What do you eat with gestational diabetes?

[frsttimemama]

I was recently diagnosed with GD, and I am looking for meal & snack suggestions. I'm having a hard time eating all the carbs they want me to have!

 

[krissie328]

I also struggle to get the carbs since I do not eat bread/grain. I have startef adding half a baked sweet potato at lunch and dinner. I also added in some dried fruit with snacks and an apple in the morning. But I have to balance it with higher fat to keep my blood sugar from also spiking.

 

[frsttimemama]

Thanks for the ideas! I've only been at it since Thursday, but it is really hard! I could do it more easily if I ate more chocolate & ice cream, but I want to give this baby proper nutrition. Not only that, but I have spent so long generally avoiding carbs, that now my belly hurts.

 

[krissie328]

Yea no kidding! I have been working on this since 6 weeks. I find fruit offers more nutrition and fiber. I also like peas because they are a little higher on carbs. I have also resorted to quinoa a few times when I have a bad Carb craving. I do have a terrible sweet tooth and sometimes snack on a few chocolate covered almonds or walnuts.

 

[Londonbump81]

I'm almost 19 weeks in my second diabetic pregnancy and I would highly recommend snacks of oatcakes with a nut butter on and sliced apple. Alternatively, light spreadable cheese on grainy crackers is good. Nuts themselves or fruit such as plums/ pears/ apples/ berries. I've found I can eat bananas (1/2 at a time) if they are still showing green on the skins. Natural or Greek yoghurt is good too with berries mixed in. Hope this helps x

 

[Londonbump81]

...Oh and as for meals, you can't go wrong with eggs! I scramble them with smoked salmon and chives or make an omelette with fresh baby spinach and cheese. Protein is your best bet at main meal times, so salmon fillets, lean red meat or chicken with veggies and a small amount of carbs like new potatoes with their skins on or brown rice. I've found pasta, even whole meal is a nightmare for me so I avoid it. I can eat bread though if it's seed rich or sour dough. It took me a while to stop craving chocolate and biscuits but after a while you taste the sweetness in the things you can have and that's good enough really! If you do need a sugar kick you can use Stevia or I buy agave syrup which is low gi for porridge and a tiny squeeze in a cup of tea if i need it!

 

[frsttimemama]

Thanks for the ideas! I appreciate them. For now, my sugars seem very good to me. I guess I'll see at my appointment on Thursday!

 

[lovebabyhopes]

I'm so confused by this thread.. Usually with GD your carb intake is limited, no? I can't imagine struggling to get enough carbs.. I struggle to not eat too many carbs. Carbs is what raises your blood glucose levels, giving you bad numbers.


Some foods that I eat:

In between snacks-
Sliced apples & peanut butter (all natural/ no sugar added)
Slow digesting protein bar
Plain greek yoghurt with almonds and berries

Breakfast-
1 piece of sprouted whole grain toast and a scrambled egg, topped with a little cheese.
Serving of cottage cheese with cut cherry tomatoes

Lunch-
Variations of salads with chicken
Grilled tofu with side salad and veggies
Grilled chicken with veggies & brown rice

Dinner-
Grilled chicken with steamed veggies and black beans
Grilled tofu, yams and salad
Grilled fish with salad and side
Fish tacos on corn tortilla with salsa & avocado
Grilled shrimp salad with veggie soup


I'm only supposed to have 1 carb serving per meal, this hasn't been hard for me. *shrugs* The hard part is avoiding eating too many carbs.

 

[frsttimemama]

That's what I thought, too, but when I had my consultation with the dietician, I am supposed to eat 3 carb servings for breakfast, 2 carb servings as a snack, 3 carb servings for lunch, 2 carb servings for snack, 3 carb servings for dinner, and 2 carb servings more as a snack IN ADDITION to protein and veggies. That's why I am struggling. And doing my best to eat all that, I'm still having trace ketones in my urine which they say means I'm not eating enough..

 

[Smonsta]

I have also been told to eat carbs with every meal but to be careful what I have. Something like Porridge for breakfast is fine and I can have a sandwich for lunch and potatoes for dinner etc but can't have anything like pasta or risotto as they are to carb heavy.

The main thing I have been told to avoid is sugar, biscuits, cakes and too many portions of fruit etc.

 

[frsttimemama]

They told me I could have anything I want, as long as it's within the serving number.

 

[lovebabyhopes]

That's so bizarre.. I was told 1 carb serving for breakfast & lunch and I think 2 for dinner. I've had pretty good numbers this whole time. No ketones in my urine ever.

Can I ask, are you ladies taking insulin? Maybe that is the difference. I'm not on any meds so my doctor and nutritionist expect me to manage with diet & exercise. Maybe that's the difference? I am certainly not allowed to eat whatever I want. I've been put on strict, low carb/ high protein diet. So far so good.

Maybe you guys need to experiment and see what works for you?

A tip my nutritionist told me was to eat as much protein as you do carbs. If you have a fist full of veggies or sweet potato (etc..) you need to have an equal or greater portion of protein to help break the carbs down slower.