Gestational diabetes diet plan occurs to women during pregnancy when blood sugar level is very high. It happens when hormone levels change in the body has adjusted its need for insulin. Insulin is hormone that let glucose to pass from the blood into body’s cells as energy. In this case, insulin is not working well, thus blood glucose will get higher.
This condition is not permanent and normally vanishes after the baby is born. However, it does increase danger of Type-2 Diabetes further in life. If we do not treat the condition, it may lead to further complex problems for both you and your baby.
Managing Balanced & Healthy Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan
Hence, you need to take one first action in managing gestational diabetes diet plan. Below are basic ways in managing this condition:
- Keep up with balanced and healthy diet (highly suggested for all pregnant women)
- Balancing food intake with physically active is one ideal approach to keep up or lessen excess body fat
- Increasing food intake during the day (mainly starch foods) and stay away from sugary foods
- Testing out your blood glucose levels one or more times every day
- Doing at least 30 minutes of light exercise according to your doctor’s advice
- Take diabetes medicine and insulin as prescribed daily at proper times. Undertake treatment to balance with healthy meal plans and daily work out.
- Have general health check-ups. Having this condition will mean that you must often visit your medical expert. He will check your blood pressure and take your urine sample. You can also monitor your blood glucose levels, eating plan, workout plan, and weight control.
Most women with very much controlled glucose level deliver healthy babies with no complex health problems.
In gestational diabetes diet plan, you need to check the measure of carbs in your diet. Carbs foods process and convert it into blood glucose. Glucose in the blood is vital as fuel for your body and nutrients of which your infant gets from you. Then again, it is critical that we keep glucose levels to stay on target.
Herewith are some basic points to follow in reducing the risk of this condition:
- Eat little measures of foods as often as possible and keep up balanced weight
- Include small amount of carbs with lower glycemic index in each meal and snack. Your choices are whole grain bread, cereals, pasta, potato, sweet potato, corn, red rice, lentils, chickpeas, and beans. Those options will help you stay fuller for more.
- Pick various and delightful foods that give you nutrition mainly require for the period of pregnancy. This includes:
- carbs (e.g. wholemeal bread, pasta, rice, starchy veggies)
- calcium (e.g. milk and cheese)
- iron (e.g. red meat, chicken and fish)
- folic acid (e.g. green leafy veggies boiled or steamed)
- protein (e.g. lean meat, skinless chicken, fish, eggs, reduced fat cheese, and soy fermented products)
- low fat, especially saturated fat (e.g. use healthy fats, like canola, corn, olive)
- Control your saturated fat intake by picking lean meats, skinless chicken and fat free dairy foods. Keep away from any processed and fried foods
- Eat plenty of high fibrous foods like veggies, legumes, fruits, wholegrain breads and cereals
- Keep away from sugary foods and drinks
- Talk to your diet expert who can give good advice on best nutrition for both you and your baby
Sample Menu of Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan
Here is one sample of gestational diabetes diet plan. However, adjusted diet plan will work best. It is due to your weight, height, activity levels, stage of pregnancy, and glucose levels. Try also other variant of this sample menu to increase your flavor.
Breakfast
1–2 slices of toast wholemeal bread
One egg omelet with cottage cheese & veggies
One cup of low fat milk
Mid-Morning Snack
One medium-sized fruit such as guava, pear, plum, apple, sweet orange, or peach
Lunch
Chicken curry with potatoes and mixed veggies (zucchini, green beans, peas, squash, etc)
Afternoon Snack
A bowl of sprouts with veggies juice or soup
One small cup of low fat yogurt
Dinner
Chicken or ham salad sandwich with veggies
Evening Snack:
Five rice crackers with non-fat dip
You can also try other variant menu of gestational diabetes diet plan as follows:
Vegan Sample Meal Plan
Breakfast: 1-2 slice of toast whole grain with 2 tbsp of peanut butter, one cup of skim milk
Mid-Morning Snack: One cup of grapes with cottage cheese
Lunch: One sandwich with baked tempeh, mixed green salad with nuts, and low-fat homemade dressing
Afternoon Snack: One small apple, boiled peanuts, and one cup of sugar free soy yogurt
Dinner: stir-fried baked tofu and mixed veggies with peanut sauce
Evening snack: One cup of fat free milk and five whole-wheat crackers with cottage cheese
- See also : Graves’ disease diet
Below is one sample menu you can try at your kitchen:
Chicken curry with potatoes and veggies
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp of grated ginger
1 tbsp ready‑made curry paste
One clove of red onion, cut into thin wedges
One-half cup of vaporized skim milk
1 tbsp ground hazelnut
Eight small potatoes, cleaned and diced (you can add more veggies like zucchini, peas, green beans, etc.)
500 g chicken for stir‑fry, cut into pieces
200 g green beans, trimmed
One cup of yellow squash, cleaned and diced
1 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp juice of lime
1 tbsp dry red chili, chopped (you can skip it if you dislike hot spicy flavor)
Fresh coriander leaves to serve, chopped
- See also : Alcachofa diet
Instructions:
Heat up olive oil in saucepan over medium‑high heat. Cook onion and ginger for couple of minutes, stirring at times. Add curry paste and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Reduce heat to very low and stir in vaporized skim milk, ground hazelnut, fish sauce, and chicken. Simmer on very low heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is verging on cooked.
Put in cooked potatoes, green beans, and squash. Cover and keep on cooking with very low heat for another 5 minutes until squash and beans are no more very raw. Before serving, stir lime skin and lime juice into curry.
Top with coriander leaves. Serve it with red rice.