Planning your gestational diabetes menu can be challenging. It can be less of a chore when you follow these simple guidelines.
Learn to look at food with a different perspective.
See the foods according to these categories.
Protein
Red meat, for example:
Pork.
Beef.
Mutton.
Poultry, for example:
Chicken.
Turkey.
Duck.
Legumes, like:
Lentils.
Beans, for example:
Soya beans.
Kidney beans.
Butter beans.
Bake beans.
Eggs.
Cheese.
Nuts.
Carbohydrates
Starch.
Rice.
Grains.
Cereals.
Bread.
Pasta.
Spaghetti.
Macaroni.
Noodles.
Vegetables.
Potatoes.
Corn.
Vegetables for example:
Green beans.
Sweet potato.
Lettuce.
Fruit, for example:
Peaches.
Oranges.
Apples.
Kiwi.
Plums.
Dairy.
Milk.
Fat
Poultry skins.
Avocado.
Nuts.
Dairy:
Milk.
Butter.
Cheese.
Fiber
All vegetables.
All fruit.
Grains.
Nuts.
It is impossible to show you every food available, get the information from the labels. Plan your meals for the gestational diabetes menu according to the categories above.
You need the correct balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. When planning your gestational diabetes menu, split the carbohydrates as starch, vegetables and fruit and dairy.
Count the value of the food according to the ingredient that is the most common.
For example, nuts contain fat, protein and fiber, but its main source is
protein. Therefore, if you need some protein for a meal, then nuts will
be a good choice. However, if you need to add some fat, then nuts would
be the wrong choice.
Avocados are a fruit, but count it as a fat on your gestational diabetes menu.
Always have a protein when you eat carbohydrates. The required dietary fat will come naturally it is thus easy to have too much. Therefore, limit the amount of fat in your diet.
Breakfast.
Mid Morning Snack.
Lunch.
Mid afternoon snack.
Evening meal.
Bedtime snack.
Look at sample diet for gestational diabetes to see how this is done effectively.
Weight shown in two measurements.
Gram (g)
Ounces (oz).
Volume shown in three measurements.
Milliliter (ml).
United States fluid ounces (US fl oz).
United Kingdom fluid ounces (UK fl oz).
Other measures.
Teaspoon - 5ml (0.17 US fl oz, 0.18 UK fl oz)
Three teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon.
In Australia, four teaspoons = 1 Tablespoon.
Tablespoon
- 15 ml (0.51 US fl oz, 0.53 UK fl oz)
In Australia, 1 Tablespoon = 20 ml (0.98 US fl oz, 0.7 UK fl oz)
2 tablespoons are about the size of a
walnut, table tennis ball or golf ball.
Cup - 250 ml (8.45 US fl oz,
8.8 UK fl oz)
1 cup is about the size of a baseball.
1cup is about the same size as a handful.
1/2 cup is about the size of the glass part of a light bulb or cupped palm.
1/4 cup is about the size of a golf ball.
Glass - 350 ml (11.83 US fl oz, 12.32 UK fl oz)
Most beverage glasses are 12 oz. or greater in size.
Protein.
Meat, fish and poultry, 1 portion or serving size.
About 100g (3.53 oz) OR
The same size as the palm of your hand OR
A deck of cards.
Nuts.
Almonds - 1/4 cup, about 12 almonds.
Pistachios - 1/4 cup, about 12 pistachios.
Peanut butter - 2 Tablespoons.
Peanuts - 1/4 cup.
Cheese.
Low fat cheese - 1 1/2 oz (44g), about the size of three dominoes or nine volt battery.
Cream cheese - 1 Tablespoon.
Cottage cheese - 1/2 cup.
Legumes - 1/2 cup.
Egg - 1 large, replaces 1 oz (28g) meat.
Carbohydrates.
1 Serving is about 15g (0.53 oz).
Total carbohydrates for the day are 225g (7.94 oz).
Rice - 1/2 cup.
Soup - 1 cup
Bread - 1 slice from standard size loaf.
Flaked cereal - 1/2 cup.
Cooked pasta - 1/2 cup.
Air popped popcorn - 3 cups.
1 Muffin, about the size of hockey puck.
Vegetables.
Broccoli - 1/2 cup.
Carrots - 1/2 cup.
1 ear of corn - length of a pencil, about 8 inches (20 cm).
Mashed potato - 1/2 cup.
Raw leaves - 1 cup.
Small baked potato - 3 inch (7.5cm), about the size of a computer mouse.
Small sweet potato - 3 inch (7.5cm), about the size of a computer mouse.
Cooked vegetables - 1/2 cup.
Raw vegetables - 1 cup.
Fruit.
Banana - 1 pencil length, about 8 inches (20cm).
Juice - 1/2 glass 6 fl oz (177.44 ml).
1 fruit, small to medium. (1 big fruit like a watermelon or papaw by yourself in one sitting - bad idea)
Chopped, sliced, cooked or canned - 1/2 cup.
Grapes - 15 small or 12 large.1
kiwi fruit.
1/2 Fresh grapefruit.
Dairy.
Milk - 1 cup.
Yogurt - 1 cup.
Ice cream - 1/2 cup.
Sugar free custard or pudding - 1/2 cup.
Fats.
Butter, margarine - 1 teaspoon.
Salad dressing - 1 Tablespoon.
6 small olives.
1/8 Avocado.
Planning your gestational diabetes menu require that you buy your foods ahead of time. Plan your meals a week in advance and fill in your shopping list accordingly.
Construct the shopping list in the nutrition groups, protein, starch, dairy, vegetables, fruit and supplements. Furthermore, note on your shopping list the total gram carbohydrates and portion sizes needed.
A shopping list will also help you avoid the inessential items such as, chips and candy.
What to buy and what to look out for when buying foods.
The above information on the gestational diabetes menu, is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your health care team to see if it is safe and effective for you.
Please consult the services of your
doctor and/or other members of your health care team
before implementing any of the advice contained on this site.
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