Diet tips
Blood sugar control during pregnancy is important to your health and your baby's health. The following tips will help you control your blood sugar levels during pregnancy. The carbohydrates in food become sugar (also called glucose) after digestion. Glucose is important to you and your baby, but too much glucose in the blood can cause problems. The important thing is to eat the right amount of carbohydrates and choose healthy foods. Carbohydrates are found in starch, fruits, vegetables, milk and yogurt, so the serving size of these foods should be measured. Sweets and desserts should be avoided because they may cause high blood sugar levels.
1. Eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks a day
Eating too much at a time can cause blood sugar to rise. Eat smaller meals and snacks. Your nutritional needs increase during pregnancy, and your baby is counting on you to provide balanced nutrition.
2. Measure the serving size of your starchy foods
Each meal includes starch options. A reasonable portion is about 1 cup of cooked rice, cereals, noodles or potatoes, or 2 slices of bread per meal.
3. Drink 8 ounces of milk at a time
Milk is a healthy food and an important source of calcium. Because it is liquid, milk candy is absorbed quickly. Drinking too much milk at once can cause high blood sugar. It is best to limit the milk to one cup at a time.
4. One small serving of fruit at a time
Fruits are rich in nutrients, but because they contain natural sugars, you can only eat one serving at a time. A serving of fruit is a small piece of fruit, or ½ large fruit, or about 1 cup of mixed fruit. Avoid using canned fruit in syrup. Don't drink juice.
5. Eat more fiber
Try whole wheat bread, brown rice, wild rice, whole oats, barley, millet or any other whole grains. This includes peas, lentils, and any type of beans: pinto beans, red beans, black beans, or chickpeas. These foods are high in fiber and can help lower blood sugar levels compared to eating refined grains such as white bread and white rice.
6. Breakfast is important
It is difficult to control blood sugar in the morning because that is when pregnancy hormones are very strong. These hormones can cause your blood sugar levels to rise even before you eat.
Dry cereals, fruits, and milk are not the best choices for breakfast because they are digested quickly and can cause blood sugar levels to rise quickly.
A whole wheat breakfast with protein food is usually the best.
7. Avoid fruit juices and sugary drinks
A glass of juice requires a few slices of fruit. The natural sugar content of fruit juice is very high. Because it is a liquid, it will quickly raise blood sugar levels. For the same reason, avoid regular sodas and sugary soft drinks. You can use weight loss drinks and crystal lights.
8. Strictly limit sweets and desserts
Cakes, biscuits, candies and pastries are high in sugar and may raise blood sugar levels too much. These foods usually contain a lot of fat, but provide very little nutrition.
9. Stay away from sugar
Do not add any sugar, honey or syrup to food.
10. These artificial sweeteners are safe during pregnancy
- Aspartame; Equality, NutraSweet, NatraTaste
- Acesulfame potassium; Sunet
- Sucralose; Fulida
- Stevia; Truvia, Previa
11. Pay attention to sugar alcohols in sugar-free foods
Sugar alcohols are commonly used to make sugar-free desserts and syrups. These products can be labeled "sugar-free", but may contain the same amount of carbohydrates as the version made with regular sugar. Check the food label to see the grams of total carbohydrates.
Sugar alcohol may have a laxative effect, or cause gas and bloating. The following are examples of sugar alcohols: mannitol, maltitol, sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, and hydrogenated starch hydrolysate.
