Gestational Diabetes Diet Plan

Gestation is the period during which the embryo develops in the womb. If a pregnant woman has high levels of glucose in the blood and if the woman has no history of diabetes, she is said to have gestational diabetes. The mixed emotions of joy and anxiety during pregnancy can lead to gestational diabetes. A specially designed diet plan helps prevent worsening of the situation.

Gestational Diabetes

Causes
Either there is an insufficient secretion of insulin or there can be a situation named as 'insulin resistance' wherein the cells and tissues of the pregnant woman's body do not respond to insulin. Insulin ensures that glucose from the blood stream is absorbed by the body cells and tissues, to use it for energy production. When the body does not absorb glucose properly, then high level of glucose in the blood is observed. Hormonal changes during pregnancy can cause impaired glucose tolerance. Sometimes, pancreas fail to meet the increased demand for insulin. Some other factors leading to gestational diabetes during pregnancy are history of miscarriage, being older than 30, obesity, previous pregnancy complications, etc.

Symptoms
Mostly, the common diabetes symptoms like excessive thirst, frequent urination, nausea and vomiting, blurred vision, increased hunger, frequent or recurrent infections, especially bladder and vaginal infections and fatigue are observed in case of gestational diabetes. Sometimes, gestational diabetes may not produce any symptom or the symptoms may vary according to the overall health of the woman. The pregnant woman should consult her doctor for proper medication. She is expected to incorporate low glycemic foods in her diet.

Diet
The diet designed to control the diabetes during pregnancy helps maintain the health of the mother and the baby. The mothers who already have diabetes can also follow the diet plan. Controlling of blood sugar levels during pregnancy can be best done by modifying the diet. A gestational diabetes diet plan is designed for each pregnancy based on the mother's weight and height, to provide an adequate amount of calories and nutrients and to control blood glucose levels. Weight gain should be monitored during the checkups. The minimum number of calories eaten per day must not be below 1700 to 1800. The diet plan designed for gestational diabetes should be strictly followed under the supervision of the gynecologist and the dietitian.

Sample Diet Meal Plan

Breakfast

• 3 carbohydrate choices such as 2 breads or starches like 1 cup bran cereal or 1 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1 milk, like 1 cup skim milk, 1% milk, or nonfat sugar-free yogurt
• 1 ounce meat or protein like ½ cup scrambled egg or low fat cottage cheese
• 2 fats, like 2 tsp margarine
• about 45 gms carbohydrates
• You can have meat and bread if you wish or you can eat a fruit of your choice.

Morning Snack

• 1 slice whole-wheat bread with 1 tbsp. smooth or chunky peanut butter
• 1 tbsp. reduced-sugar jelly or reduced-sugar jam
• 8 fluid ounces nonfat skim milk
• Fat: 9.7 g, calories: 276, protein: 14.5 g, grams carbohydrate: 3.6 g
• You can have meat and bread or unsweetened fruit juice or fruit, if you wish

Lunch

• 1 large whole-wheat pita
• ½ cup cooked black beans
• ½ cup fresh chopped tomato
• 1 ounce low-fat sharp shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tbsp. salsa
• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 8 fluid ounces nonfat skim milk
• Beans, tomato, cheese and salsa can be blended and placed under the pita, and can be enjoyed with milk.
• Fat: 17.7 g, calories: 547, protein: 29.2 g, grams carbohydrate: 71 g
• You can have meat and bread or vegetables of your own choice like cucumber, spinach, celery, mushrooms, peppers, radishes, cabbage, lettuces etc without counting the calories.

Afternoon Snack

• 1 unpeeled medium size apple
• 12 fluid ounces nonfat skim milk
• 1 Tbsp. peanut butter
• Fat: 9.2 g, calories: 295, protein: 15.8 g, grams carbohydrate: 41 g

Dinner

• 3-ounce chicken breast (boneless/skinless, raw)
• 4 ounces pineapple rings, canned in juice
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 tbsp. sesame oil, dark
• 2 tsp. soy sauce, low-sodium
• ½ cup green beans, cooked
• ¼ cup instant rice, uncooked
• 1 tsp. cornstarch
• ¼ pound fresh strawberries

Take a shallow container and place the chicken breast in it with ½ pineapple juice, toasted sesame seeds, sesame oil, cornstarch and soy sauce. You may place half the rings from the pineapple, over the chicken. Keep it in refrigerator at least for 1 hour. You may refrigerate this overnight too. Discarding marinade, remove chicken and pineapple from marinade and grill or broil chicken breast and pineapple until cooked. Cook rice and green beans as indicated on package. Strawberries can be enjoyed as dessert.

You may design your own diet plan. The plan should be easy to follow and nutritious too. It is necessary to control the increased blood sugar level during pregnancy, as the situation can lead to severe health complications and the fetus may produce larger amounts of insulin to deal with the excess glucose (sugar) that is crossing through the placenta. A condition known as macrosomia, which results in larger than normal body and head size, occurs as a result of increased insulin levels in the fetus and it can lead to respiratory problems as well as hypocalcemia, hypoglycemia, hypokalemia, or jaundice in newborn babies. I hope this article has made it clear, how significant the diet is for the pregnant woman, diagnosed with gestational diabetes.