Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy, and most often goes away after you have the baby. Women with gestational diabetes have elevated blood sugars due to an inability to move sugar from the bloodstream into cells to supply energy. If left uncontrolled, the elevated blood sugars can lead to a large birth weight baby. Treatment for gestational diabetes requires you to make changes to your diet. You should consult with your doctor or a dietitian before changing your diet.
Nutrient Needs
How much you need to eat each day depends on how much weight you've gained and your pre-pregnancy weight. Your doctor or dietitian can help you determine your daily calorie needs. Once you know your calorie needs, your doctor or dietitian can help you create a menu. Carbohydrates in food increase blood sugar, and your daily intake should be limited to 40 percent of your calorie needs, as opposed to 45 to 65 percent of calories for women without gestational diabetes. The rest of your calories should come from protein and fat.
2,100-Calorie Diet Plan
To balance your nutrient intake on a 2,100-calorie diet, you need to eat a certain number of servings from each food group. You can use the diabetes exchange diet as a guide. A balanced 2,100-calorie diet should include eight servings of starches, three servings of fruit, three servings of milk, 11 servings of meat or meat substitutes, four servings of vegetables and seven servings of fat. For better blood sugar control, you should eat three smaller meals with three snacks.
Breakfast
Your breakfast meal should include two servings of starch, one serving of milk, one serving of meat and two servings of fat. A sample meal may include 3/4 cup serving of whole grain, ready-to-eat cereal with 1 cup of low-fat milk and one slice of toast with 1 to 2 tsp. of margarine and one scrambled egg.
Morning Snack
You should be eating a meal or snack every three hours. Your morning snack may consist of one serving of fruit and one serving of meat. A snack idea includes a small apple with 1 oz. of cheese.
Lunch
For lunch, have two servings of starch, one serving of fruit, four servings of meat or meat substitute, two servings of vegetables and two servings of fat. A healthy lunch meal includes 4 oz. of tuna mixed with 2 tsp. of mayonnaise and stuffed into a whole-wheat pita. Serve your lunch with a small banana and 2 cups of sliced vegetables such as carrots, peppers and cucumbers.
Afternoon Snack
Your afternoon snack should include one serving of starch and one serving of fruit. Try five whole grain crackers with 2 tbsp. of raisins.
Dinner
A balanced dinner meal on your 2,100-calorie gestational diabetes diet should include two servings of starch, four servings of meat or meat substitute, two servings of vegetables and one serving of fat. A sample dinner includes a 4 oz. turkey burger served on a whole wheat hamburger roll with 1 cup of broccoli and cauliflower roasted in the oven with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Evening Snack
Your evening snack should include one serving of starch, one serving of milk, one serving of meat and one serving of fat. For your snack, have half a turkey sandwich with 1 tsp. of mayonnaise and 1 cup of low-fat milk.
References
- FamilyDoctor.org: What it Takes to Lose Weight; August 2010
- American Academy of Family Physicians: Management of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus; November 2003
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diabetes Diet: Diabetic Exchange Lists
- "Krause's Food, Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; L. Kathleen Mahan, Sylvia Escott-Stump; 1996
- MayoClinic.com: Your Diabetes Diet: Exchange List; May 2010
