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

In this podcast episode, Jesse Inchauspé, a biochemist and expert in glucose metabolism and pregnancy nutrition, discusses how a mother's diet during pregnancy can epigenetically program her baby's DNA, affecting lifelong health and disease risk. She highlights critical nutrients often lacking in prenatal diets, the dangers of excess sugar, the role of exercise, supplements, and debunks common myths around pregnancy nutrition and lifestyle. Jesse also touches on mental health, cravings, miscarriage, and offers practical advice for families preparing to conceive or support a pregnant partner.

Epigenetic Programming in Pregnancy

Jesse explains that pregnancy is not merely a passive process where a baby is "baked" in an oven; rather, it is a dynamic phase where the mother's nutritional environment actively programs the baby's DNA through epigenetics. These epigenetic switches influence gene expression, affecting brain development, metabolism, and susceptibility to conditions like diabetes and psychiatric disorders later in life. Importantly, what a mother eats shapes these epigenetic markers, meaning her diet can co-create her baby's developmental plan.

The Food System and Nutrient Deficiencies

Most pregnant women are unknowingly eating diets deficient in essential nutrients due to a flawed food system and ineffective societal messaging. For example, 90% of pregnant moms do not consume enough choline, a vital nutrient concentrated in egg yolks and organ meats that supports fetal brain development. Despite its importance, choline receives little attention in prenatal advice, which Jesse identifies as a critical oversight.

Choline and Brain Development

Choline plays a fundamental role in forming neurons and areas of the brain related to memory, attention, and learning. Supplementing choline, whether through four eggs a day or organ meats like liver (though liver consumption is often discouraged due to concerns about vitamin A), can significantly improve brain development outcomes for babies. Research shows that babies of mothers with higher choline intake during pregnancy scored better on early cognitive tests predictive of adult IQ.

Sugar, Glucose, and Long-Term Health Risks

Sugar intake during pregnancy is another critical topic. Jesse differentiates between glucose, the essential fuel the baby needs, and fructose, commonly found in sweets, desserts, and processed foods, which is unnecessary and harmful in excess. Historical data from the UK sugar ration during World War II demonstrates that lower maternal sugar intake correlated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in offspring. Higher maternal glucose levels epigenetically predispose children to obesity, diabetes, and even psychiatric disorders such as autism and schizophrenia.

The Impact of Glucose Fluctuations on Mood and Behavior

Jesse highlights the profound effect blood sugar levels have on daily mood and cognitive function. Fluctuating glucose levels can destabilize neurotransmitters linked to mood regulation, leading to irritability or "hangry" feelings, as demonstrated in studies involving couples and behavioral responses. These glucose spikes and crashes also trigger compulsive cravings and dopamine-driven behaviors, potentially explaining links between sugar consumption and addictive behaviors like social media doom scrolling.

Managing Glucose Spikes Through Diet and Movement

Practical glucose management strategies include consuming protein-rich breakfasts and starting meals with fiber-rich vegetables. Jesse shares simple movement hacks, such as doing calf raises and squats after eating, which activate muscle glucose uptake and dampen glucose spikes. Even standing at a desk can modestly burn glucose. These habits reduce inflammation and prevent harmful epigenetic programming related to gestational diabetes and other metabolic diseases.

Exercise During Pregnancy

Exercise is highly beneficial during pregnancy beyond maternal health; animal studies show prenatal exercise boosts fetal brain growth, cognitive abilities, and reduces offspring anxiety. Exercise increases levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in both mother and fetus, enhancing neuroplasticity and brain development. Jesse encourages pregnant women to maintain physical activity within safe limits as a powerful developmental intervention.

Breastfeeding and Epigenetics

Breast milk is described as a living fluid containing bioactive molecules that continue epigenetic programming, whereas formula, while nutritionally complete, lacks these dynamic properties. The duration of breastfeeding can influence gene expression controlling hunger hormones like leptin, potentially affecting appetite regulation and obesity risk later in life.

Supplements: Omega-3s, Iron, Choline, and Folate

Jesse supplemented with omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, crucial for neuronal connectivity and widely lacking in modern diets. Fatty fish, sardines, and algae are good sources, supplemented by capsules if needed. Iron supplementation in the third trimester is often necessary due to fetal demand. She also highlights the importance of methylated folate in preventing miscarriage and supports prenatal vitamins that include choline.

Alcohol, Caffeine, and Fermented Foods

Alcohol consumption during pregnancy is unsafe because maternal and fetal bloodstreams are directly connected; even low doses can cause facial and brain developmental changes. Hence, complete abstinence is advised. Regarding caffeine, moderate intake (under two cups daily) appears relatively safe with no clear evidence of harm at low doses. Fermented foods may benefit maternal and infant gut microbiomes, though research is in its infancy.

Miscarriage and Mental Health

Jesse shares her personal experience with silent miscarriage and the emotional turmoil it caused, including grief, isolation, and anxiety during subsequent pregnancy. She emphasizes how common miscarriage is—affecting about 20% of pregnancies—and calls for greater openness and support around this topic to reduce stigma and prepare expectant parents emotionally. Mental health is deeply intertwined with pregnancy wellbeing, and ongoing anxiety may affect fetal development.

Protein Needs and Muscle Mass During Pregnancy

Protein is highlighted as a massively underappreciated nutrient during pregnancy, with the baby being approximately 50% protein by dry weight at birth. Adequate maternal protein intake (>1.6 grams per kg body weight daily in the third trimester) prevents maternal muscle breakdown and supports optimal fetal growth. Low protein intake may epigenetically program babies to remain smaller with less muscle mass lifelong.

Fertility and Preconception Care

Both prospective mothers and fathers must optimize health prior to conception. For men, lifestyle factors such as exercise, reduced alcohol, and proper diet improve sperm quality, with a turnover period of about three months. For women, nutrient reserves and overall health influence egg quality and early embryo development. Preconception nutrition sets the stage for pregnancy success.

Food Marketing and Societal Challenges

Jesse criticizes deceptive food marketing like "no added sugar," gluten-free, or vegan labels, which can mislead parents into poor nutritional choices. She advocates for legislative changes to restrict misleading claims and reduce processed sugary breakfast foods, making healthy choices more accessible and understandable to pregnant women who are overwhelmed by confusing and conflicting advice.

Cravings and Psychological Control

Distinguishing between cravings driven by pleasure and those caused by physiological glucose crashes is essential. Glucose stabilization through balanced meals rich in protein and fiber helps diminish compulsive sugar addiction. While occasional indulgences are understandable, Jesse encourages mitigating their impact through movement and glucose-lowering tactics. She also notes how sleep deprivation worsens hunger hormone imbalances, increasing cravings.

Practical Dietary Recommendations

Jesse recommends simple, affordable dietary practices like eating four eggs daily for choline, three servings of fatty fish weekly for omega-3s, and sufficient protein from various sources. Eating vegetables before starches slows glucose absorption. Bread and other starches are important sources of glucose, especially in later pregnancy, but sugary desserts and fructose-rich foods should be avoided.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Pregnancy

Jesse supports using continuous glucose monitors early in pregnancy to identify spikes that predict gestational diabetes well before the typical screening at 24–28 weeks. Early monitoring can help women adopt lifestyle changes to reduce harmful glucose fluctuations, ultimately protecting fetal development and reducing disease risks.

Stress and Its Impact

While the podcast discusses stress briefly, Jesse acknowledges that chronic anxiety during pregnancy, especially following miscarriage, is common and potentially harmful to the fetus. Even with proactive stress management techniques, some expectant mothers remain anxious, underlining the need for better mental health support.

The Role of Fathers and Partners

Partners play an important role in supporting maternal health, including improving their own lifestyle to enhance fertility and creating a nurturing environment that enables mothers to maintain healthy behaviors during pregnancy.

Legacy and Empowerment

The overarching theme is empowering parents, especially mothers, with scientifically sound, accessible knowledge to reclaim agency over pregnancy and prenatal health amid a complex and often misleading food environment. Jesse's work aims to fill a vast information gap, demystify pregnancy nutrition, and help parents optimize developmental conditions for the next generation.