Nov 04 2008
Gestational diet
Gestational Diabetes Diet
Sample diet for gestational diabetes - breakfast
* One piece of whole wheat toast with 1 tablespoon of natural peanut butter and a
glass of milk
* A bowl of cereal and milk with almonds sprinkled on top
* One egg (cooked to your preference) a piece of toast and a glass of milk
* Natural peanut butter spread on half a banana
* Egg and cheese omelet with your choice of vegetables
Go for quality foods because as you can see, meal sizes are going to be small. By
combining your breakfast foods with a protein you will assist your body in processing the
sugar. The added benefit of the protein is be satiating for a longer period of time. If you
fill up on carbohydrates (which is very easy to do at breakfast) you are going to be
hungry sooner and have a higher blood sugar for your next reading.
As breakfast is going to set the tone for the rest of the day, don’t cheat. If you have a
high-sugar cereal for breakfast, your blood sugar will be elevated for the rest of the day.
After indulging you will have to make up for it during subsequent meals by having less to
even out your blood glucose levels.
Sample diet for gestational diabetes- lunch
A sandwich can be a diabetic’s best meal choice. It combines many of the food groups in
one easy to prepare meal. Choosing whole wheat bread over white and including a
protein increases the nutritious value of the sandwich. But you don’t have to be pinned
down to eating a sandwich every day for lunch for months on end (unless of course you
want to).
Good sandwich choices for diabetics include tuna fish, egg salad, deli meat, and cheese.
The addition of vegetables is a good idea and recommended. Be careful with the
condiments you add to your sandwich though. Check the labels to get an idea of the
sugar content as a guideline mustard is better than mayonnaise and whenever possible go
for a lighter or fat free version of your favorite spreads.
If you are looking for ideas that go beyond the four corners of a sandwich try out one of
these lunch ideas:
* Instead of making a sandwich with bread try using a tortilla wrap or whole wheat
pita pocket
* A variety of soups whether home made or store bought can be hearty and filling.
Eat with some cheese slices and crackers for a filling meal
* Pasta salad with chicken, ham, or cheese mixed in
* Chef’s salad with egg and a meat choice. Be aware of how much sugar is in a
serving of your salad dressing. A vinaigrette or balsamic vinegar are better
choices
* A small portion of what you had for dinner the night before
The eating habits you will develop and the food choices that you make when you have
gestational diabetes are ones that you would be smart to continue with once the baby is
born. Eating like a diabetic is very healthy if you follow the rules and the food guide for
portion sizes.
Sample diet for gestational diabetes -dinner
Dinner is the meal of the day when people like the most variety. You don’t want to eat
the same thing each night (pregnant or not). Here is the time to be creative. But a
cookbook or borrow one from the library to stock up on good ideas for dinner
combinations that fit in with your diabetic diet.
The dinner meal traditionally consists of a starch (whole grains, potatoes, and rice), a
vegetable, and a protein. You can be creative in how you combine these elements but
take the appropriate portions. Your dietician will give you guidelines on is considered a
proper portion of meat and other food groups. If you are having difficulty with this, you
may want to consider purchasing or borrowing a food scale until you learn how to judge a
portion size by sight.
Here is a selection of different dinner ideas that can be made:
* Cheese quiche, you can try making one without the crust to cut fat and calories
* Sloppy Joe sandwiches on whole wheat buns topped with shredded cheese (use a
lean or extra ground beef)
* Bell peppers stuffed with rice and ground beef and then baked in the oven
* Use a slow cooker to make a chili or beef stew full of veggies
There are numerous dinner combinations available by mixing up protein choices (fish,
steak, pork chops, and chicken) grains (brown rice, potatoes, pasta, and couscous), and
the various ways to cook vegetables (raw in a salad, steamed, grilled, or boiled).
If you are going out to eat for dinner, don’t be afraid to ask for your food done differently
than what the menu offers. Ask for substitutions and sauces on the side where
appropriate. Most restaurants are flexible and are willing to accommodate special dietary
requirements especially for pregnant women with diabetes.
Return to Signs-Symptoms of Diabetes Mainpage
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