In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhat Is Gestational Diabetes?Can You Reverse It?SymptomsRisk FactorsPreventionDiet GuidelinesWhat Can I Eat?Recipe Ideas3-Day Sample Meal Plan
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
What Is Gestational Diabetes?
Can You Reverse It?
Symptoms
Risk Factors
Prevention
Diet Guidelines
What Can I Eat?
Recipe Ideas
3-Day Sample Meal Plan
During pregnancy, you’re already adjusting to multiple changes in your body. Adding a diagnosis of gestational diabetes can add to the overwhelm. Take heart that not only will you be able to sustain a healthy pregnancy, but you’ll be able to do it without following a strict meal plan.
Keep reading to learn what causes gestational diabetes, how to eat healthy with gestational diabetes and how to create an easy-to-follow diabetes meal plan guide. The goal is to implement sustainable habits that feel manageable and stress-free, and still helpkeep your blood sugars in a healthy rangeduring this exciting time.
30-Minute Dinners That Are Gestational Diabetes-Friendly
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, even if you didn’t have diabetes before pregnancy. It’s routine for your prenatal health care team to test for it between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy.
Any woman can get gestational diabetes; however, you may be at increased risk if you are overweight, have had gestational diabetes in a previous pregnancy or have relatives with diabetes.
Like other forms of diabetes, gestational diabetes impacts how your cells use glucose. When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose in your bloodstream. Insulin is then released from the pancreas to take glucose to your cells so it can be used for energy.
Uncontrolled blood sugar can also lead to high blood pressure in the mother. In a 2022 review inFrontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, researchers state that there is a correlation between gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, a condition in which a mother’s blood pressure soars too high (among other things, like having protein in the urine).
Can You Reverse Gestational Diabetes?
While you probably can’t reverse gestational diabetes while pregnant, the good news is that you cankeep your blood sugar levels in checkthrough proper nutrition, physical activity, managing your stress, getting plenty of quality sleep and working closely with your prenatal health care team.
Having gestational diabetes does not necessarily mean that you will have diabetes forever. TheAmerican Diabetes Association (ADA)confirms that gestational diabetes typically goes away after pregnancy, especially for those without a prior diabetes diagnosis. But once you’ve had gestational diabetes, there’s a 2 in 3 chance it could return in future pregnancies.
Having gestational diabetes may also increase your risk of Type 2 diabetes down the road. According to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 50% of women who have had gestational diabetes go on to have Type 2 diabetes years later.
Gestational Diabetes Symptoms
Risk Factors for Gestational Diabetes
Interestingly, there have been studies, like the 2022 longitudinal study inNature and Science of Sleepthat suggest lower sleep quality in the first trimester may increase your risk of gestational diabetes.
And a 2020 review inDiabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviewssuggests that perceiving higher levels of stress during pregnancy may also be a risk factor for gestational diabetes.
How to Prevent Gestational Diabetes
Considering the risk factors for gestational diabetes, there are a few things you can do to help reduce your risk of getting it. It’s important to remember, though, that if you do get diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it’s not your fault. Some women seemingly do everything “right” and still end up with it.
If you have risk factors for gestational diabetes, ask your health care practitioner for a referral to a registered dietitian to help you design a healthy gestational diabetes prevention plan.
Gestational Diabetes Diet Guidelines
If you’re wondering what the best diet for gestational diabetes is, the answer is that it’s not one-size-fits-all. The overall goal is toincorporate foods that support healthy blood sugarlevels.
Choose Complex Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates raise blood sugar more than fat and protein, so it’s important to pay attention to the type and amount of carbohydrates you’re eating. Aim for about 30-45 g of carbs per meal and 15-30 grams per snack, but check with your dietitian for your specific needs.
Choosecomplex carbohydratesmost of the time—these have more fiber, which slows digestion and prevents blood sugar from spiking. Beans, whole grains and vegetables are complex carbs.
The plate methodlets you eyeball appropriate portions without having to actually pull out a measuring cup or count calories, which makes plating out a balanced, healthy meal simple and easy. Aim to make half your plate non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of your plate lean protein, and a quarter of your plate whole grains at each meal. It’s important to eat a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal.
Pair Carbohydrates with Protein and Healthy Fats
Pairing carbohydrates with protein andhealthy fatsprevents spikes in blood sugar. It also keeps you full since protein and fat are digested more slowly than carbohydrates. For example, instead of just having an apple for a snack, pair it with peanut butter, which provides protein and healthy fat.
Eat at Regular Intervals Throughout the Day
What Can I Eat If I Have Gestational Diabetes?
Pictured:The Perfect Summer Picnic Menu for Diabetes
The answer: lots of delicious foods! Nothing is off limits per se if you have gestational diabetes, but some foodswill better help control blood sugarthan others.
Because refined grains like white pasta, white rice, white bread, crackers and tortillas will spike blood sugar quicker than their whole-grain counterparts, choose the whole-grain options more often. The same goes for simple carbohydrates like sugary desserts and juice—go for fruit-forwarddessertsthat contain less added sugar and more fiber. And choose whole pieces of fruit instead of juice.
Read More:What to Eat (and Avoid) When You’re Pregnant
Choose More Often
Choose Less Often
Recipe Suggestions for Gestational Diabetes
Here are some suggestions for breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks. These recipe ideas make eating with gestational diabetes simple and delicious.
Breakfast
Recipes to try:
Snack
Aim for 15-30 g of carbs.
Recipes to Try:
Lunch
These lunches can be made ahead of time to take on the go. Aim for 30-45 g of carbs.
Dinner
Use the principles of the “plate method” to build a balanced dinner that includes healthy carbohydrates, lean protein and plenty of veggies. Aim for 30-45 g of carbs.
Evening Snack or Dessert
If you’re still hungry after dinner or are craving a sweet treat, go for something that has around 15 g of carbs.
3-Day Gestational Diabetes Sample Meal Plan
Day 1
Breakfast:Old-Fashioned Oatmeal
AM Snack:1/3 cup raw almonds + 1/2 cup mixed berries
Lunch:Salmon Salad
PM Snack:Lime & Parmesan Popcorn
Dinner:Zucchini Noodles with Quick Turkey Bolognese
Day 2
Breakfast:Florentine Hash Skillet
AM Snack:1 small apple + 2 Tbsp. almond butter
Lunch:Cherry, Wild Rice & Quinoa Salad
PM Snack:1 cup vegetable of choice + 1/2 cup hummus
Dinner:Very Green Lentil Soup
Day 3
Breakfast:1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt + 1/2 cup blueberries + 1 Tbsp. chia seeds
AM Snack:Frozen Chocolate-Banana Bites
Lunch:Veggie & Hummus Sandwich
PM Snack:Guacamole-Stuffed Egg
Dinner:Roast Chicken with Parmesan-Herb Sauce
The Bottom Line
Managing gestational diabetes doesn’t have to be daunting. Use the guidelines outlined here to create your own gestational diabetes meal plan based on your tastes and preferences. Also, try to move a little more, get as much quality sleep as you can and manage your stress to the best of your abilities. Gestational diabetes is no reason to steal the joy from this amazing season of your life.
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