Gestational diabetes: Completing a meal plan

Vegetables

Most vegetables do not raise blood glucose. Vegetables supply many nutrients for both you and your baby.

You should east at least four servings of vegetables each day. One serving equals one cup raw vegetables or one-half cup cooked vegetables.

Protein

Protein is important for you and your baby. Protein helps build cells, helps with growth and healing, and helps hormones work.

Examples of food rich in protein are: meats, poultry, fish, cheese (all types), eggs, peanut butter and soy protein (tofu).

Dried beans and lentils contain protein but they must be counted as carbohydrates. (See examples of one carbohydrate choice for how much counts as one carbohydrate.)

Tip: You may eat a food that contains protein with each meal or snack.

Fat

Fat contains calories to help supply energy to you and your baby. Fat helps your body absorb vitamins A, D, E and K. Fat also give you essential fatty acids, which help your baby's brain and nervous system to develop.

Spreads like butter and margarine, cooking oils, salad dressings, cream cheese, sour cream, nuts and seeds are examples of fats. You may add these fats to meals or snacks.

Tips to remember:

• If you are hungry, add vegetables or a protein food to your carbohydrate snacks.
• Don't worry about the fat content of foods right now unless your health care provider tells you to reduce your weight gain.
• Meals that are high in fat can cause blood glucose to be high after eating. If you notice this happening to you, try to choose meals that are lower in fat.
• If your blood glucose is high when you wake up, have a bedtime snack that includes both protein and carbohydrates. This will help keep your blood glucose in check during the night.
• Don't drink alcohol.
• Follow your health care provider's guidelines about caffeine.

Artificial sweeteners

Avoid saccharin (such as Sweet'N Low® or Sugar Twin®).

It's OK to eat two or three servings a day of foods that are sweetened with this artificial sweeteners:

• aspartame (NutraSweet® or Equal®)
• sucralose (Spenda®)
• acesulfame-K (Sweet One®, Sweet & Safe®, Sunette®)

Many artificially sweetened foods contain more than one of the above listed sweeteners. They are safe for pregnancy, but do not eat too much. Ask your health care provider how much you can eat if you are not sure.

One serving equals 12 ounces of a beverage or one 6- to 8-ounce carton of yogurt that contains an artificial sweetener.

Related Links

Basic meal planning

My eating guide

Using food labels

Understanding carbohydrates

How food affects blood glucose levels

Allina Pregnancy Care

First published: 11/27/2006
Last updated: 11/27/2006

Reviewed by: Allina Patient Education experts