Why a blog on GD?

I thought of writing something on diet for Gestational Diabetes (GD) when my daughter-in-law had GD last year. Being a vegetarian, she had very little choice when it came to American hospital diet. She was admitted in the hospital on the 26th week of gestation with high GD and for about 3 weeks, I had to manage her diet with proper calculation of carbohydrate, protein and fibre.With proper guidance and wonderful cooperation from her dietitian, we could keep her glucose level under control. She delivered a girl baby on her 29th week, and both mother and daughter are doing great today.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

The levels of Carbohydrates,Protein,Fat and Fiber in the meal.

Doctors advice the GD women to be very careful about their meal plan.It is the content of carbohydrates in their food that does all damage to the sugar level.
Here is the rough sketch of the meal plan:
Breakfast :- 30 grams of carb,any amount of protein and moderated fat.
Mid morning snack:- 30 grams of carb,any amount of protein,moderated fat.
Lunch :- 45 grams of carb,any amount of protein,moderated fat.
Evening snack :- 30 grams of carb,any amount of protein,moderated fat.
Dinner :- 45 grams of carb,any amount of protein,moderated fat.
Late night snack :- 30 grams of carb,any amount of protein, moderated fat.

So it is to be understood that women with GD should have 6 meals a day.
It is advised to allow 2 hours in between meals.By 2 hours it is usual to test sugars in the blood level.That will show the balance between carb and protein in the previous meal and that will be a proper guidance as to whether anything has gone wrong in the balance or we are following the correct line.Protein takes a longer time to digest and gives a feeling of satisfaction.The longer time the food takes to digest, the better it will be for the glucose level. When the food stays longer in the stomach as in the case of protein and fiber,more insulin is produced and sugar level maintains a satisfactory level.Carbohydrates in the form rice, idli, dosai and fine bread digest very quickly and prevent the normal secretion of insulin,thus raising the glucose level. Hence the added emphasis on carb level in the meal plan.One cannot go without carb in the meal as it is the source of energy, but it has to be well balanced with protein,fat and fiber.





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