Updated protein needs in pregnancy

Pregnancy only lasts nine months, but what you eat during that time can shape your child for life.

Jay Shetty welcomes back biochemist, bestselling author, and “Glucose Goddess” Jessie Inchauspé for a conversation that goes even deeper into the impact she’s had on millions of lives. This time, they focus on something few people truly understand: pregnancy isn’t just a waiting period, it’s a critical window that can shape a child’s physical, mental, and metabolic health for life. Jay and Jessie unpack why so many parents feel under-informed, how outdated myths like “eat for two” still dominate the conversation, and what the science actually reveals about the nine months that truly count forever.

Jessie breaks down complex biology into simple, actionable insights. She explains how key factors: blood sugar balance, protein, choline, and omega-3s play a critical role in brain development, metabolism, and long-term disease risk for your child. Jay guides the conversation with curiosity and care, highlighting how small, intentional shifts during pregnancy can create lifelong resilience, while also acknowledging the systemic failures that leave parents without clear guidance or support.

In this interview, you'll learn:

How to Support Your Baby’s Brain With Just Four Key Nutrients

How to Reduce Blood Sugar Spikes That Affect Your Baby

How to Build Your Baby’s Brain Before They’re Born

How to Lower Your Child’s Lifetime Risk of Diabetes

How to Use Protein to Stabilize Energy and Nausea

How to Care for Your Mental Health After Miscarriage

How to Make Small Food Choices That Create Lifelong Impact

Life doesn’t come with a manual, we’re all doing the best we can with the information we have. When we learn more, we can make better choices, not just for ourselves, but for the people whose futures depend on ours.

Jessie’s latest book, 9 Months That Count Forever: How Your Pregnancy Diet Shapes Your Baby's Future, is available for pre-order now. Visit https://www.amazon.com/Months-That-Count-Forever-Pregnancy/dp/1668219123 

With Love and Gratitude,

Jay Shetty

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What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro

01:54 Debunking the Biggest Pregnancy Myths

04:50 The Four Nutrients That Shape Your Baby’s Future

07:26 How Gestational Diabetes Impacts a Child for Life

11:58 How Much Protein Do You Really Need During Pregnancy?

14:22 What an Ideal Pregnancy Diet Actually Looks Like

19:08 Are You Actually “Eating for Two?” 

21:41 You’re Born With the Brain Cells You’ll Keep for Life

24:29 When Food and Supplements Work Best Together

27:02 Avoid These Foods During Pregnancy!

31:28 How High Sugar Intake Affects Pregnancy

36:07 The Modern Food System Is Failing Families

39:03 What Can Contribute to Miscarriage

41:15 Understanding Silent Miscarriage

46:21 Processing the Grief of Pregnancy Loss

49:02 The Most Common Causes of Miscarriage

51:42 What Happens When You Eat Sugar on an Empty Stomach

54:24 The Importance of Movement During Pregnancy 

57:09 How to Reduce Bloating During Pregnancy

57:44 Does a Father’s Diet Affect Conception?

59:01 Using Food to Set Your Child Up for Life

01:01:20 What the UK Sugar Ration Taught Us About Health

01:04:33 This or That: Pregnancy Edition  

Episode Resources:

Website | https://www.glucosegoddess.com/ 

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/glucosegoddess 

X | https://x.com/glucosegoddesss 

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@glucosegoddess_ 

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@GlucoseRevolution 

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/glucosegoddesss/

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