Gestational Diabetes Diet and Symptoms Guide

Sample Dinner Ideas

Dinner Sample #1

• One cup of pasta or a small potato. A protein such as chicken, beef, turkey, pork and a salad.
• Tofu, brown rice and vegetables.

Dinner Sample #2

6 ounces of fish of choice
1 cup of steamed broccoli
1 cup of brown rice
1 cup of reduced fat milk

Dinner Sample #3

Grilled Chicken (about the size of your palm or a deck of cards)
1 cup of steam carrots (or another vegetable of your choice) – try to stay away from heavy starches like potatoes and corn)
1 small baked sweet potato or yams
1 tablespoon of butter

Sample Dessert Ideas

Dessert
• Slim a Bear ice-cream sandwich

Meal Ideas:

Gestational Diabetes Breakfast Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Lunch Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Snack Ideas

Sample Lunch Diets

Lunch Sample #1
• Sandwich with meat, cheese and 2 pieces of bread. Fruit and Veggies on the side.

Lunch Sample #2
1 cup of lentil soup (any type of bean soup)
1 serving of whole grain crackers
2 ounces of low fat cheese
1 cup of baby carrots

Lunch Sample #3:
2 slices of whole grain bread
Sliced turkey or chicken
Lettuce & Tomato
1 apple
1 low-calorie and low sugar drink or 8 oz of water

Meal Ideas:

Gestational Diabetes Breakfast Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Dinner Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Snack Ideas

It’s best to limit your carbohydrates when controlling your blood sugar to servings of about 15 grams.

Snacks

• 3 graham cracker squares
• 8 animal crackers
• 6 saltine type crackers
• 3 cups of popcorn
• ¾ ounce of pretzels
• 4 ounce fresh fruit
• ½ cup of canned or fresh fruit
• ¼ of dried fruit
• 1 – 2 inch square of an unfrosted brownie
• 2 small cookies
• ½ cup of sugar free, fat free ice cream
• ¾ cup of plain, nonfat yogurt
• Mixed Nuts
• Fruit and Cheese
• 1 apple
• 1 cup of cottage cheese
• 20 raw almonds
• 1 cup grapes
• 5 cups of air-popped popcorn (plain)
• ¼ cup of hummus
• 1 cup of raw veggies of your choice
• 6 ounces of yogurt
• Mixed Nuts
• Small smoothie made with fresh fruit: strawberries, bananas or kiwis. – Mix with crushed and soy-protein mix powder. Add a tablespoon of honey

Meal Ideas:

Gestational Diabetes Breakfast Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Lunch Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Dinner Ideas

You’ve been diagnosed with gestational diabetes and now you are wondering… “What CAN I eat”? After being told what not to eat, how do you figure out WHAT to eat?

Here are some suggestions of Gestational Diabetes Sample Plans

Sample Breakfast Diet

• 1 egg on English Muffin with melted cheese and Crystal Light Juice
• Special K Plus Protein Cereal (only 14 carbs and 10 g of protein)
• Veggie sausage patties

Sample Breakfast #2

2 slices of whole grain toast with 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
½ cup of 100% fruit juice

Sample Breakfast #3

2 scrambled egg whites
1 scrambled whole egg
1 whole wheat English muffin
1 slice of melon

Make sure to ask your dietitian for a recommended sample meal plan for your gestational diabetes as they may also give you some meal planning tips or snack ideas.

Meal Ideas:

Gestational Diabetes Lunch Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Dinner Ideas
Gestational Diabetes Snack Ideas

The following is a guide to assist you with lowering your blood glucose until your next appointment with your doctor or registered dietitian. Typically, there are guidelines that are tailored to your specific needs.

One of the most important tools to controlling diabetes during pregnancy is through food choices. Trying to experience eating healthy meals and snack will help you stabilize your blood sugar and make changes to your overall eating habits. A registered dietician will be able to provide you a more personalized meal plan and develop a personal action plan based on your weight, height, physical activity, and the needs of the growing baby and your level of glucose intolerance. Your personal food preferences will also be taken into account.

First – What is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is characterized by high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Due to hormonal changes experienced during pregnancy, some women have an increased change of having certain hormones interfere adversely with the ability of insulin to manage glucose levels in the blood. The condition is also known as “insulin resistance”. As the placenta grows larger through the pregnancy, it will produce more hormones to interfere with the body’s insulin. Usually the mother’s pancreas will produce enough insulin (about 3x’s the amount) to overcome insulin resistance. If that doesn’t happen, glucose levels will continue to increase, resulting in gestational diabetes.

Leaving gestational diabetes untreated can cause problems for both you and your baby. Your baby can gain too much weight or there will be a chance of premature delivery.

Managing Gestational Diabetes:

• Monitor blood sugar levels four times a day (before breakfast and after meals)
• Monitor urine for ketones
• Follow the dietary guidelines instructed by your doctor and nutritionist.  Make sure to distribute your calories evenly throughout the day.
• Exercise, if approved by your doctor
• Monitor your weight gain
• Take insulin, if necessary and instructed by your doctor
• Control your high blood pressure by eating well

Eating Goals:

Eat 3 small meals and 2-3 snacks every day
Eat fewer carbohydrates at breakfast because this is when insulin resistance is the greatest
Try to keep the number of carbohydrates consistent with each meal.
If you are experiencing morning sickness, eat 1-2 servings of crackers, cereal, or pretzels before getting out of bed. Avoid fatty, fried or greasy foods.
Choose foods that are high in fiber
Eat foods with less sugar and fat.
Drink at least 8 cups of water each day
Make sure you are taking your pre-natal vitamins.

Here are some general guidelines to stabilizing your blood sugar naturally:

Eat a variety of foods and distribute calories and carbohydrates evenly throughout the day. (So, don’t dig into ice cream at night or get any late night fixes which involve a starchy or high carbohydrate food).

Don’t skip meals. Create a meal plan. Be consistent about when you eat and the amount of food you eat at each one. Your blood sugar will remain more stable if you distribute your food evenly.

Eat a healthy and good breakfast. You will need to limit carbohydrates in the morning since your blood sugars may not be stable. Try to avoid breads, cereal, fruit and milk. If you are going to eat one of these items, each a small portion and also eat some protein, like eggs with your meal.

Eat high-fiber foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables. These foods will be broken down easily but the fiber will help slow the amount of sugar entering your blood.

Limit your intake of foods and beverages that contain simple sugars, like what is found in desserts or fruit juice. These foods can elevate your blood sugar quickly.

Milk is high in lactose, a type of simple sugar, so if you drink more than a couple glasses a day, you will need to limit the amount you drink. You will need to find an alternative source of calcium. Try using plain soy milk (make sure to double-check the nutrition facts as some have higher carbs than others)

The amount of carbohydrates, calories and other nutrients depends on a number of factors which include your weight prior to pregnancy, your current weight gain, your physical activity and your blood glucose level.  A dietitian can tell you the proper amount of carbohydrates to eat each day.  Eating the correct amount of carbohydrates is important in controlling blood sugar levels.  There are some meal planning methods that requires carbohydrate counting and diabetes exchanges.  Your doctor will be able to help you with planning a method that works for your gestational diabetic specific needs.

Eating Tips

Try spreading your carbohydrates through the day eating 3 small to medium meals and 2 to 4 snacks each day.  To avoid low blood sugar at night, you may need to eat a small snack before bedtime and eat the same amount each day at each meal from day to day.  This will help keep your blood sugars under control.

For some women eating carbohydrates in the morning for breakfast will cause a quick rise in blood sugar.  It may be helpful to eat more protein at this meal such as eggs, chicken or turkey to satisfy your hunger.

You will need to lower your amount of sweet intake such as soft drinks, sweetened drinks, candy and desserts that are high in carbohydrates and low in nutrients.

Do not skip meals or avoid eating carbohydrates altogether to control your blood sugar as carbohydrates are quite important part of anyone’s diet.

Here are a list of sample carbohydrates that can be consumed, but consult your dietitian on specific meal plans:

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.

This basic guide is to give you information to lower your blood glucose.  The guidelines are general ways to use food to control your blood sugar during pregnancy.

Diabetes and Food

When you eat or drink, food breaks down into simple sugars called glucose which is used to give energy to your body.  A hormone produced by your pancreas called insulin helps the body absorb this glucose for energy.  Without insulin, glucose would not be able to get into the body’s cells and blood glucose would rise.

Diabetes and Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on blood sugar levels as they are quickly broken down during the digestion process.  It’s very important to manage the amount of carbohydrates eaten.  Balancing carbohydrates with protein and fat at each meal will help stabilize and slow down the digestive process so that sugar will slowly be released into the blood instead of quickly.

Healthy Eating Goals:

• Eat 3 small meals, 2 or 3 snacks at regular times each day.  Do not skip meals or even snacks!
• Eat less carbohydrates at breakfast than at other meal times since this is when insulin resistance is the greatest.
• Try to eat the same amount of carbohydrates for each meal or snack.
• For morning sickness, eat 1 to 2 servings of crackers, pretzels or cereal before getting out of bed.  Make sure to eat small and frequent meals each day and try to avoid fried, fatty and greasy foods.  If you are taking insulin and have morning sickness, make sure you know how to treat low blood glucose.
• High fiber foods such as whole-grain cereals, breads, pasta, rice and eating fruits and vegetables with slow down the release of glucose entering the blood.
• Eat foods with less sugar and fat
• Drink at least 8 cups or 64 ounces of liquids each day.
• Take your vitamins and minerals daily.
• Eat and drink 4 servings of dairy products and calcium rich food a day minimum.  Aim to get 1200 mg of calcium in your daily diet.  You can find calcium in dairy products, nuts, foods fortified with calcium, green vegetables, and unsweetened ready to eat cereals that are calcium fortified.
• Eat 3 servings of iron rich food per day at least to get 30 mg of iron each day.  You can find sources of iron include enriched grain products, poultry, fish, eggs, leafy green vegetables, lean meat.
• Choose at least one source of Vitamin C each day via sources from oranges, honeydew, broccoli, cauliflower, green peppers, tomatoes, mustard greens, grapefruits, strawberries, and brussels sprouts.
• Choose at least once source of folic acid each day.  Sources for folic acids include dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, black-eyed peas and fortified grain products.
• Choose at least one source of Vitamin A each day by eating carrots, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, beets, or spinach.
• Most importantly…do not diet or try to lose weight during your pregnancy.  Ask your doctor how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy.  A woman of average weight and height should expect to gain between 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy.

Foods to Choose to Lower Blood Sugar
Breads and Grains 6-11 servings/day	Fruits and Vegetables 2-4 servings/day	Dairy 4 servings/day
1 slice of bread 1/2 bagel or English muffin 1 plain rice cake 6 crackers (such as matzo, bread sticks, rye crisps, saltines) 3 graham crackers 3/4 cup ready-to-eat cereal 1/2 cup pasta or rice 1/2 cup corn Small plain baked potato 1 small pancake 1 6-inch tortilla 1 piece of fresh fruit 1 melon wedge 1/2 cup chopped, cooked, frozen or unsweetened canned fruits	3-5 or more vegetable servings/day 1/2 cup cooked or canned vegetables 1 cup chopped, uncooked or frozen vegetables 1 cup low-fat milk 1 cup soy milk 1 cup low-fat unsweetened yogurt 1 1/2 ounces of cheese 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
Meat, Fish, Poultry 2-3 servings/day	Fats and Oils In limited amounts (approximately 5-8 tsp/day)	Sweets and Snacks In limited amounts
2 ounces cooked lean meat, fish or poultry 2 ounces of cheese 2 eggs or the equivalent in egg substitutes 1 cup cooked dried beans or peas 2 tbsp peanut butter 1/4 cup tofu (bean curd) Vegetable oil (olive, canola or peanut oils) Tub margarine Fat-free or low-fat salad dressing Peanut butter and crackers Cheese and crackers Vanilla wafers Plain popcorn, pretzels		“Free” foods Raw vegetables Diet soda Sugar-free gelatin Sugar-free syrup Low-sugar jelly Sugar-free candy and gum Unsweetened popsicles