Written by: Neelu Prajapat.

Do you know the most memorable experience in a woman’s life? Pregnancy. A woman goes through several changes during her pregnancy, and while some changes are lovely, others are difficult. Some pregnant women will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. To have a smooth pregnancy journey some women are advised to follow food guidelines to leverage the effects of diabetes on their health and the health of the baby. You need to follow a proper food guide to keep your sugar level normal and avoid the negative effects of gestational diabetes.

What is gestational diabetes, what causes it, and what diet plan should you follow in order to prevent it? You can rest assured we will answer that for you if you follow the article all the way through.

GMD Is What is Known as Gestational Diabetes

Pregnant women can develop gestational diabetes even if they have never had diabetes before. 2-10% of pregnant women are affected by gestational diabetes. If you are expecting, you should undergo a sugar test between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. 

Gestational diabetes can put mom and baby at risk. You can control it by following a diet plan recommended by your nutritionist, consulting a doctor regularly, and physical activity.

What Causes Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is like other forms of diabetes. It is also caused due to the malfunctioning sugar supply to cells. The food we eat contains carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are broken down in our bloodstream into glucose. The pancreas is signaled to release insulin which takes glucose molecules to cells. Glucose is an energizing element for cells. 

 When our pancreas is not able to make proper insulin for the transportation of glucose, the content of sugar gets high in our blood. Hormonal changes during pregnancy create such problems.

Gestational diabetes negatively affects the size of a baby. In such a situation, complications occur during delivery and call for a cesarean section. Many different types of complications can occur due to gestational diabetes.

How To Avoid Gestational Diabetes

Usually, doctors prescribe medications and diets to ladies during pregnancy. If you are an overweight mother then you need to take care of your diet. Eat healthy things which do not increase the sugar level in the blood. If you are a normal weight mother then following a proper diet and performing the healthy exercise will decrease your chances of getting gestational diabetes.

Diet Guidelines For Gestational Diabetes

If unfortunately, after proper care you are diagnosed with gestational diabetes, don’t panic. You can beat this problem by becoming very picky about what you eat.  

The main headline is to eat what will keep your sugar level to normal. Everyone has a different body and different needs for sugar. You need to look at the general guidelines and then pick the best for you. 

If you are thinking that it can be managed as a one-man army then no. The assistance of your nutritionist matters a lot here. She can better update you on your present carbohydrate needs. The general diet plan is explained below.

The War Between Carbohydrates And Sugar

Do you know which biomolecules increase the level of sugar in the body? It’s carbohydrates. Carbohydrates increase the level of sugar in our body more than any other mineral. It is necessary to look after the intake of carbohydrates. Try to utilize 30-45 grams of carbohydrates in your meals and 15-30 grams in fast food. 

Complex carbohydrates are better than simple carbohydrates. The reason is that complex one takes time to break down. It has more fiber which consumes time in decomposition during which your food is digested. Beans, whole grains, and vegetables are complex carbohydrates.

Plate Method

Portion control is very important in the diet. If you are eating healthy but eating in excessive amounts like two or three pates then your diet is a loss. Follow the plating method. Set your plate with small bowls. Add the meal according to the size of the bowl and refrain from eating more than the required portion.

Plain Carbs With Proteins

Our body needs time to digest proteins. Plus proteins fulfill the appetite. That is why the intake of carbohydrates with protein is recommended. Protein will make up for your need for appetite and you will be forced to eat less. Suppose you can eat apples with peanut butter.

Don’t Skip Meals

Feed your body with some healthy snacks after small intervals. Skipping meals boosts our appetite and next time we consume more food. Plus, it is not good for the health of the baby and mom. Make a timetable. Adjust your meals according to time. For example, eat breakfast at 8, have a snack at 12, and have lunch at 2. In such a way, the chance of forgetting your meals will decrease.

What Should We Eat If We Have Gestational Diabetes?

To make your life easy, we have made a meal plan for your breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

Breakfast

•     Cereals with low or no sugar are preferred with nuts and seeds. You can go for porridge as well.
•     Eggs such as poached, omelette, boiled, and fried all are good options. 
•     Grilled bacon with a piece of wholegrain bread is preferred. 

Lunch

•     Scrambled eggs with bread
•     Greek salad with lots of vegetables and chicken as a protein with a tasty dressing
•     Baked potatoes with a tasty dressing of mayonnaise
•     A pizza that has more vegetables than cheese and sauces. Prefer the base of whole-grain tortilla
•     A sandwich which can have eggs, boiled chicken or bacon. You can compensate for protein with vegetables

Dinner

• Homemade pasta with boiled chicken as a topping
• Beef stew with lots of vegetables
• A preferred dish is a piece of fish fillet that is baked in an oven

Conclusion

Following the instructions mentioned above, your life with gestational diabetes will become easy. A proper diet is the only solution to overcome your diabetes side effects.