Foods and Diet Menu for Gestational Diabetes Patients
Gestational diabetes is a common diabetic condition occurring among pregnant women. Gestational diabetes, if not controlled properly may affect both mother and child in later stages of their life. Maintaining a planned diet helps in reducing the risk of gestational diabetes. High diabetic condition causes severe problems during pregnancy time. Let’s see the causes and preferable diet for gestational diabetes. Over consumption of foods rich in carbohydrate concentration is considered as the main reason behind gestational diabetes. Potatoes, rice, fruits, sugar candies, beverages like tea, wine, dairy products like ice creams and fruit salads are some of the food items rich in sugar concentration.
Avoid over intake of theses foods in diet so as to regulate blood sugar level. Try to consume a balanced diet by consulting with your physician. Now we will see some of the favourable diet for gestational diabetic patients. Plan a protein rich breakfast in diet by including food items like peanuts and whole grain products. Always make a self control over food consumption. Never try to over eat starchy food which welcomes hyperglycemic condition.
Plan diet accordingly so that patient takes small amounts of food in specific intervals of time. Meals can be taken two to three times per day as directed by dietitian. Keep snacks in between meals so as to maintain normal blood sugar level. Inclusion of fruits in diet helps in keeping pregnant women healthy. Care should be taken while choosing your favourite fruit. Certain fruits like jackfruits and raisins are equipped with high sugar concentration. Nutritionists prefer fruits like plums, straw berries, apple, jamun and kiwi fruits for gestational diabetic patients. These fruits with low sugar concentration help in regulating blood sugar level of patients.
Whenever consuming diary products, make sure that you pick only sugar less products. Take skimmed milk with less fat concentration at least twice a day. Avoid intake of beverages like wine, tea and alcohol that increases risk of diabetes. Minimize or try to limit the intake of fast foods from hotel and prefer homely food instead. Include green leafy vegetables like spinach and lettuce in meals. Take half cooked vegetable salads before or after meal. Make use of high fibre rich products like whole grain products in diet.
Monitor blood glucose level after taking meal and this can be better expressed as carbohydrate counting. Diet can be well planned by knowing the exact carbohydrate count in diet and it helps to a great extend in leveling diet. Following is a sample diet preferred for gestational diabetic patients. Have a breakfast snack giving priority to protein and fat rich foods. Lavish your lunch with a rich combination of starch, protein, milk, fat and veggies according to diet level.
Also take a pleasant dinner by including starch, protein, fruit, fat and veggies. Never forget to take snacks in between diet. Add a protein cum starch snack during afternoon time and spice your diet by adding protein, starch and milk as bed time snack. Almost all dietitians prefer inclusion of natural food supplements in diet than artificial ones. Maintaining a well controlled diet keeps away the risks of gestational diabetes.
Read more about Diabetes Natural Treatment. Also know about Diabetes Signs and Symptoms.