Gestational diabetes: Understanding carbohydrates

All foods can affect blood glucose levels, but carbohydrates affect blood glucose the most. Carbohydrate foods give you and your baby energy.

Carbohydrate foods should make up 40 to 50 percent of the total calories you eat each day.

The main groups of carbohydrate foods are:

• breads, cereals and grains
• starchy vegetables
• fruits
• milk and yogurt
• convenience and combination foods
• snacks and sweets.

Carbohydrate counting

Learning to count carbohydrates is a way to help you manage the amount of carbohydrate you eat each day at your meals and snacks.

A carbohydrate choice is a serving of food that contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate. Pregnant women need between 12 to 16 carbohydrate choices every day.

Remember: It is not healthy to omit carbohydrate foods to control your blood glucose. Our examples of one carbohydrate choice (requires Adobe Reader) will help you choose a healthful variety of carbohydrate choices each day.

Tip for Mom

To help control your blood glucose, avoid carbohydrates that often cause blood glucose to go up too high, such as soda pop, fruit juices or drinks, lemonade or Kool-Aid®, chocolate milk, sugar-frosted cereals, desserts, pastries, candies, syrup, honey, or any food that has added sugar.

Related Links

Examples of one carbohydrate choice (requires Adobe Reader)

Completing a meal plan

Allina Pregnancy Care

First published: 11/27/2006
Last updated: 11/27/2006

Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts