Diabetes and Pregnancy: Carb Counting and Meal Planning

• Eat 3 meals every day at about the same time.

• Space meals and snacks about 2-3 hours apart.

• If you are taking rapid insulin at each meal (Humalog/Novolog/Apidra), you may need to limit between-meal snacks to around 15 grams of carbohydrate. Larger carbohydrate snacks may make blood sugars too high before the next meal.

• Eat the right amount of carbohydrate servings at each meal and each snack.

- Keeps blood sugars stable

- Supplies the right amount of calories and carbohydrates for you and your baby.

• Choose healthy carbohydrates like whole grains, fruit, beans, and low-fat milk/yogurt most of the time.

• Limit sweets and sugary foods. If you eat them, make sure to count them as a carbohydrate in your meal plan.

• Drink plenty of water. Avoid regular soda, sugary drinks and large amounts of fruit juice. Choose sugar-free soft drinks instead.

• Milk is very healthy for you and your baby. It recommended you get 3-4 cups of milk/yogurt every day to supply calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Just make sure to count it as a carbohydrate in your meal plan: 1 cup (8 oz.) equals 1 carbohydrate choice.

• Protein foods have a very small effect on blood glucose, so they are not counted as carbohydrate in your meal plan. Include meat or meat substitutes like cheese, cottage cheese, peanut butter, eggs, nuts at each meal and snack. It is OK to add a little more protein if you are feeling hungry. To avoid too much fat:

- Choose lean meats and trim the visible fat and skin.

- Bake, broil, boil, or grill foods whenever possible.

- Limit fried foods (high-fat foods may make blood sugars stay higher longer)

• Non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, onions, green beans, spinach, etc. are free foods. These foods are low in carbohydrates, calories and fat, but high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Eating larger portions of vegetables at your meals can help you feel full and prevent excess weight gain.

Foods in the blue section are counted as “Carbs”

Milk/Yogurt

(1 cup) or

1 carb choice from

blue list

Nonstarchy Vegetables (1-2 cups are free)

Fruit (tennis ball size)

or 1 carb choice from

blue list

Starch pasta, rice, potato, beans,

peas, corn, cereal (1/3 cup to 1 cup)

or 1-2 carb

choices from blue

list

Asparagus

G

reens (turnip, collard) Broccoli

Green Beans

Beets

Mushroom

s Brussels sprouts

O

nions C

abbage

Peppers

Carrots

Radishes

Cauliflow

er

Salad greens (lettuce)

Celery

Summ

er Squash C

ucumber

Tomatoes

Eggplant

Tom

ato Juice

Chicken (no skin)

Fish (salmon, tuna, etc.)

Beef (loin/round cuts)

Pork (loin/round cuts)

Cheese (3-5 g.fat /oz.)

Cottage C

heese (low-fat)

Egg (1)

Peanut butter (1 Tbsp.)

Nuts (1/4 cup)

Meat/M

eat Substitute (3 oz. = deck of cards)

Fat 1-2 tsp.

Diabetes Meal Planning Tips:

• Starches, Fruit, M

ilk and Sweets are

Carbs (Carbohydrate). Carbs raise blood sugar m

ore than fat, protein and non-starchy vegetables.

• Eat about the sam

e amount of carb at

regular times to prevent blood sugar

highs and lows. •

Use the Diabetes Plate to keep carb portions in check at m

eals. ¼ plate Carbs (blue), ½ plate non-starchy vegetables (green), ¼ plate m

eat or m

eat substitute (orange) •

The amount of carb needed at m

eals varies from

person to person. An average m

eal has around 3-4 carb choices or 45-60 gram

s. •

Ask your PCP or dietitian if you need a different am

ount to keep your blood sugar in range.

Notes:

24-hour Nurse Line: 1-888-670-7264 • www.cmpcn.org

24-hour N

urse Line: 1-888-670-7264

• ww

w.cm

pcn.org

To receive a translated copy of this document, call Member Services. Para recibir una copia traducida de este documento, llame al servicio para miembros.Children’s Mercy Pediatric Care Network has partnered with the following health plans to assist in the management of your care: • Coventry Health Care of Kansas (Member Services: 1-877-347-9363) • HealthCare USA (Member Services: 1-800-347-9363 [after 7-1-2012: 1-800-566-6444])

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Customer Service: 1-800-347-9363 (MO) 1-877-347-9363 (KS)Nurse Advice Line: 1-800-347-9369 24 hours a dayP.O. Box 411806, Kansas City MO 64141

We bring it all together for you

BreakfastTest blood sugar before eating• 3-4 Carbohydrate choices (30 grams of carbohydrate)• Protein: 1-2 ounces• Vegetables (non-starchy): free• Fat: 1-2 teaspoons Test blood sugar ____ hours after breakfast

A.M. Snack • 1 Carbohydrate Choice (15 grams)• Protein

Lunch• 3-4 Carbohydrate choices (45-60 grams)• Protein: 2-3 ounces • Vegetables (non-starchy): free• Fat: 1-2 teaspoons.Test blood sugar _____ hours after lunch

P.M. Snack1 Carbohydrate choice (15 grams)Protein

Dinner• 3-4 Carbohydrate choices (45-60 grams)• Protein: 2-3 ounces• Vegetables (non-starchy): free• Fat: 1-2 teaspoons.Test blood sugar _____ hours after dinner

Bedtime Snack• 1-2 Carbohydrate choices (15-30 grams)• Protein

Sample Meal Plan

Reminder:One Carbohydrate choice equals 15 grams of total Carbohydrate.

Use this chart to convert grams to carbohydrate choices.

Carbohydrate Conversion Guide

Total CarbohydrateGrams Choices 0-5 ................. 06-10 ............... ½11-20 ............ 121-25 ............ 1 ½26-35 ............ 236-40 ............ 2 ½41-50 ............ 351-55 ............ 3 ½56-65 ............ 466-70 ............ 4 ½71-80 ............ 5

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 1 Cup (228g) Servings Per Container 2

Amount per serving

Calories 90 Calories from fat 30

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 3g 5% Saturated Fat 0.5g 3% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 140mg 6% Total Carbohydrate 13g 4% Dietary Fiber 3g 12%

Sugar 3g Protein 3g

Vitamin A 80% Vitamin C 60% Calcium 4% Iron 4%

* Percent daily values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on

your calorie needs: Calories: 2,000 2,500 Total Fat Less than 65g 80g

Sat Fat Less than 20g 25g Cholesterol Less than 300mg 300mg Sodium Less than 2400mg 2400mg Total Carbohydrate 300g 375g Dietary Fiber 25g 30g

Calories per gram: Fat 9 Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4

Serving Size:All of the information listed on the food label is based on this portion.

“Servings per container” lets you know how many servings are in the package.

Total Carbohydrate:This number shows the total grams of carbohydrate in one serving. Sugars and fiber are included in the total carbohydrate, so you do not need to count them.