Recommended Diet for Gestational Diabetes
Every mother wants a smooth pregnancy leading to her baby's first day of life. However, if you are told you have gestational diabetes, you will have to closely watch your food intake. Gestational diabetes is a condition in which your blood sugar levels (glucose) are higher than normal during pregnancy. Once the baby is born the hormone levels usually return to normal and the gestational diabetes is gone.
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Specialized Diet for Gestational Diabetics
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Jamie Leff, M.S., R.D. in Los Angeles, California, talks about her gestational diabetes clients. "We try to watch their carbohydrate intake in the morning...have them count carbohydrates throughout the day, same as any other diabetics...small frequent meals and higher protein. The purpose is to keep the blood sugars stable; otherwise the baby is getting too much glucose. Once the baby is born, the baby's blood sugars dramatically drop and can cause the baby to go into respiratory failure. So, a basic carbohydrate-consistent diet is what we recommend, and then we go further into carbohydrate counting depending on the person and their specific issues."
Since gestational diabetes affects every woman differently, you should always check with your doctor before starting any diet or nutrition plan. The plan given to you will manage the gestational diabetes for both yourself and the baby.
Sample carbohydrate choices
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1/2 cup corn
1/3 cup pasta
1/3 cup rice
1 tortilla (6 inches across)
3/4 cup unsweetened, ready-to-eat cereal
1 slice of bread
1 cup skim or low-fat milk
1 cup plain or natural yogurt
1/2 cup orange juice
1 small apple
High sugar foods to avoid
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Candy
Honey
Syrup
Table sugar
Jellies and jams
Regular soft drinks
Large amounts of fruit juice
Desserts high in added sugar
High fat foods to limit
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Bacon
Butter
Cream
Oil
Gravy
Fried food
Sauces
Margarine
Solid shortening
High-fat food snacks
Sausage/hot dogs
Regular salad dressings
One day food intake example
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8 a.m.--Three scrambled egg whites with spinach, two slices whole wheat toast.
10 a.m.--Handful of almonds, non-fat yogurt.
1 p.m.--Turkey sandwich on whole wheat pita, lettuce, tomato, mustard, one apple.
3:30 p.m.--String cheese, one peach.
6:30 p.m.--Grilled chicken with steamed broccoli, salad with oil and vinegar, small sweet potato.
10 p.m.--Two graham crackers, one cup 1 percent milk.Heather Tuomala, diagnosed with gestational diabetes, regularly works with her doctor and says, "The key for me in handling my gestational diabetes is the diabetic exchange theory. For example, if I eat a lot of protein in one sitting (like a whole steak) it helps to offset my carbohydrates so I can have a little potato or macaroni with my steak. Or, I can have two whole eggs and that offsets the carbohydrates in my slice of wheat toast with light butter and small glass of juice. That has been helpful to round out my meal portions. Veggies have not affected my carbohydrates or sugars at all, but I know that is different for other people."
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