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What is Gestational Diabetes?

Every year, 2% to 10% of pregnancies in the United States are affected by gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that is diagnosed only during pregnancy and usually goes away after thebaby is born. It is a very frustrating and confusing diagnosis because doctors are not sure what the exact cause of it is, but it’s believed to be due to hormones produced by the placenta. A pregnant woman is typically tested for gestational diabetes between weeks 24 and 28 of pregnancy. It causes high blood sugar that can affect your pregnancy and your baby’s health so you want to be very cautious and attentive in the event you get diagnosed.

What Dietary Changes Can Be Made?

Gestational diabetes usually develops around the 24th week of pregnancy. Testing usually takes place between 24 and 28 weeks.

Usually there are no symptoms of gestational diabetes so if you get diagnosed it is pretty sudden and shocking. And since you get tested in your second trimester you’re probably used to a certain way of eating since you’ve become pregnant, not to mention the hormones are raging. When your doctor tells you that you have gestational diabetes you need to take in a lot of information as quickly as possible so you can make changes to your lifestyle and diet immediately but here are some tips to help accept your new way of life.

Eat smaller meals Perhaps you skip breakfast altogether or maybe you cram your meals into 3 larger meals of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This can have an adverse effect on your blood sugar making it hard to stabilize your levels. Since gestational diabetes affects your blood sugar, regulation is the name of the game. You want to avoid binging altogether so that spikes in your blood sugar don’t occur and one simple way to do that is by eating small, healthy meals and snacks throughout the day. Start eating small snacks in between smaller meals. Creating a meal plan that includes all your snacks with exactly what you’re going to eat and when takes the guesswork out of it, making that aspect of your new diagnosis less stressful. Bonus: it doubles as an easy way to grocery shop as well.

Add more protein to your meals and snacks. Since carbohydrates affect blood sugar it’s important to try and monitor the amount you eat and drink. Try a string cheese with a cracker or a scrambled egg on wheat toast. High fiber carbs paired with a lean protein help blood sugar levels while delivering you and your baby the nutrients you need.

Stay away from sugary drinks and juices. You may think that having a glass of orange juice or ordering a smoothie from your local juice joint are healthy choices, but not when you have gestational diabetes. Stick with water or a sugar free tea when you’re thirsty. Try seltzer and adding a lemon or lime if you want something different. Juices have a ton of sugars and carbs and will spike your blood sugar. Get a cute reusable water bottle so you always have something on hand so if you’re out you’re not tempted to order a soda or juice.

What’s The Big Deal?

Talk to a doctor or dietitian to create a healthy eating plan.

You may be sitting there thinking “what’s the big deal? I only have a few weeks left of pregnancy. I don’t need to worry about my diet.” Well, the consequences of not managing and addressing gestational diabetes far outweigh taking the easy road and ignoring the issue entirely. If you continue eating as if you didn’t have gestational diabetes your baby is at risk of gaining a lot of weight up until delivery. In a normal pregnancy, a baby will gain around ½ pound per week and the average birth weight is about 7.5lbs. If you don’t manage your gestational diabetes, you’re more likely to gain weight as well as put your baby at risk of being born at a higher weight which doctors call macrosomia. Macrosomia is defined as babies that weigh more than 8 pounds, 13 ounces at birth and you want to avoid that if at all possible. Preterm birth is also a concern if gestational diabetes is not treated. If diagnosed you want to address it as soon as possible so that you and your baby have an uneventful and healthy pregnancy and birth.

Because gestational diabetes puts a woman into a high risk category it is important to have a health insurance plan that covers all your needs. We offer a wide range of health insurance plans from top-rated insurance companies in every state. Contact EZ for a free, no obligation quote on all available plans in your area. To get free instant quotes, simply enter your zip code in the bar above, or to speak to a local agent, call 888-350-1890.

What’s better than cozying up with a huge plate of spaghetti loaded with carbs or sinking your teeth into a nice, big sandwich? Not much. Unfortunately like most food, if it tastes good, chances are it’s bad for you. While carbohydrates aren’t horrible for you in moderation, if you go overboard on them there are some serious consequences such as high blood sugar, adrenal fatigue, bloating, and weight gain. Let’s learn more about what carbohydrates are and how you can substitute foods high in carbohydrates with smarter, lower carbohydrate options.

What is a carbohydrate?

Sugar naturally occurs in fruit and is a simple carbohydrate.

Carbohydrates are a macronutrient found in many foods and beverages. Some carbs are naturally occurring while others are added by food manufacturers in the form of starch or added sugar. Common sources of naturally occurring carbohydrates include:

Fruits
Vegetables
Milk
Nuts
Grains
Seeds
Beans, peas and lentils

3 types of carbohydrates

Sugar. Sugar is the simplest form of carbohydrates and can be naturally occurring or added sugars. Naturally occurring sugar is found in fruits, vegetables, milk, and milk products. Added sugars are those added during processing such as sugar added to cookies or cakes.
Fiber. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate found in plant foods. It occurs naturally in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, cooked dry beans, and peas.
Starch. Starch is a complex carbohydrate and is naturally occurring in vegetables, grains, and cooked dry beans and peas.

Just because sugar, fiber, and starch are all categorized as carbs does not mean they’re all created equal. Sugar is a simple carb and breaks down into sugar fast, giving it the reputation for being a “bad” carb. Fiber and starch are complex carbs and are considered “good” carbs. Eating them helps keep your energy even and stabilize your blood sugar. If you have a choice between a good or bad carb, definitely opt for a good one so your blood sugar doesn’t spike.

How many carbs are in common foods?

If you aren’t accustomed to looking at a nutrition label, finding and understanding information about carbs (or any other nutrients for that matter) can be overwhelming and confusing. The recommended daily carbohydrate intake for most adults, male or female, is between 225 and 325 grams of carbs per day. In order to get a feel for what ‘a lot’ of carbs is as opposed to something that is perceived to be low carb, here are a few examples of some foods and their carb count.

cheese — Cheese has 0g of carbs. Everyone’s favorite food just got better.

Cheese 0g. If you’re looking for a great way to add flavor but no carbs, cheese is the perfect solution.
Cauliflower 5.3g. While you may think that vegetables wouldn’t have carbs, most do and if you eat a lot of them, it does add up. At 5.3g that is really nothing in the grand scheme of things so get those veggies in.
Big Mac 43.98g. It’s no surprise Big Macs have over 40g of carbs in them. They have huge buns and then they have a 3rd bun in the middle (as if a regular bun wasn’t enough).
Slice of pizza 35g. When you think of carb-heavy foods, pizza is probably one of the first to come to mind, but at 35g per serving it’s not outrageous. The amount fluctuates depending on whether it’s it’s deep dish crust or thin crust, or if it’s a cauliflower crust vs. a regular crust, but 35g is a good reference point to see how it fares compared to other foods.
Burrito-sized flour tortilla 70g. This is probably one of those foods that you think “wait – that can’t be right. 70 carbs for a little ol’ tortilla?” I’m sure you’re not alone. If you think about it, a tortilla is like a couple slices of bread squished down and compacted into a dense wrap so packing 70 grams of carbs
1 slice of white bread 24g. Most people eat 2 slices of bread with a sandwich, but most serving sizes are 1 slice. After all is said and done, you really are eating almost 50g of carbs if you make a sandwich for lunch, so keep that in mind next time you’re looking at a nutrition label.
1 serving of pasta 43.2g. Pasta is another food that you may associate being high in carbs and you wouldn’t be wrong. A serving size is approximately the size of a baseball so when you go out to eat at a restaurant you’re most likely getting more than a serving.

What are some good alternatives?

Now that you have a good grasp on how many grams of carbs you should be eating and the amount of carbs in foods you may eat, you may be wondering where you can cut some out or explore new substitutes that you may not have thought of before. Here are a few ideas to help get you started on phasing some low carb options into your diet.

Next time you order a sandwich, skip the bread and opt for a lettuce wrap.

- Lettuce wraps. These are a great alternative to using tortilla wraps or taco shells when you’re celebrating Taco Tuesday. Take a nice, big leaf of romaine and load it up with some ground turkey, beef, or tofu. You’ve already slashed most of the carbs you would’ve consumed had you gone the traditional wrap route so now you can have that extra taco.
- Low carb wraps. As mentioned earlier, a standard sized flour tortilla has 70g of carbs. There are so many new wrap options on the market that have a fraction of the carbs. You just need to be sure to read your labels and you will definitely be able to find a tasty alternative that is way less than 70g.
- Pickles. Say what now? Yep, you read that right. Those tangy, crispy sandwich sidekicks are having a moment and being hollowed out and being used as bread. It’s kind of genius if you like putting pickles on your sandwich anyway. Hate it ‘em or love ‘em, you can’t deny it’s a big dill for a new low carb option.
- Shirataki noodles. These noodle knockoffs are also called miracle noodles, and for good reason. One serving has 3g of carbs and are amazing dupes for regular pasta. They are made from an Asian plant called the konjac plant. Using them as a base for your favorite sauce or soup is a great way to get more bang for your carb buck, without sacrificing flavor.
- Chickpea pasta. One serving of this alternative to regular pasta has 34g of carbs but chock full of fiber and protein making it a great option if you’re in the mood for some pasta.
- Hold the bun. If you’re out and want a burger, ask to hold the bun and wrap it in a leaf of lettuce. You’ll save tons of carbs but not skimp on flavor. Same goes for sandwiches – most places will make the sandwich into a bowl so you can eliminate the roll altogether.

No matter what your fitness or diet goals are, it’s always a good idea to be familiar with what you’re eating. When it comes to carbs, try to make smart decisions and see if you can tweak existing habits for lower carb options. The possibilities are endless and you can save your carbs for the good stuff, like a piece of cake or a glass of wine.

Tag: blood sugar

I’ve Been Diagnosed With Gestational Diabetes. Now What?