The School of Greatness – Detailed Episode Summary

Podcast: The School of Greatness
Host: Lewis Howes
Guest: Jessie Inchauspé (Glucose Goddess)
Episode Title: The Hidden Way Your Diet Programs Your Baby's Health
Release Date: March 9, 2026

Episode Overview

In this compelling conversation, Lewis Howes is joined by biochemist, bestselling author, and renowned nutrition educator Jessie Inchauspé, also known as the Glucose Goddess. The episode focuses on how a mother’s diet before, during, and after pregnancy can profoundly influence a baby’s physical and mental health for life. Jessie dispels common societal myths around pregnancy nutrition, breaks down essential nutrients, and provides actionable food strategies rooted in science—while emphasizing compassion for mothers overwhelmed by conflicting advice and societal pressures. Jessie also bravely shares her own personal journey with pregnancy, loss, and motherhood.

Key Topics and Insights

1. Societal Myths vs Scientific Reality of Pregnancy Nutrition

• Addressing Common Myths
  • "Eat for two" and “the baby will always get what it needs” are common misconceptions.
  • Jessie: “Pregnancy is a moment where I believe we need to be extra aware and extra educated about what we’re eating, because everything you eat when you’re pregnant goes straight to your baby’s bloodstream.” (08:16)
  • The placenta does NOT filter out excess; whatever is in the mother’s bloodstream is accessible to the baby (08:56).
• Pressure and Guilt
  • Modern mothers feel immense pressure from social media and conflicting advice.
  • Jessie emphasizes: “This is not the mom’s fault…it’s a societal issue.” (02:34, 05:17)
  • Aim to remove guilt and empower with practical steps.

2. The Four Essential Nutrients for Pregnancy

• Choline (from eggs, some animal foods, organ meats, small amounts in plants)
  • Crucial for baby’s brain development.
  • 90% of pregnant women get too little. Failure can result in lifelong brain deficits (37:58).
  • “With just four eggs a day, you get all the choline that your baby needs.” (37:51)
• Glucose
  • Needed, but balance is key—too much creates problems.
  • Jessie’s research: “It’s about making sure you’re not getting too much.” (29:40)
  • The baby’s glucose levels closely track the mother’s; excess leads to lifelong risk for diabetes (15:22).
• Protein
  • Vital for tissue, immune system, hormones.
  • Pregnancy increases protein need to 1.2g/kg (2nd trimester), 1.5g/kg (3rd trimester), up to 1.9g/kg during breastfeeding (49:23).
  • Deficit leads to the mother’s body breaking down muscle for the baby, causing muscle loss (50:05).
• Omega-3s (from fish, some supplements, eggs)
  • Vital for neuronal development, brain elasticity.
  • A deficiency may impact child’s cognitive function.

3. What to Avoid and What to Stop Worrying About

• Clear Elimination List During Pregnancy
  • “All the known toxic ones. So cigarettes, alcohol…drugs…those are the real ones to eliminate.” (07:19)
  • No need to fear moderate sugar; focus on context and total volume.
• Processed Foods and Sugar
  • Processed foods and sugar are more enticing and addictive during pregnancy, in part due to brain chemistry (02:34, 19:41).
  • Jessie: “Our entire food system was going to be processed food based...It’s not the mom’s fault.” (16:22)

4. Blood Sugar and Its Long-Term Impact

• Direct Correlation: Mother's Blood Sugar → Baby’s Blood Sugar
  • Oslo study: perfect correlation between mother’s blood sugar and baby’s at birth (10:45–14:00).
  • Babies born with high blood sugar are statistically more vulnerable to developing diabetes and other chronic diseases later (15:08).
  • But, Jessie reassures: "It might make a baby a bit more vulnerable to disease. It's not going to dictate his entire life." (16:22)

5. How to Make Changes — Small Food Hacks

• Behavioral Changes
  • Start with minor tweaks: e.g., have sugary drinks after meals, not before, to minimize glucose spikes (21:23).
  • “My passion is behavior change from 0 to 1. Because once you’ve done 0 to 1, then you’re on your way.” (21:41)
  • Examples: Add protein/fat to carbs, e.g., having an apple with peanut butter (52:05).
  • Protein-rich breakfast brings more stable energy, fewer cravings (55:32).

6. Food Pyramid, Carbs, Protein and Fat Guidance

• Food Pyramid Critique
  • Glad to see the U.S. guidelines moving away from carbs as the dietary base (22:47–25:04).
  • Focus on animal protein, vegetables, healthy fats. Watch for processed foods exploiting new guidelines.
• Carbs: Quantity and Quality
  • Most people function well at ~100g carbs/day (43:01).
  • Best to choose complex carbs/starches (bread, rice, potatoes) over simple sugars, but even fruit is fine in moderation.
  • "We don't actually need to eat carbs...your body can make glucose from within," but carbohydrates remain a practical, social source of energy (42:53).
• Protein & Fat
  • Concrete protein targets by trimester/breastfeeding (see above).
  • Fats, especially omega-3s, are important for brain and hormone development.

7. Addressing Pregnancy Guilt, Loss, and Postpartum Realities

• Personal Story of Miscarriage
  • Jessie’s honest, emotional recounting of her miscarriage, the resulting isolation, and eventual healing (57:06–64:48).
  • “If emotions could kill, I think I'd be dead.” (59:08)
  • Importance of being open about pregnancy loss—sharing and conversation are key for processing.
• Postpartum Health
  • "Food is a big tool" to support recovery and mood (66:22).
  • Many mothers end up depleted; supportive nutrition can help buffer against postpartum depression but cannot eliminate the challenges alone.
  • Importance of community support and reducing new mom isolation.

8. Spirituality, Intuition, and the Journey of Motherhood

• Jessie shares her spiritual connection, use of intuition, and how she found meaning in loss and new life (67:55–71:02).
• “I connected spiritually. I tried to connect to my future kids…That helped a lot.” (69:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Societal Myths:
  “The biggest nutrition lie? That your baby will get what he needs always... The correct sentence is, your baby will take what you give him.” – Jessie Inchauspé (38:39)
• On Blood Sugar's Impact:
  “When you have a blood sugar spike…your baby also has a blood sugar spike.” (10:34)
• On Small Steps:
  “My passion, is behavior change from 0 to 1. Because once you’ve done 0 to 1, then you’re on your way.” (21:41)
• On Guilt and Responsibility:
  “It’s not the mom’s fault…the food industry is going to make highly addictive, highly sugary foods to get them hooked. This is not the mom’s fault.” (16:22)
• On Postpartum:
  “If you end your pregnancy depleted…any adult with low choline, low omega 3, low muscle mass and blood sugar spikes and dips will not feel well. You throw that into postpartum. Huge hormonal shift. Sleep deprivation, isolation…no wonder.” (66:42)
• On Healing and Loss:
  “If emotions could kill, I think I'd be dead. The level of despair that I spiraled into for the better part of like a whole month was just…so painful.” (59:08)
• Three Truths (Rapid Fire):
  • “Have a savory breakfast.”
  • “Listen to your body because symptoms are messages.”
  • “If you're pregnant, eat a ton of eggs.” (77:21)
• Definition of Greatness:
  “My definition of greatness now is peace and contentment…I’m so jealous of people who are just content.” (78:19)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Key Societal Myths & Pressure – 01:54–05:59
• Four Essential Nutrients – 06:11–07:11, 28:47–33:59
• Mother’s Diet & Lifelong Impact – 14:00–16:22
• Behavioral Food Hacks – 21:05–21:59; 52:03–55:32
• Food Pyramid & Carbs – 22:47–25:04, 42:32–46:00
• Personal Story: Miscarriage & Loss – 57:06–64:48
• Postpartum Recovery – 66:22–67:55
• Spiritual Approach to Motherhood – 67:55–71:02
• Three Truths & Greatness – 77:21–78:47

Final Takeaways

• Empower, don’t shame. The emphasis is on actionable, science-backed tips presented with immense compassion. Guilt is not helpful—having information is.
• The four nutrients (choline, glucose, protein, omega-3s) are foundational for optimal baby brain and body development, but mothers everywhere are often not given this clear advice or access to good nutrition.
• Minor dietary changes—like shifting when and how sugar is consumed, prioritizing protein, and adding a few eggs per day—can yield outsized benefits.
• Societal, not individual, failings drive most nutritional risks.
• Motherhood is complex—nutritionally, emotionally, and spiritually. Jessie’s honesty in sharing her struggles with miscarriage, anxiety, and postpartum challenges ensures that listeners get not only science but solidarity.

Where to Find More from Jessie Inchauspé

• Website: glucosegoddess.com
• Instagram: @glucosegoddess
• YouTube: Glucose Revolution
• Book: 9 Months That Count Forever: How Your Pregnancy Diet Shapes Your Baby's Future

“You're not an oven; you're the soil. The baby is a seed. The nutrients you provide co-create your baby's genetic plan.” – Jessie Inchauspé

This episode is a must-listen for anyone who is, has been, or plans to be pregnant—or for anyone supporting someone on that journey.