Sneaky foods that could lead to diabetes in pregnant women

Gestational diabetes is the sudden onset of high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Pregnancy in itself sees the mother’s body shift towards an insulin resistive state in order to provide the growing baby in her womb with higher glucose levels for energy. When the mother’s lifestyle and food choices vary during pregnancy, these coupled with the insulin resistance can cause a sudden raise in her blood sugar levels resulting in gestational diabetes.

Also read: Why pregnant women need to add omega-3 in their diet

Glycemic Index (GI) helps understand how quickly carbohydrates impact the blood sugar levels. It is a well-known fact that high GI foods are known to spike sugar levels in the body. Therefore, foods that have a higher glycemic index must be consumed in moderation to avoid the blood sugar levels from spiking. Avoid processed ‘white’ carbohydrates like white breads, white rice, cereal bars, chips and crackers. Contrary to popular belief, a few sneaky foods are considered to be ‘healthy’ while in fact have much higher GI content than imagined. These include instant oats, jowar, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, grapes, watermelon and even jaggery!

Add these slow-release carbs to your diet 

Slow-release carbohydrates that gradually release sugar levels at a steady pace in the body are key to maintaining a healthy balanced diet while managing sugar levels. Some of the slow releasing carbohydrates with lower glycemic index include: fruits and vegetables like apples, apricots, oranges, prunes, pears, guava, berries, plums, peppers, broccoli, cucumber, radish, brinjal, cabbage, ladyfinger; pulses like lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black eye peas, green gram and whole grains such as barley, quinoa, bran, poha, daliya and amaranth (rajgira).

Add a helping of walnuts and almonds with a tablespoon of sunflower or pumpkin seeds to the meals. Dairy products like buttermilk, homemade yogurt, paneer, and cheese can be consumed in moderation. Proteins when consumed in adequate quantities help stabilize blood sugar levels and prevent sugar spikes.

In an attempt to avoid sugar, it is important to remember that replacing sugar with artificial sweeteners like Equal or Nutrasweet is rather harmful due to their toxic chemicals. If need be, opt for coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup sparingly.

Understanding ingredients and packing labels to keep an eye on hidden sugars is also necessary. Avoid foods that contain brown sugar, cane crystals, cane sugar, corn syrup, HFCS, sucrose, golden sugar, dextro glucose or even icing sugar.

Dr. Vanshika Gupta Adukia is a pregnancy/childbirth and lactation specialist, a pelvic floor physiotherapist and founder of Therhappy, Mumbai.

Also read: 5 mental health benefits of strength training for busy moms