Leaflet Details
| Title | Healthy Eating and Gestational Diabetes |
| Department | Diabetes / Dietetics |
| Author(s) | Dietitian |
| Review Date | December 2023 |
| Next Review | December 2025 |
| Download | A5 Booklet PDF |
| Accessibility Options | Click on the Recite Me button to show our accessibility resources |
Patient Information
What is Gestational Diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is the type of diabetes that only occurs during pregnancy and leads to a rise in blood glucose levels. The hormones produced during pregnancy can make it difficult for your body to use insulin properly, increasing the risk of insulin resistance.
It is important to keep blood glucose levels as normal as possible during pregnancy to help your baby grow and develop normally. Lifestyle changes, including diet and physical activity, play a vital role in the treatment pathway of gestational diabetes. Sometimes high blood glucose levels may need to be controlled by tablets or insulin.
Tips for Eating Well with Gestational Diabetes
1. Regular meals
It is important to plan for 3 meals a day, with or without (healthy) snacks. Avoid long gaps in between meals - this will help your appetite control and blood glucose levels.
2. Carbohydrate
Carbohydrate is a source of energy and an important nutrient; it is the total amount of carbohydrate that is eaten at a meal that affects blood glucose levels. Balancing moderate amounts of carbohydrate evenly throughout the day will help control blood glucose.
Sources of Carbohydrate
Starchy foods such as: bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, cereals, chapatti, poppadoms, yams, plantain, pastry. There is a small amount in beans and lentils
Natural sugars found in: fruit, fruit juice, milk, yogurt, fromage frais
Added sugars found in: cakes, biscuits and confectionary
- Try having smaller portions of carbohydrates
- Spread your carbohydrates during the day
- Choose high fibre foods that take more time to digest and result in a slower rise in blood glucose levels
- Combine your carbohydrates with protein foods, such as chicken, meat, eggs, fish or pulses to also slow down the absorption of glucose
Examples of slowly absorbed foods:
- Granary, seeded or stoneground breads, sourdough rye bread, or wholemeal pitta bread
- High fibre cereals such as porridge, Shredded Wheat, Weetabix.
- Basmati / wild rice or quinoa
- White / whole-wheat pasta
- New potatoes or sweet potatoes
Portion sizes of carbohydrates are very important in controlling blood glucose levels.
There might be a stage in pregnancy that the same portions you used to have are no longer tolerated leading to higher blood glucose levels. This is usually due to the increased hormone levels as the pregnancy progresses. If this happens please discuss it with your dietitian or midwife.
3. Eat Less Sugary Foods and Drinks
Aim to reduce the amount of added sugar you have. Try to choose food with less sugar per 100g of product.
Alternatives to foods high in sugar:
| High Sugar Foods | Alternatives to use |
| Sugar, glucose, fructose | Artificial sweeteners, e.g. Canderel, Hermasetas, Stevia |
| Fruit squashes, lemonade, Ribena, Coca Cola | Sugar free squashes, diet drinks, slim-line drinks |
| Fruit yoghurts, low fat yoghurts | Diet fruit yoghurt, natural / Greek yoghurt |
| Jam, marmalade, syrup, honey | Reduced sugar jams / marmalades, pure fruit spreads |
| Sweet puddings, tinned fruit in syrup | Fruit tinned in natural juice, sugar free jelly or dessert mixes |
| Honey / Chocolate / Sugar coated breakfast cereals | All Bran, rolled oats (porridge), oat-bran |
| Sweets and chocolates | Fresh fruit- 1 x portion at a time |
| Drinking chocolate, malted milk drinks, light Horlicks | Low calorie drinks e.g. Options, High Lights |
| Chocolate biscuits, cream biscuits | Plain biscuits e.g. 1-2 x wholemeal crackers / crispbreads, Rich Tea, digestive, garibaldi |
| Rich cakes e.g. iced and chocolate cakes, gateaux. | Small slice: tea bread, currant loaf, malt loaf. Small wholemeal scone. |
4. Fruit and Vegetables
Aim for 3 portions of fruit spread out evenly through the day and unlimited vegetables or salad.
A portion of fruit is: an apple, an orange, a pear, a small banana, 2 plums or similar sized fruit, or a handful of cherries or berries. Use fresh fruit, tinned fruit in natural juice or stewed fruit with added sweetener.
A portion of vegetables is approximately 2 tablespoons.
Note: Unsweetened fruit juice contains a lot of natural sugar and increases blood glucose levels. It should be avoided during pregnancy.
5. Snacks
- If you are hungry between meals, choose a low carbohydrate snack.
- Examples: a portion of fruit, Greek yogurt, raw vegetables with hummus or cottage cheese, a handful of nuts or seeds, small bowl of unsweetened popcorn.
- For more options, please refer to the low carb/calorie snack list provided.
6. Diabetic Products
These can be expensive, offer no special health benefits and can have a laxative effect.
7. Fats
Although these do not have a direct effect on blood glucose, they are a concentrated source of energy and controlling their intake can help to avoid unnecessary weight gain which will help with blood glucose control.
- Foods can be grilled, steamed, baked, or microwaved rather than fried.
- Use less butter, margarine and oil and use sparingly.
- Make use of semi-skimmed or skimmed milk and the lower fat pasteurised cheeses.
- Eat lean cuts of meat and remove skin from chicken - consider pulses (e.g. chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans) as an alternative source of protein.
- Oily fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines, pilchards, trout or salmon are healthy and should be included once a week.
8. Calcium
Milk and cheese are a good source of calcium. Aim for 2 - 3 servings a day. A serving consists of a 1/3 pint of milk, a small pot of yogurt or about 30gms (1 oz.) hard cheese.
Suggested Meal Plan
| BREAKFAST | High fibre cereal / porridge or Seeded / granary bread or toast or egg (well cooked) / beans / cheese on toast |
| MID-MORNING | Small snack (if needed) |
| LIGHT MEAL | Lean meat, chicken, fish, beans, or cheese Small portion of bread, chapatti, pitta or potatoes, rice, or pasta Lots of vegetables or salad Greek or natural / diet yoghurt |
| MID-AFTERNOON | Small snack (if needed) |
| MAIN MEAL | Meat, chicken, fish, beans, or lentils Small portion of potatoes, pasta, rice, chapatti, noodles, or bread Lots of vegetables or salad Greek or natural / diet yoghurt |
| BEDTIME | Small snack (if needed) Sugar free drinks may be taken freely throughout the day. |
Food Safety
Follow food safety advice about liver, pate, fish, cheese, and unpasteurised milk. (See Food Standard Agency website).
Continue as normal with meat, poultry, fish, dried beans, tinned beans, and lentils.
Exercise
It is important to keep active during pregnancy. Research has shown that a short walk after meals can make a big difference in keeping blood glucose under control. Aim for 30 minutes of daily regular exercise; e.g. swimming, walking, aqua-aerobics. Yoga can also be beneficial, especially for relaxation. However, care should be taken not to suddenly take up strenuous exercise and if attending a class, always let the instructor know you are pregnant. Check with your Midwife or GP if you are unsure.
Different women gain different amounts of weight during their pregnancy, but this should not be more that 12 - 15 kilograms or 26 - 33 pounds over the whole of the pregnancy.
A good exercise programme can not only help your body prepare for the physical changes of pregnancy and labour but can make it much easier for you to get back into shape after your baby is born.
After the Birth
Most women return to normal blood glucose levels after the baby is born. All women who have had gestational diabetes should be offered a fasting glucose test as well as lifestyle advice (including weight control, diet, and exercise) at their 6-week post-natal check with their GP. If blood glucose is normal, then the test should be repeated annually.
Having gestational diabetes means that you are more risk of developing diabetes later in life. To reduce this risk, it is important that you continue to eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
Further Information
Useful web addresses:
Diabetes UK
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/life-with-diabetes/pregnancy
NICE guidelines - Diabetes in pregnancy
https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng3
NHS Website
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gestational-diabetes/
