Gestational diabetes has its onset during pregnancy when hormones in a woman's body cause disruption or imbalance in the production of insulin. This imbalance leads to hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose levels, which must be carefully managed by dietary habits and exercise. In some cases, women may be administered insulin injections to control blood sugar levels, but many individuals may prefer to control the condition through careful dietary planning.
Assessment
If you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, your doctor will do a thorough assessment of your body weight, your weight gain during pregnancy and your current eating habits to determine the best diet recommendations for your individual health needs. If you are gaining weight very quickly, you may be advised to control your calorie intake carefully and increase your levels of exercise. If you are consuming high levels of starches or sugars, your doctor will advise cutting back on carbohydrates and replacing those foods with lean proteins and fresh produce.
Recommended Carbohydrate Intake
Women with gestational diabetes must maintain a minimum of 175 g of carbohydrates a day, but the consumption of these foods must be spaced out over the course of the day to avoid unhealthy changes in blood sugar levels. Patients are advised to eat smaller, more frequent meals with 15 to 30 g of carbohydrates in each meal. Larger meals can contain 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates, but it is important to space your meals at regular intervals. Eating too frequently can cause high blood sugar levels, and waiting too long between meals can cause blood sugar to drop.
Balanced Diet
Your health care provider will help you identify your individual calorie needs, and you can use these calorie limits to plan meals with lean proteins, low-fat dairy, low-starch carbohydrates and fresh produce. Lean proteins, such as chicken, turkey, fish, egg whites and low-fat dairy products provide excellent sources of nutrition that do not destabilize blood sugar levels. Whole grain foods such as wheat breads, pastas and cereals offer plenty of fiber that helps slow digestion and control blood glucose levels. Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, kale, broccoli and mixed lettuces also offer fiber and nutrients without added sugars or starches.
Foods to Restrict
Individuals with gestational diabetes should avoid high-sugar or high-starch foods such as white breads, pastas, cereals, baked goods, candy, sugary juices or sodas. Selecting mainly fresh foods such as meats, vegetables and fruits is helpful so you can avoid added starches or sweeteners. If you do consume packaged or prepared foods, you should consult the labels for sugar content and total carbohydrate content per serving.
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