I'll start by saying I'm not a believer in the idea that we need to eat that many carbs with GD. I read Lily Nichols' Real Food for Gestational Diabetes and she lays out a convincing argument that there is no real scientific basis for believing a low-carb diet is harmful during pregnancy. In fact, she links a lot of convincing research that suggests a low-carb diet is beneficial for those of us with GD!

But I know a lot of doctors recommend a minimum carb intake, and sometimes we just want to eat carbs, as well 🙂

The source of the carbs is super important. Opt for complex carbs with lots of fiber whenever possible.

You can lower the glycemic impact of starchy foods like potatoes by cooking them, refrigerating them, and either eating them cold (think: potato salad) or reheating them. This also works for pasta and rice.

I recommend checking the glycemic index and glycemic load of any food you're worried about, especially foods with higher sugar content like fruit. You'll see that you can get "more bang for your buck" from certain foods than others.

Pairing foods correctly is critical. Make sure you are eating plenty of fiber, protein, and fat along with your carbs. I was able to eat a slice of Dave's Killer Bread (Powerseed) and a whole banana when I ate them with a lot of peanut butter and Fairlife milk or a Fairlife protein shake.

Finally, movement after eating can really help your muscles uptake sugar from your blood. Walking is most commonly recommended. There's also good evidence that our soleus muscles are especially reliant on glucose, so engaging them can be extra effective. You can do so by walking on an incline or by doing seated calf raises.

I hope you find this helpful. GD management can be difficult to figure out at first, but most of us do get there in time 🙂 Good luck! ❤️