• Alcohol: Strongly discouraged. There is no safe quantity (52:16–53:59).
• Caffeine: Keep under 2–3 cups per day; no solid evidence of harm at this level (55:22).
• Fermented Foods: Some benefit for baby’s gut microbiome; evidence early but promising (56:30).

10. Practical Food & Behavior Hacks

• Glucose “Hacks”:
  • Order Matters: Eat veggies first to create “protective mesh” for glucose absorption (43:53).
  • Move After Eating: 1–5 min of calf raises, squats, or a walk post-meal dampens glucose spikes, benefiting mom and baby (42:13–44:24).
• Vinegar (pasteurized) before high-carb meals can help blunt glucose spikes, but it's secondary to just avoiding excess sugar (83:02).
• Reading Labels: Focus on ingredients list; ignore misleading “no added sugar”/“vegan”/“gluten free” health claims (13:43, 88:22).

11. Personal Story: Miscarriage and Mental Health

• Jesse’s Experience: Silent miscarriage and the emotional aftermath, the isolation due to societal silence, and how common it really is (1 in 5 pregnancies) (63:27–66:31).
• Advice: More openness needed; knowledge that miscarriage often happens is comforting and normalizes grief.

12. Adult Health: Can We Undo Early-Life Programming?

• While prenatal programming influences our risk, lifestyle interventions at any age can dramatically change our health outcomes (diet, exercise, glucose management) (69:57).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “You’re co-creating your baby’s plan. Depending on what you eat, a different baby will come out.”
  — Jesse (16:34)
• “90% of moms are not getting enough choline during pregnancy...Failure to provide choline during this time can result in lifelong brain deficits in the baby.”
  — Jesse (23:41)
• “It means that the amount of sugar during pregnancy can be subtly increasing or decreasing your baby’s vulnerability to getting type 2 diabetes later in life.”
  — Jesse (28:58)
• “Your baby needs no fructose during pregnancy ever...but your baby does need glucose, which is healthier to get from starches...”
  — Jesse (58:02)
• “Protein is key...Animal studies show if mom is slightly protein restricted during pregnancy, baby is programmed to stay smaller and have less muscle mass.”
  — Jesse (80:00)
• “The most important is for the system, the support system around the moms to help make it really easy for them to eat eggs and sardines and vegetables and healthy fats.”
  — Jesse (94:07)
• “We have to also support moms because they're creating the next generation and...things have to shift around them to make it easier.”
  — Jesse (94:07)

Key Timestamps

• 01:01 – Jesse introduces how pregnancy diet impacts baby's DNA and lifelong health
• 16:34 – “Bun in the oven” myth & why pregnancy is not passive
• 23:41 – Choline and brain development: why most moms miss out
• 28:58 – Sugar in pregnancy shapes child's disease risk (UK study, WWII rationing)
• 33:04 – Maternal diabetes links to psychiatric disorders in offspring
• 40:55 – Muscle mass helps buffer glucose spikes in pregnancy
• 43:53 – Glucose hacks: veggies first, movement after meals
• 46:35 – Exercise during pregnancy improves brain outcomes (rat treadmill study)
• 52:16–53:59 – Alcohol exposure’s lifelong risks in babies
• 63:27–66:31 – Personal account of miscarriage, societal silence, and data on prevalence
• 69:57 – Can adult choices compensate for prenatal programming?
• 80:00 – The importance of protein and its epigenetic effects
• 88:22 – How to read food labels: “Ingredients. I go straight to the ingredients list.”
• 94:07 – The need for systemic and legislative changes for maternal nutrition

Takeaways & Action Steps

For Expecting Mothers, Partners, and Health Professionals:

• Prioritize choline-rich foods (4 eggs/day), omega-3 sources (fatty fish/supplements), and high-protein meals, especially in the third trimester.
• Limit added sugar and processed foods. Avoid fruit juice and sweets; stick to whole grains and starchy vegetables for glucose.
• Exercise moderately but consistently—even walking and simple bodyweight moves help.
• Advocate for better information and support. Most moms are not told about these prenatal nutritional needs; knowledge can be game-changing.
• Supplements: Choose a prenatal with choline, methylated folate, omega-3s, and iron (if needed).
• Read labels for actual ingredients, not deceptive health claims.

For Everyone:

• Glucose control matters for mood and cravings—protein at breakfast can reduce cravings.
• No matter your early-life or prenatal exposures, changes in adult life—diet, movement, sleep—make a difference.

Final Thoughts

“Pregnancy is complicated. The food system we live in is complicated and toxic. And this is a very simple four-step, trimester-by-trimester plan that doesn’t require a lot of money that is going to help you give your baby the best foundation during development.”
— Jesse Inshospay (93:46)

Jesse’s new book, “Nine Months That Count Forever,” distills this science into actionable, trimester-by-trimester guidance—offered as what every expecting family (and their support system) needs to know.

For more, follow Jesse (“Glucose Goddess”) and host Steven Bartlett on their platforms and check out the book link shared in the episode description.