HEALTHY EATING FOR GESTATIONAL DIABETES
(Western Style Diet)
When you have diabetes in pregnancy (gestational diabetes) it is important that you follow a healthy
eating plan which gives you and your baby all the nutrition that you need without making your blood
sugar (also called blood glucose) too high.
Healthy eating for diabetes is the same as the healthy eating principles which are suitable for
everyone.
All carbohydrate foods will make the blood glucose rise after you eat. These foods include all
starchy foods like bread, pasta, rice, noodles, potato, corn, legumes, biscuits, breakfast cereals and
all sugars, including natural sugars in fruit and milk or yoghurt.

Carbohydrate foods need to be included at each main meal and snack. In order to control your
blood glucose levels you should spread the meals evenly over the day. Aim to eat 3 small main
meals and eat 3 snacks about 2½ - 3 hours after each main meal. This way of eating will
ensure that you get only small rises in your blood sugar levels every few hours.

Do not skip meals or snacks. If you are hungry you will eat a larger meal next time, which
could make your blood glucose level rise too much

If you are hungry it is better to eat more snacks, rather than larger meals

Ensure there is no more than 12 hours between your supper and breakfast. A late night snack
may also help control fasting blood glucose levels.
You need to eat just enough to gain a healthy amount of weight (about 11 – 16kg by the end of your
pregnancy). For those who are overweight, obese or underweight before the pregnancy, please talk
to your health care professional for personal advice on weight gain. If you are putting on weight too
quickly try cutting down on fatty foods.
Fats such as oil, margarine, butter, meat fat or chicken skin will not make your blood sugar go up but
are very fattening. Use only small amounts of oil for cooking and avoid deep fried foods. Monounsaturated fats such as canola or olive oils and margarines are
the best types.
Aim for 3 serves of low fat milk, yoghurt or cheese each day, to
promote healthy bones.
Diabetes Centre RPAH, in conjunction with the RPAH Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, last updated 5 November 2014
SUGGESTED MEAL PLAN FOR DIABETES
(Western Style Diet)
Breakfast:
2 wholegrain toast with egg or cheese OR
OR
1 wholegrain toast + 250ml glass low fat milk
½ cup of rolled oats/high fibre low
GI cereal with ½ cup low fat milk
Mid Morning:
1 serve of fruit
+ 1 wholegrain/fruit bread
OR
2 plain biscuits
+ 1 tub Diet yoghurt
Lunch:
OR
Bowl of vege/lentil soup or
110g can baked beans
2 wholegrain bread with
canola margarine
Mid Afternoon:
1 small bowl fresh fruit salad
+200g Diet /natural yoghurt
OR
250ml glass low fat milk
+ 1 serve fruit
Dinner:
OR
Stir fry lean meat, chicken,
fish with large serve of
vegetables or salad
1 cup rice or 1½ cups pasta
Sandwich or crusty wholegrain roll
with lean meat, chicken, fish, cheese
Salad vegetables
1 piece fruit
Small piece lean meat, chicken or fish
1 large potato/1c sweet potato
Large serve vegetables or salad
1 piece fresh fruit
Late evening snack:
1 cup low fat milk or calcium rich soy milk
+ 1 fruit OR 1 slice raisin toast OR 2 plain biscuits
EXTRAS:
Allowed at any time
Green vegetables and salad
Water, soda water, mineral water, diet soft drinks
Tea, coffee, herb teas
Garlic, chilli, curry, spices, herbs
Clear soups
Fish sauce, soy sauce
Aspartame (Nutrasweet, Equal)
Sucralose (Splenda), stevia (Natvia)
Avoid
Very concentrated sugary foods
Soft drinks, cordial
Sugar, honey, jam, syrups
Lollies, chocolates, cakes, very sweet biscuits
Desserts, ice blocks
Sweet sauces
Fried, crumbed and battered foods
Pastries (sweet and savoury)
Diabetes Centre RPAH, in conjunction with the RPAH Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, last updated 5 November 2014