Gestational Diabetes Bread and Starches
A very important part of gestational diabetes therapy is watching your diet. As in any type of diabetes, the food that you eat should be moderated in order for you avoid sudden spikes of glucose in your blood, as your body’s insulin cannot cope up with the amount of glucose in your body. Carbohydrates are the main sources of glucose, but this does not mean that a woman with gestational diabetes is no longer allowed to eat carbohydrate-rich foods. A gestational diabetic can enjoy any type of food, as long as she controls the portion sizes of every food she eats.
If you are planning your gestational diabetes menu, here are the serving sizes of the most common breads and starches. All of the amounts here are equal to one serving, and each serving contains about 15 grams of carbohydrates.
|
Gestational Diabetes Bread |
Size of One Serving |
| Whole grain bread | 1 ounce slice |
| Cooked cereal | ½ cup |
| Cooked rice or pasta | 1/3 cup |
| Cooked beans, peas, or lentils | ½ cup |
| Corn | ½ cup |
| Large baked potato | ¼ portion |
| Mashed potato | ½ cup |
| Flour or corn tortilla | 1 to 6 inches |
| Low fat crackers | 6 squares |
| Hamburger or hot dog bun, English muffin, or frozen bagel | ½ portion |
| Popcorn | 3 cups |
| Rice cakes | 2 pieces |
| Graham crackers | 3 pieces |
| Concentrated bran | 1/3 cup |
| Dinner roll | 1 small portion |
| Broth-based soup | 1 cup |
| Pretzels, potato chips, or tortilla chips | 3/4 ounces |
| Sweet potatoes or yams | ½ cup |
| Pancake | 1 piece, 4 inches |
It would also be very helpful if you consult your dietitian regarding your numbers of servings per day of carbohydrate, since this varies from person to person. However, in general, you can choose one kind of starch and have a maximum of three servings per meal, or you can choose several combinations of starches for a bit of variety. If you find a gestational diabetes meal plan is helpful, you can read more about planning in our gestational diabetes diet meal plan.
Tips on Including Starches and Bread in Your Diet
- If possible, choose pasta, cereals, and whole grain bread, since they are made of complex carbohydrates, hence not causing sudden spikes in blood glucose levels.
- Fried and high-fat starches, such as tortilla chips, potato chips, and biscuits, should be eaten sparingly. Instead, you can opt for baked potatoes, pretzels, and low-fat muffins.
- Instead of using sour cream on baked potato, try using a low-fat or fat-free yogurt.
- For your dips and bread fillings, remember to use low-fat or fat-free substitutes, like low-fat mayonnaise or light margarine.
- Use skim or low-fat milk together with your cereals.
- If you are buying foods from the market, check out the nutrition facts on the food labels so that you have an idea how much carbohydrate and other nutrients are stored in the food that you eat. (remember, one serving carbohydrate = 15 gm of carbohydrate)
- Check the serving sizes using measuring cups and spoons. You can also use a food scale if you have one.
Remember that planning your diet is an integral part in coping up with gestational diabetes.
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