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Gestational Diabetes Diet

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is a gestational diabetes diet?

• Gestational (jes-TAY-shun-al) diabetes (deye-ah-BEE-teez) is high blood sugar that develops during pregnancy. Blood sugar levels go back to normal for most women after they give birth. Treatment involves controlling your blood sugar by eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly. Some women also need to use insulin to control their blood sugar. Controlling high blood sugar helps you to have a healthy pregnancy and baby.
  
  
• Women with gestational diabetes need to eat a healthy diet with the right amount of calories and nutrients (carbohydrate, protein and fat). Eating the right amount of carbohydrate is especially important because carbohydrate naturally increases your blood sugar level. Carbohydrate is found in starches (such as bread, cereal, starchy vegetables, and beans), fruit, milk, yogurt, and sweets. Eating too much carbohydrate at one time can cause your blood sugar to rise to a very high level.

What meal plan is right for me? The amount of calories, carbohydrate and other nutrients that you need depends on several factors. Some of these factors include your weight before pregnancy, your current weight gain, your current physical activity level, and your blood glucose level. A dietitian will tell you how much carbohydrate and nutrients you need each day. To eat the right amount of carbohydrate, you can use one of several meal planning methods. Some meal planning methods are carbohydrate counting and diabetes exchanges. Your dietitian will help you find a meal planning method that works best for you.

What are some general diet guidelines I should follow?

• Spread carbohydrates throughout the day by eating three small to medium-sized meals plus two to four snacks. You may need to eat a snack in the evening to avoid low blood sugar during the night. Eating the same amount of carbohydrate during meals and snacks from day to day can help you keep your blood sugars under control.
  
  
• For some women, eating carbohydrate at breakfast causes their blood sugar to rise very quickly. It may be helpful to eat fewer servings of carbohydrate at breakfast than at other meals. You can add protein such as eggs, meat, turkey, or chicken to your breakfast to satisfy your hunger.
  
  
• Your caregiver may suggest that you limit sweets in order to limit the amount of carbohydrate in your diet. Sweets such as regular soft drinks, sweetened drinks, desserts and candy are high in carbohydrate and low in nutrients. It may be easier for some women to follow their meal plan by avoiding sweets.
  
  
• Carbohydrate is a very important part of your diet. Do not skip meals or avoid eating carbohydrate to try and control your blood sugar. Skipping meals and avoiding carbohydrates can cause your blood sugar to fall to low levels. It may take time to get the right balance between diet and blood sugar levels. By keeping regular appointments with your dietitian or caregiver, they can help you control your blood sugar.

What foods contain carbohydrate? Below is a list of some of the foods that contain carbohydrate. There are many other foods that contain carbohydrate. Ask your caregiver for more information about the amount of carbohydrate found in other foods.

Breads: Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 grams (g) of carbohydrate .

• One-ounce slice of bread.
  
  
• One ounce of a bagel (equal to about one-fourth of a bagel from a bagel shop or bakery).
  
  
• One four-inch pancake (about one-fourth of an inch thick).
  
  
• One six-inch flour or corn tortilla.

Cereals and grains: Serving sizes of ready-to-eat cereals vary. Look at the serving size and the total carbohydrate amount listed on the food label. Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 g of carbohydrate .

• Three-fourths of a cup of unsweetened, ready-to-eat cereal or one-fourth cup of low-fat granola.
  
  
• One-half cup of cooked cereal or oatmeal.
  
  
• One-third cup of pasta or rice.

Starchy vegetables: Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 g of carbohydrate .

• One-half cup of corn, green peas, sweet potatoes, or mashed potatoes.
  
  
• One-fourth of a large baked potato.
  
  
• One cup of winter squash (acorn, pumpkin).

Beans, peas or lentils: Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 g of carbohydrate .

• One-half cup of beans and peas (garbanzo, pinto, kidney, white, split, black-eyed).
  
  
• Two-third cup of lima beans.
  
  
• One-half cup of lentils.

Crackers and snacks: Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 g of carbohydrate .

• Three graham cracker squares or eight animal crackers.
  
  
• Six saltine-type crackers.
  
  
• Three cups of popcorn.
  
  
• Three-fourths of an ounce of pretzels.

Fruit: Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 g of carbohydrate .

• One small (four ounce) fresh fruit. Weigh fresh fruit at grocery store. Large pieces of fruit usually weigh more than four ounces and count as more than one serving.
  
  
• One-half cup of canned or fresh fruit.
  
  
• One-half cup (four ounces) of unsweetened fruit juice.
  
  
• One-fourth cup of dried fruit.

Sweets: Each serving of food listed below contains about 15 g of carbohydrate .

• One two-inch square of an unfrosted brownie.
  
  
• Two small cookies.
  
  
• One-half cup of sugar-free, fat-free ice cream.

Milk and yogurt: Foods from the milk and yogurt group contain about 12 g of carbohydrate per serving.

• One cup of milk.
  
  
• Three-fourths of a cup of plain, nonfat yogurt.
  
  
• One cup of fat-free, flavored yogurt sweetened with artificial sweetener.

Non-starchy vegetables: Each serving contains about five grams of carbohydrate .

• One-half cup of cooked vegetables or one cup of raw vegetables. Some of these vegetables include beets, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, mushrooms, tomatoes, and zucchini.
  
  
• One-half cup of vegetable juice.

What other guidelines should I follow?

• You should keep track of your blood sugar levels by testing your blood sugar regularly. Ask your caregiver how and when to test your blood sugar. Your treatment plan may change depending on your blood sugar levels.
  
  
• Regular physical activity can also help to keep your blood sugar levels under control. It also helps keep your heart healthy and may help to decrease discomfort during later pregnancy. Talk to your caregiver about the type and amount of physical activity that is best for you.

What is my meal plan?

• Breakfast:
  
  
  • Carbohydrate servings: ____
    
    
  • Carbohydrate grams: ____
  
  
• Snack:
  
  
  • Carbohydrate servings: ____
    
    
  • Carbohydrate grams: ____
  
  
• Lunch:
  
  
  • Carbohydrate servings: ____
    
    
  • Carbohydrate grams: ____
  
  
• Snack:
  
  
  • Carbohydrate servings: ____
    
    
  • Carbohydrate grams: ____
  
  
• Dinner:
  
  
  • Carbohydrate servings: ____
    
    
  • Carbohydrate grams: ____
  
  
• Snack:
  
  
  • Carbohydrate servings: ____
    
    
  • Carbohydrate grams: ____

Risks:

• Not making diet changes suggested by your caregiver can cause your blood sugars to be very high. Having high blood sugar levels throughout your pregnancy can cause you to have a large baby, which can lead to other medical problems. Your baby may be large because the sugar in your blood is passed to your baby, causing him to get extra calories.
  
  
• Having gestational diabetes puts you at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes later in life. You are also at risk for having gestational diabetes in future pregnancies. Continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly after delivery to help decrease both of these risks.

Call ____ if:

• You have questions about your diet or are having trouble following your diet.
  
  
• Your blood sugar levels are high, even though you have made changes to your diet.
  
  
• You have low blood sugar during certain times of the day.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your diet. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

References and sources