Gestational Diabetes Diet Ideas

Wow, I really can't add anything more than Debbie said! I had GD with my first (not my second) and the diet really isn't that hard once you get the hang of it.

Avoid processed food that are high in sugars and refined ingredients that quickly turn to sugar in the blood. Whole grains, legumes, and many other vegetables are high in protein and vitamins, they won't hurt you in any way. Just keep things as simple as possible, and by that I mean look at recipes that use stuff as it comes naturally from the garden. On that note though, be careful about fruit as it is high in sugar. Unfortunately a lot of vitamin C is found in fruits, but you can also get it from other vegetables, especially the yellow ones.

Best wishes and God bless!

when I had this with my second child they just had me eat smaler meals and eat more offtern. When you do eat make sure you only have what would be a serving size. Just a note corn is also considered a starech when you eat. hope this helps some.

Hi L.,
Wow, Debbie really gave you a comprehensive answer. I do not have a great deal to add. I did not have GD, but my girlfriend did with 3 of her 4 kids. She basically switched to a diet that consisted of lots of salad with dark leafy veggies, lean meats, and lots of veggies. She did very little starches and very little sugars.

I apologize, but I didn't read through Debbie's entire list. But I just wanted to make sure you knew the food with the highest concentration of Vitamin C is the mushroom. Things like spinach and broccolli are packed with lots of good vitamins as well.

I had a GD scare in my first pregnancy. I failed the first glucose test so I immediately changed my diet and began a GD diet. A few weeks later I passed the 5 hour glucose test.

Anyways, I looked up different diabetic and GD diets online and I kinda made up my own. I ate small meals often (every few hours) and added more fruits and veggies. I cut down my sugar intake but not drastically, I'd drink 4oz of OJ rather then 8oz. I increased my protein and decreased my carbs. I made sure to eat before bed to keep my blood sugar at a good level while I slept. I remember eating a lot of toast with peanut butter and Special K cereal with milk before bed. Although they're both carbs they also are good sources of protein.

You can make subtle changes in your diet but I wouldn't do anything drastic until you see the expert. Good Luck!

Hi L., I too had gestional diabetes during my pregnancy. You want to make sure you eat a very balanced meal. Staying away from SUGAR. Which means if you eat cereal it should be 2g or less in sugar. NOT a lot of fruit because it has a lot of sugar in it. Also not a lot of juice or milk because they have a lot of sugar in it as well. You want to eat a lot of green vegetables as these have the best nutrients in them. You can also call and speak to a dietician and see if they can send you the diet over. It is pretty consistent from person to person...I hope this helps..Also try Hutzel Womens Hospital they should be able to help you OR google the diet..google has EVERYTHING...LOL

The diabetic diet is very normal.

Eat lean meats fruits and veggies.

Moderate amounts of carbs..

Avoid sugary sodas, cookies chips -basicly skip all the junk foods and you will be fine.

Protiens are in milk and cheese and meat.. these are good for you to eat.

You are getting plenty of folic acid and vitamin C in your prenatal vitamins..

you will not harm your baby by what you eat or dont eat.. just eat a normal healthy diet.

Hi L.---I would try not to worry too much about everything as I think you will instinctively know what is best to eat. I agree with most of what has been posted so far, particularly about avoiding all processed foods. These foods enter the bloodstream quickly, causing spikes of elevated sugars. The spikes are the problem.

I do disagree to a point on suggested ratios of carbs to protein to fats in the diet. I base this opinion on work done by Dr. Neal Barnard, founder of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. He has written a book on reversing Type 2 diabetes. I know that these are different disease processes, but I can't help but think that the advice for avoiding and reversing Type 2 diabetes would be the same or similar for gestational diabetes. You can learn more at http://www.pcrm.org/health/diabetes.

Essentially, Dr. Barnard has theorized from his research that it is fat the causes problems with utilizing insulin properly. Therefore, your best diet would consist mostly of fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes. Be sure to get as much fiber as possible. Fiber slows the rate at which sugars enter the bloodstream. All of those four food groups, would be high in fiber naturally. Dr. Pam Popper, PhD, ND, of the Wellness Forum, suggests an overall diet comprised of principally complex carbohydrates, 90% plant foods as much of it raw as possible, 10% animal products (always organic) and 15-20% fat with proper hydration. She also shares that studies show that a high fiber diet can reduce the risk of toxemia and also that women who consume high fat diets are more likely to develop GD. This is not to say that you've been eating badly, but if you want to make sure you get the GD under control, this is a good diet to follow.

Don't worry about the 10% animal protein suggestion. Plant foods, fruits, veggies, whole grains and legumes have lots of protein in them. The steel cut Irish oatmeal that I have in my cupboard has 4 g of fiber and 5 g of protein per serving. Look at your labels and pick those foods that have good fiber/protein/carb ratios. Think of that animal protein like a flavoring or a condiment to the rest of your meal. That way you won't feel deprived, but you will avoid eating too much saturated or added fats. On a side note, did you know that you can saute with broth or even with just water? Try it sometime. It works really well.

Another reason for a healthy diet during pregnancy is that taste buds are developed in the womb. So what you eat now will, in large part, determine the foods your baby likes in the future.

If you would like any additional information on the type of diet I would suggest, please feel free to contact me. I will soon be a certified Wellness Educator and I would be happy to help in any way that I can.

I know these suggestions are a little more strict than what you have heard from others, and will probably be even from a dietician, but these recommendations come from respected health care professionals that use only research based information to reach these conclusions. As I've stated, just let me know and I will share the source of this info with you at any time.

Yours, in health, D. ###-###-####
www.dianeshealthed.com

Chicken and lean meats are high in protein. Green veggies, including broccoli and spinach are high in folic acid. GD can be very dangerous. I would call your OB and get a list or sample diet to follow until you can see the nutritionist.

Hi!
I am also a first time mom diagnosed with GD at 26 weeks. I am now at 39 weeks. It was frustrating at first figuring out what I could eat and not have it mess too much with my blood glucose levels (my doc has me test 4 times a day). I know everyone is different, but I stay away from sweets, white bread (wheat seems to be OK in moderation), pasta, regular soda, and juices, and I do fine. I have found that I can have a little more carbs if I balance it out with protein in the same meal. For example, my default dinner out right now is a steak and baked potato with veggies. At least for me, the protein in the steak seems to cancel out the carbs in the potato. I also found that if I have a small piece of fruit (that's the serving size SMALL) with a small handfull of nuts, it is more satisfying than having the fruit alone. The good thing is that I have been forced to think about my food choices and I eat my more healthfully than before. I was overweight pre-pregnancy, but with my new eating habits I managed to keep my weight gain to about 12 pounds. The bad thing is if I crave sweets (which I have!) I can't really indulge my cravings!
By the way, my Dad has Type 2 diabetes, and our diet plans are different because as a pregnant woman, I have different nutritional needs that aren't necessarily met by the typical Type 2 diet. My advice would be to try not to stress and watch your carb and sweets intake until you can talk your specific needs over with a dietician. Hope this helps. Good Luck!

Hi L.,
What Debbie put down was okay. I would change a couple of things though. Use wheat noodles instead of white, and do not use anything that says it is sugarless. It usually contains aspartame which is a danger to anyone. If you use a topping, use the whipped cream that you get from the can. Make sure you read the labels on what you purchase, they may contain some hidden ingrediants that you may not be aware of-especially the added sugar when it is processed. Also, be sure to include tuna fish, in water. That is a great source for omega 3 as well as protien. Keep in mind the portion size. Protien such as beef, chicken, pork, should be a fist size. Your stomach can only digest so much at one meal, that is why you should snack in between your main meals.

J.

I've never had GD, but I worked with a nutritionist for low amniotic fluid for my second pregnancy. Her beliefs (which are common amongst nutritionists) were that most of our health issues stem from imbalances in our diet - and directly correlates to blood sugar spikes and insulin production. She stood firm on the 40 30 30 diet to keep blood sugars stabilized. This means 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% good fats should make up each meal - and should be reflected in our grand totals at the end of the day. She told me it was very important to eat protein rich snacks between meals. She stressed to ALWAYS EAT PROTEIN FIRST at your meal - even if it is only a bite or two. This will prevent any carb sugars coming in to rush into the blood. The protein slows things down.
Theres a great online tool that helps you keep track of all of this and takes into account your special needs as a pregnant or nursing mom (and its free): babyfit.com - a branch off of sparkpeople. Just enter in your foods in your log and then you can look at your reports to see a pie chart with percentages to see how you're doing and what you need more of, or less of for the rest of the day.

I had GD during my pregnancy. The thing is to eat smaller meals, focus on portion size, limit the carbs (bread,pasta,stuff that's high in sugar) and you should be okay.

More veggies, water, meat - and your prenatal vitamin. You can still have carbs, but you really have to watch your intake of things like bread, pasta, desserts, fruit, ice cream, some cereals.

The consultant will let you know how many carbs you can have at each meal and snack. I'm sure other's have already answered this further....

Hi L., WOW you received a lot of info, some contradictory. I hope it wasn't overwhelming.

The most important thing you can do for your baby is do not stress over this. You are wise to research this. My wise husband says to make the best choice you can and then rest in that.

Here are a few tips I've learned:

Your Dr will most likely want to put you on Metformin. If you choose to use that drug to reduce your blood sugar, keep in mind that it will reduce the amount of nutrients you can absorb, for you and Baby. If you want more information about that let me know.

Please also know that fats are not evil. Our brains are 70% fat, so, low fat is not good for you or Baby. Learning to choose good fat is the best goal. I can help you with that if you'd like.

Some better Carbs with good fats and fiber balance the blood sugar best. Have you ever heard of "low glycemic"? I have some great information on that I'd be glad to share with you.

Above all, I hope and pray that your pregnancy and the anticipation of Baby #1 is one of the best things you've ever experienced!
M.