For many people, pregnancy is the beginning of a lifetime of high blood sugar. Those who have never had diabetes yet develop gestational diabetes have a higher than average chance of developing Type 2 diabetes. Of course, if you exert the effort to change your eating habits as soon as you know you’re pregnant, or even while you are trying to become pregnant, you may avoid this pitfall. For those who already suffer from diabetes, pregnancy is an added stress factor, and you will need extra care from your doctor during your pregnancy.
More than any other time in your life, it’s important during pregnancy to make sure that you eat foods that are healthy for you as well as for the developing baby. This is the best time to get into the habit or eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and substituting high glycemic index carbohydrates for lower glycemic index carbohydrates. It doesn’t take much effort to do, and you will find that you have a higher energy level, a very important aspect during pregnancy when a woman tends to feel quite fatigued a good part of the time.
For those who think eating healthier during pregnancy means eliminating your favorite foods, that is not the case at all. For some people it may be a transition, especially those who are not used to eating anything but white bread and rice and pre-sweetened cereals, but it’s important for the health of mother and baby to eliminate foods that are high in sugar. In addition to reducing the chances of developing gestational diabetes, switching to a low glycemic index diet during pregnancy can prevent a large weight gain, which can be very difficult to lose after delivery. The consumption of more of the complex carbohydrates that the body is able to convert to energy means you will gain less weight during pregnancy, reduce the possibility of gestational diabetes, increase your energy level, and most importantly, you will learn how to eat a healthy, balanced diet that you can use after the baby is born. Instead of using the excuse that many women do and say that it doesn’t matter because you’re going to gain weight anyway, use this time to learn new eating habits and become familiar with the carbohydrates that have a lower glycemic index.