When an expectant mother develops high sugar levels, it is called gestational diabetes. Healthy eating, being physically active during pregnancy, proper medication and regular screening are important. Both mother and child are at the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes later, hence be in touch with your doctors and manage your diet as per their recommendations.

Snack Ideas for gestational diabetes

• Replace a meal with a snack
  One of the recommendations for diabetics is instead of having three large meals; you can have five or six smaller meals, and out of them, two can be substituted with healthy snacks.
• Snacks and Nutrition
  Snacks should not be to fill hunger pangs. They should also be healthy enough to give the required nutrition. High sugary snacks and packaged and processed snacks with hidden sugar should be avoided.
• Snack and Ketone
  Women with gestational diabetes are at risk for hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. That is the blood glucose goes too high or too low. Hence meals and snacks have to be taken at fixed times and a routine will help. If women are taking insulin therapy to keep, they might need too late snacks to avoid ketone.
• Snack and Free food
  To prevent weight gain, pregnant women end up having zero calorie snacks, which are called, free food. Though they are zero in calories, too many snacks can add to sugar levels and not ideal for late snacks.
• Trust your nutritionist
  You would need a dietary plan and guidance for meals during the day and snacks too. It might be overwhelming. Take the help of your nutritionist so that they can plan your meals and your late snacks to match your requirement. They will also vary according to your sugar levels and the level of physical activity that you engage in.
• Carbohydrate snacks
  The nutritionist will give you a ready list of snacks that you can choose if you are asked to choose from one carb choice. Double amount or choose two items if your food plan says choose two carb snacks. You can choose from cab options of Bread, rice cake, unsweetened English muffin, Sugar-free cereal, Fruit, nut mix, Salad, Baked chips, Wheat thins, crackers (saltine, oyster Graham), Tortilla, unbuttered popcorn. Applesauce, pretzel,

• Protein
  If you have had less protein for a meal, or even otherwise protein snacks after six or before bedtime are recommended. You can have 1 ½ slice of cheese, 2 tbsp of peanut butter, 1 egg – scrambled or an omelet, a tbsp of mixed nuts. If the recommendation is for two choices of protein, for example, you can have an omelet and cheese.

What is the best time to have a late snack?
You can have one after dinner and before bedtime. Make sure there is at least a 30 minute gap between the bedtime snack and sleep. If your recommendation is two snacks, have it around 5 pm then a light supper at 7 pm and have a second snack around 9 pm.