List of Foods for Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy among women who did not have diabetes before pregnancy is called gestational diabetes. Understanding the list of foods for gestational diabetes is vital for controlling blood sugar levels.

This article on Hipregnancy mentions good foods for gestational diabetes to help you keep your blood sugar levels in the safe range. If ready, Let’s start.

Diet for gestational diabetes

Gestational diabetes can occur in about 7% of pregnancies, especially in obese, inactive, and older than 25 women with heart disease, high blood pressure, and a family history of gestational diabetes. However, treating and controlling your sugar levels can not cause any problems for you and baby’s health.  

Pregnant women with high blood sugar levels can treat this problem by following a gestational diabetes diet during pregnancy. They should eat healthy and nutrition-dense food that falls into the list of foods for gestational diabetes in moderate amounts and at regular meal times.

Moreover, you must plan to drink plenty of water and eat little and often, ideally 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.

Also Read: Best Calcium Supplements For Pregnancy

To help you enjoy healthy pregnancy without any complications, we’ve got two lists of foods to eat for low blood sugar during pregnancy and foods to avoid for managing your blood sugar levels.

Consider that our gestational diabetes grocery list is a general for all women with gestational diabetes. Still, if you have this problem, it is better for you to visit your doctor or diabetes dietitian to get better treatment with the best balanced diet based on your gestational diabetes level.

List of foods for gestational diabetes

FOODS	EXAMPLES
Protein-rich foods	Fish, Egg, Chicken, Turkey, Beans, Seeds, Tofu, Legumes, low-fat dairy, Nuts, and Quinoa
Complex carbohydrates	brown rice, beans, Greek yogurt, sweet potato, berries, and whole-wheat bread
Healthy fats	nuts, seeds, avocado, almond butter, olive oil, and peanut butter
Not-starchy vegetable	peppers, cucumber, onion, corn,  green beans, salad greens, and broccoli

[1: clevelandclinic]

Foods to avoid with gestational diabetes

FOODS	EXAMPLES
Highly sugary foods and drinks	fruit juices with added sugar, smoothies, flavored yogurt, candy, ice cream, cookies, cake, sweet pastry, jam, crackers, soft drinks, soda, desserts, sugar, and syrup
Highly starchy foods	white rice, white bread, white pasta, and white potato
Foods with hidden sugar and simple carbohydrates	processed foods and snacks, breakfast cereal, fast food, and alcohol

[2: medicalnewstoday]

Best fruits for gestational diabetes

Fruits are a part of gestational diabetes healthy diet because they can boost your overall health by lowering the risk of heart problems, stroke, and cancer, preventing blood sugar spikes, and keeping a healthy weight during pregnancy.

Here is a gestational diabetes fruit list you can enjoy in moderate quantities while pregnant;

• Apple
• Cherry
• Strawberry (Read more about strawberry during pregnancy)
• Blueberry
• Plum
• Grapefruit
• Pear
• Orange
• Peach

Consider that frozen fruit with added sugar and canned fruit with sugar should be avoided if you have gestational diabetes. Moreover, drinking fruit juices and smoothies should be limited as they contain less fiber than whole fruit.

If you want to learn more about pregnancy-safe fruits, check the article best fruits for pregnant women, which contain safe and unsafe fruits for pregnant women.

Is Greek yogurt good for gestational diabetes?

Greek yogurt is the best yogurt for gestational diabetes as it is a rich source of healthy fats, folate, calcium, vitamin B12, and selenium. Moreover, its high protein content can regulate your blood sugar levels by slowing the absorption of sugar from other options in the list of foods for gestational diabetes.

Although Geek yogurt is safe for gestational diabetes, you should moderate your intake. This yogurt can be a great snack for pregnancy, especially when adding seeds, nuts, and fruits to it. Greek yogurt is a great option to improve digestive health and reduce inflammation.

To learn more about eating yogurt, check the article yogurt benefits in pregnancy. The mentioned article provides you with other safe types of yogurt for pregnancy and how they benefit you and the growing baby.

Gestational diabetes desserts

Sugar craving is common among pregnant ladies, but those with gestational diabetes must avoid desserts high in sugar. So, should pregnant women with gestational diabetes omit desserts from their diet? No! Some low-sugar desserts are available in the list of foods for gestational diabetes.

Here are some dessert ideas for gestational diabetes that will not mom and the baby, including;

• Chocolate avocado mousse: a blend of avocado, cocoa powder, and natural sweetener.
• Peanut butter fudge: a mixture of peanut butter, coconut oil, and a natural sweetener like stevia.
• Fresh fruit salad: a healthy salad containing well-washed, safe fruits for gestational diabetes.
• Sugar-free chocolate truffles: a mixture of cocoa powder, coconut oil, and a natural sweetener.
• Greek yogurt with berries: a healthy dessert with Greek yogurt and washed, fresh berries as toppings.
• Pumpkin pie: a mixture of canned pumpkin, a natural sweetener, and spices like cinnamon.
• Banana oat cookies: tasty cookies made with banana, oats, and a natural sweetener.
• Peanut butter banana ice cream: a gestational diabetes ice cream made with peanut butter, frozen bananas, and a natural sweetener.

Although desserts mentioned above are safe for gestational diabetes, you should not overeat them. It is advisable to consult your doctor to know the best item you can include in your gestational diabetes diet.

Gestational diabetes meal plan example for pregnancy

Following healthful nutrition and diet is vital for women having unbalanced blood sugar levels. Here are some suggested meal plan ideas to help you enjoy your pregnancy.

• Gestational diabetes breakfast ideas

1. Fried, boiled, scrambled, poached eggs or omelet + wholegrain bread
2. Low-sugar and low-fat yogurt and fruit
3. Grilled bacon+ two small slices of wholegrain bread [3: diabetes]

• Gestational diabetes lunch ideas

1. Half a baked sweet potato+  tuna mayonnaise+ salad+ cheese
2. One slice of open sandwich with fish, meat, egg, or cheese+ salad toppings
3. A pizza with tomato+ olives+ onion+ mozzarella+ whole-wheat tortilla

Recommend you read on article “what fish can you not eat while pregnant“

• Gestational diabetes dinner ideas

1. Beef stew with lentils+ sweet potato+ beans
2. Wholemeal pasta with lentils+ vegetable+ chicken sauce+ beans
3. Grilled fish fillets with pulses such as; butter beans, kidney beans, garden peas, etc.

• Gestational diabetes snacks ideas

1. Sugar-free popcorn
2. Nuts
3. Full-fat soy, or Greek yogurt
4. Hummus
5. Carrot sticks [4: tommys]

Gestational diabetes treatment

You need to control your blood sugar levels if you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes to prevent any problems during pregnancy. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes should change their lifestyle, monitor their blood sugar, and take medication if necessary.

Following a healthy diet and staying active can help you keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range. We provided you a list of foods for gestational diabetes that you can include in your diet. But here we want to discuss staying active, monitoring blood sugar, and taking medications.

Thirty minutes of moderate exercise on most days can help lower your blood sugar levels and improve your overall health during pregnancy. Everyday activities, walking, swimming, and cycling, are great choices for pregnant women to stay active.

Monitoring your blood sugar level is another part of gestational diabetes treatment. You should check your blood sugar levels with a blood sugar testing kit in the morning and after meals daily to ensure your blood sugar levels are healthy.

Pregnant ladies who can’t manage their blood sugar levels with diet and exercise may need insulin injections or oral medication. Some healthcare providers believe that insulin injections are more effective than oral medication. So, it is recommended to consult your doctor which suits you.

Conclusion

About 7% of women experience gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Uncontrolled and untreated gestational diabetes can cause problems for you and your unborn baby, like high blood pressure, stillbirth, and premature birth.

The best way to control this type of diabetes is a healthy and balanced diet containing a list of foods for gestational diabetes.

Suppose you are pregnant and you want to have best diet for gestational diabetes during pregnancy. In that case, you should control sugar level intake, drink plenty of water, and eat nutrition-dense food regularly. Also, it is better to consult with doctor to get better treatment based on your circumstance.

Are there any missed points or unanswered questions? If yes, share them with us via comment.

The Hipregnancy team is always here for you!