Tips for Nutrition with Gestational Diabetes

Getting a diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GD) can feel scary. But let me reassure you that you can still have a healthy, happy pregnancy with the right management.

GD can often be well-managed with nutrition and lifestyle strategies. Research shows that when mums-to-be take steps to successfully reduce their blood sugar within normal levels, the chances of having a healthy pregnancy are the same as for those without GD.

Having the right evidence-based nutrition information and support to help manage your blood sugar is key. Unfortunately, a lot of the advice online (and given by many health professionals) – even when well-intentioned – is often misguided. So let’s dive into some science-backed solutions to get on top of GD. (Spoiler: outdated public health advice to freely eat starchy carbohydrates and plenty of fruits is not the best approach.)

 

First, what is Gestational Diabetes?

Gestational diabetes (GD) is high blood sugar that develops (or is first diagnosed) during pregnancy. It essentially means the body isn’t producing enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. It’s thought to affect around 30,000 pregnant women in the UK every year.

 

Why does it happen?

During pregnancy, hormonal fluctuations and weight gain can impact insulin’s ability to regulate and lower blood sugar, as well as making the body less responsive to insulin (insulin resistance) – particularly in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy.

While GD is often thought of as being “caused” by pregnancy, it may also be due to underlying conditions (such as undiagnosed prediabetes or type 2 diabetes).

Risk factors include having a family or personal history of diabetes, having a higher body weight and being over the age of 40. However, it’s estimated that up to half of women with GD have none of these risk factors.

Read: it is absolutely not all within your control so please do not blame yourself!

What you can do is focus on optimising your nutrition and lifestyle to support the health of your future baby.

 

How does my diet affect my blood sugar?

GD can also be described as a “carbohydrate intolerance” during pregnancy. Simply put, carbohydrates are the food group that influences blood sugar levels the most. When carbohydrates are digested, they’re absorbed as glucose (sugar) into your bloodstream – and your blood sugar levels increase. Therefore, pregnant women with GD cannot tolerate high amounts of carbohydrates.

This doesn’t mean you need to cut carbs completely, but being mindful of the type, amount and timing can work wonders. Other macronutrients (protein and fat) do not have a significant impact on your blood sugar.

 

Tips for Managing Gestational Diabetes

Every woman is different and can respond differently to various foods and movement, as well as other lifestyle factors. But there are a few solid strategies that can help to bring down blood sugar levels (alongside monitoring your own blood sugar patterns and discussing any medication or insulin with your healthcare provider).

 

1. Couple up your carbs

As carbohydrates have the biggest impact on blood sugar, one of the best ways to balance this is to aim for balanced meals, which contain a mix of protein and healthy fats, with most carbohydrates coming from high-fibre non-starchy sources. The fibre helps to slow the sugar release into your bloodstream.

A good approach is to aim for half of your plate to be non-starchy vegetables, a quarter filled with protein and fats, and a quarter from other carbohydrates.

By ‘coupling up’ your carbs with protein and fats, you’re slowing the release of sugar into the bloodstream. This helps to reduce blood sugar spikes.

Here are some key foods in each food group to freely include in your meals together. For example, breakfast could be a two-egg omelette made with spinach and mushrooms. A chicken salad of mixed leaves, tomatoes, artichokes, olives and avocado with a handful of berries makes a great lunch. And for dinner, try salmon baked with courgettes, broccoli and peppers drizzled with lemon, herbs, olive oil and salt.

 

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2. Pay attention to portions

I would never recommend counting calories or weighing your food, but being aware of carbohydrate portion sizes can be helpful when you’re wanting to manage your blood sugar.

Foods with the highest concentration of carbohydrates include: flour-containing foods (grains, pasta, bread), rice (brown or white), oats and cereals, as well as legumes (beans and pulses), starchy vegetables (potatoes, squash, peas), fruit, milk and yoghurt.

One portion of these high-carb foods is considered to be 15g of carbohydrates. This is the equivalent to 1 slice of bread or ½ cup of pasta, cereal, rice, beans, starchy vegetables or fresh fruit.

 

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Source: Lily Nichols, Real Food for Gestational Diabetes

 

Try to have no more than two portions (approx 30g) of carbohydrates at each meal. You may want to reduce this further depending on your own tolerance, so monitoring your blood sugar after meals will help to hone in on your own needs and adjust accordingly.

For non-starchy vegetables, as well as foods high in protein and fat, don’t worry about the portion size and enjoy to your satisfaction.

 

3. Swap the sweet stuff

Sugary, processed foods can make your blood sugar levels shoot up rapidly, so these are best avoided. Common culprits include sugary drinks, fruit juices, cakes, biscuits and pastries.

Refined carbohydrates, such as pizzas, rice cakes, noodles, crisps, quick-cook porridge oats, white bread and white rice can also spike blood sugar levels. This is because, unlike unrefined carbohydrates, these foods are low in fibre and other nutrients that would otherwise slow the release of sugar.

Instead, opt for nutrient-dense foods that are packed with vitamins and minerals, and will leave you feeling fuller for longer. Simple swaps can make all the difference. Try having some dark chocolate and peanut butter, instead of a chocolate biscuit. Snack on olives and cheese or dip sliced crunchy veggies into guacamole instead of crisps and dip.

 

4. Space out your snacks

 To avoid letting your blood sugar get too high or too low, try spacing out your meals and snacks across the day so you’re eating every few hours. Smaller, more frequent eating helps to stabilise your blood sugar, as well as delivering nutrients consistently to you and your growing baby.

Ultimately, eating for GD is all about enjoying whole nutrient-dense foods that are absolutely full of flavour, so you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out!

 

As with all health conditions, it’s important to get personalised advice where possible, as everyone has unique needs and circumstances. If you’re looking for more tailored 1:1 nutrition support to get on top of gestational diabetes or other pregnancy challenges, get in touch with Claire at clairehitchennutrition.com | claire@clairehitchennutrition.com

 

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