Diet for a Pregnant Woman With Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes is a common condition that affects approximately 4 percent of pregnant women. Fortunately, many women with gestational diabetes are able to control their blood sugar levels by following a healthy diet that limits refined carbohydrates. While every woman will have individual dietary needs, the following are basic guidelines for a gestational diabetes diet.

  1. Avoid Refined Carbohydrates

    • The most important change you can make to your diet is to eliminate refined carbohydrates. Refined carbs include sugar, white flour, regular pasta and white rice. These carbs are lurking in cookies, cake, soft drinks, coffee beverages, pasta dishes, crackers, tortillas and breads that are not made from whole wheat flour. Consuming these foods causes your blood sugar levels to spike. Elevated blood sugar levels increase the chance of having complications like pre-eclampsia and having a very large baby (which could require a cesarean section).

    Eat Natural Carbohydrates in Moderation

    • A healthy diet should include plenty of whole grains and other natural carbohydrates. Excellent sources for these natural carbs are brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta, oatmeal, cereal made from whole wheat, beans, fruits and vegetables. While these are all healthy options, too many servings of these foods can lead to elevated blood sugar levels. Your doctor can tell you exactly how many servings to eat each day based on your weight and other factors, but in general, most people need six to 10 servings daily.

    Daily Needs

    • Now that you know which foods to avoid and which ones to eat in moderation, it is time to look at the rest of your diet. While your doctor or dietician may tailor a diet to fit your weight and nutritional needs, most pregnant women with gestational diabetes should eat the following every day: six to 10 servings of breads and grains, most of them whole grains; two to three servings of fruit, choosing whole fruit instead of juice; four or more servings of vegetables; three to four servings of dairy products; and three servings of meat or other proteins including fish, nuts and eggs.

      Refined sugars and fats should be eaten sparingly. Also, remember to spread your food out over the course of the day, eating five to six times to help keep your blood sugar levels even.

    Sample Menu Plan

    • To give you an idea of what a day on your new eating plan should look like, here is a sample menu that includes three meals and three snacks.

      Breakfast
      2 slices whole wheat toast
      2 tbsp. of no-sugar-added peanut butter
      1 small banana

      Mid-Morning Snack
      1 oz. cheddar cheese
      6 whole wheat crackers

      Lunch
      Wrap made with a whole grain tortilla, 2 oz. sliced turkey, a slice of tomato, eight baby spinach leaves and one wedge of Laughing Cow light cheese
      Baby carrots with light ranch dressing
      8 oz. milk to drink

      Afternoon Snack
      ¼ cup cashews
      1 small apple

      Dinner
      ½ grilled chicken breast
      ½ cup steamed broccoli
      ½ cup brown rice
      1 cup tossed salad with light dressing

      Evening Snack
      6 oz. yogurt
      ¼ cup sliced strawberries

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