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Confused about carbs

5th June 201631st July 2019 Jo Paterson carb counting, carbohydrates, carbs, complex carbs, fructose, GI, Glycaemic Index, lactose, simple carbs, starch, sugar

Are you confused about carbs? Carbs can confuse many people. To be able to follow a good diet for gestational

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gestational diabetes diet snack

Featured Posts GD Basics GD Diet

Gestational diabetes diet

9th August 201531st July 2019 Jo Paterson 8 Golden Rules, carbs, Exercise, fat, food, food pairing, food recommendations, fruit, GD food pairing, LCHF, sugar, vegetables, what to eat

Gestational diabetes diet Making changes to follow a good gestational diabetes diet will mean achieving lower blood sugar levels which

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A busy weekend plastering and decorating my bathro

A busy weekend plastering and decorating my bathroom but between waiting for things to dry I thought I’d bake up a batch of cheese scones
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I’ve been meaning to re-make my wholemeal cheese scones for a while because I want some better pics for the website. The sun wasn’t shining unfortunately ☁️☁️☁️ and so #todaysmealonthewall isn’t as bright as I wanted, but hey ho, still super yummy 😋
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These scones are lower carb, egg free, nut free and vegetarian. They work perfectly as a snack with a big knob of real butter, cream cheese or sour cream, or some extra cheese 🧀
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These are a perfect snack to bake and then pop in a container to take to hospital because they keep fine at room temp ✅
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If you’d like to try my cheese scone recipe, you can find it at www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/cheese-scones/ or if you’re on Instagram take a look at my link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk to find the recipe index and search for ‘scones’
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#josgdrecipes #josgdbakes #todaysmealonthewall #cheesescones #wholemealcheesescones #GDUKMums
#gestationaldiabetesuk #gestationaldiabetessnacks #gestationaldiabetesfriendly #lowcarbnotketo

I’ve been remaking some of my older recipes to t

I’ve been remaking some of my older recipes to take new pictures for the website so I thought I’d share some of them with you today...
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MUG CAKES!
For those times where you want cake and you want it NOW! These mug cakes are huge and really help when you fancy some cake but don’t want to spike your blood glucose levels. The best bit? They take less than 2 minutes to make!
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I have a few mug cake recipes:
🥥 Bounty ~ coconut sponge with chocolate chips and chocolate drizzle
🍓 Summer Pudding ~ vanilla sponge with lots of juicy summer berries
🥕 Carrot Cake ~ warm spiced carrot cake with a sweet cream cheese frosting
🍋 Lemon ~ zingy lemon & poppyseed cake
🍫 NEW! Chocolate ~ Rich chocolate sponge with extra chocolate chips!
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Please search for ‘mug cakes’ on the recipe index @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/recipe-index/
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Instagram followers please use the link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk to find the Recipe Index
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These are some of my membership recipes available for Bronze & Silver GD UK members. The membership is completely optional and nothing you NEED to know is within the paid content. The membership contains additional recipes for Bronze members and recipes plus 7-day meal plans for Silver members. It’s this membership that allows me to continue what I do, publishing content to support all GD Mums and pays the running costs of an ad & pop-up free website
www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/membership-options/
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#GDUKMembershipRecipes
#GDUKMembershipRecipe
#JosGDBakes
#JosGDRecipes

I’ve been remaking some of my older recipes to t

I’ve been remaking some of my older recipes to take new pictures for the website so I thought I’d share some of them with you today...
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This used to be called Nut Free Chocolate Cake (as it was my first nut free cake) but it’s a great recipe which can be used in so many ways, so here is my re-named ‘Basic Chocolate Cake’
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www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/basic-chocolate-cake/ Instagram followers please use the link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk to find the Recipe Index
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As you can see, I decided to go for a dark chocolate orange theme for this one making dark chocolate orange ganache & using Terry’s Dark Choc orange segments to decorate 🍊 🍫
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This is one of my membership recipes available for Bronze & Silver GD UK members. The membership is completely optional and nothing you NEED to know is within the paid content. The membership contains additional recipes for Bronze members and recipes plus 7-day meal plans for Silver members. It’s this membership that allows me to continue what I do, publishing content to support all GD Mums and pays the running costs of an ad & pop-up free website
www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/membership-options/

Livlife bread (my no1 recommended bread) has a new

Livlife bread (my no1 recommended bread) has a new look! So don’t miss it if you’re looking for it!
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Livlife got in touch to send me a loaf of their new look bread as they know it is listed as my No1 bread on my best breads article & they wanted me to share the new look packaging with you all
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Why is it my top recommended bread? Because it’s the lowest carb, high protein & fat bread you can buy in a shop AND it tastes lovely!
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This was my go-to bread in my pregnancies as I really struggled to tolerate bread but with plenty of extra pairing this was a bread I could actually tolerate!
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LivLife Super Seeded with half the carbs is the best sliced loaf of bread I can find in shops at 7.6g carbs, 13.4g protein & 4.8g fat for 2 (Yes TWO) slices of the 500g loaf!
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A low carb, high protein bread that is great for toast or sandwiches alike. This bread is available to purchase from Waitrose & Ocado & is suitable for vegans
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www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/best-breads/ for those on Instagram please use my link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk to find the Best Breads post
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I made some french toast AKA eggy bread with 2 slices of Livlife
Ingredients:
• 2 slices of Livlife bread
• 2 eggs (lightly whisked)
• 60ml double cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp real butter
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
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Recipe:
• whisk together the eggs, cream, vanilla, cinnamon & nutmeg until combined
• lay the Livlife bread in a dish and pour over the mixture - allow to sit in the mix for 2 mins, then turn over to sit for another 2 mins
• Add the olive oil & butter to a hot pan. Once the butter is bubbling add the soaked bread and allow to cook until golden, then flip to cook on the other side
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Mine is served with full fat Greek yog, xylitol, blueberries & seeds
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#Livlife #Livlifebread
#Livlifeseriouslyseeded #Livlifesuperseeded #lowcarbbread #lchf #GDBread #GDBreakfast #gestationaldiabetesbreakfast #diabeticbreakfast #frenchtoast #eggsontoast #eggsavocadosalmon #weekendbreakfast #brunch #gestationaldiabetesbrunch #diabeticbrunch #lowcarbfrenchtoast #eggybread #lowcarbeggybread @livlifebread @waitroseandpartners @totalsweetxylitol

Apparently we’re in for some lovely hot weather

Apparently we’re in for some lovely hot weather the next few days, but what does that mean if you have gestational diabetes?
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💧🥤Stay hydrated! If you become dehydrated you run the risk of higher blood glucose levels & ketones
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😎 Keep your kit cool! Insulin, test strips & your blood glucose monitor can all be affected by extreme temperatures. It is best to keep testing equipment & insulin out of direct sunlight & hot conditions
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😖 Increased risk of hypos for mothers who use insulin as heat can increase the absorption of some fast-acting insulins
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👀⛔️ Signs that’s insulin has been heat damaged & should be disposed of:
•cloudy insulin may look grainy & stick to the sides of the glass in the insulin pen
•clear insulin may become cloudy
•insulin may turn brownish in colour
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⏰ 🍓🥜 Try to eat little & often! Many do not feel like eating much in warmer weather, but going long periods of time without eating means BG levels drop low then the liver dumps glucose into the bloodstream causing spikes. The best way to stabilise BG levels is to keep eating little & often (ideally 3 meals & 3 snacks a day)
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🧢🧴 Stay sun safe! Wear a hat, sun lotion, avoid sitting out at the hottest part of the day & don’t over do it! Diabetics are at higher risk of heat exhaustion
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www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/gestational-diabetes-heat/
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#Hypo #Hypos #FalseHypo #FalseHypos #BePrepared #HypoKit #DrinkMoreWater #StaySunSafe #StayHydrated #EatLittleAndOften #Insulin #CheckYourInsulin #KeepYourTestKitCool
#GDUK #GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #GestationalDiabetesUK #GestationalDiabetesUKMums #GestationalDiabetes #GestationalDiabetesDiet #GDPregnancy #DiabeticPregnancy #DiabetesInPregnancy #HighRiskPregnancy #GlucoseToleranceTest #GDDiagnosis #BloodGlucose #BloodSugar #BloodGlucoseLevels #BloodSugarLevels

Thank you all so so much for your lovely messages

Thank you all so so much for your lovely messages on yesterday’s post 🥰
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I must admit I really struggle not to let the bad comments get to me and it was so lovely to see all the positive and lovely comments from all of you we’ve been able to help & support, so Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!
From Jo & the GD UK Facebook Admin Team 💜
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I wanted to post a bit of a motivational post for anyone who’s struggling out there at the moment. Sometimes we all need a wee reminder of these things. Tag a friend who you think may need to hear this today too 🥰
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#GDUKMums #TeamGDUK #MumsSupportingMums #GestationalDiabetesSupport #GestationalDiabetes #pregnancy #pregnant #PregnancyDiabetes #PregnantDiabetic #HighRiskPregnancy #MumToBe #PregnantMummy #Preggo #Preggers #MamaToBe #InstaPregnancy #BabyOnBoard #PregnantLife #BellyBump #FutureMama #Mother #Mummy #Mama #MummyToBe #BabyOnTheWay #Bump #DiabeticPregnancy #Mom #Mammy #Birth

It’s been a really tough couple of weeks in our

It’s been a really tough couple of weeks in our Facebook support group. There’s been some heated debates around a few subjects such as remaining diet-controlled with GD vs needing meds, following medical advice vs questioning & making informed decisions and whether it’s ok or nothing to worry about to have consistently over target fasting levels & the possible consequences it may have in a diabetic pregnancy
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I think having GD during a pandemic is causing so much more stress & negativity (which of course is to be expected.) But we are baring the brunt of a lot of venting and upset with some, with a lot of abuse & nastiness directed at us. Because it is most definitely something we are seeing and feeling
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It’s hard work running and moderating a Facebook group with 12,000+ members
I believe my admin team go above and beyond what I have seen on ANY other group or forum with regards to the amount of information and support they offer (for free on a voluntary basis) EVERY SINGLE DAY
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Sadly, we won’t always tell mums what they ‘WANT’ or would ‘LIKE’ to hear & this can upset some members if they are given info which is contrary to what their health care team may have said or they’ve been ‘led’ to believe
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The information and guidance given is always given to enable mothers to be able to find out more, to ask questions, read the evidence-based research and/or shared experiences & make informed decisions to ensure the best possible outcomes in a diabetic pregnancy. Not to upset or make life difficult. It is shared with the best intentions BECAUSE WE CARE! 🥰
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We cannot not filter out or censor what members share or feel in their posts
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After a really tough week which included a lot of abuse & nastiness from women that have had TONS of help & support from my team and myself, only for them to go onto other forums/groups/social media platforms and bash GD UK it has been upsetting & hurtful. So this morning it was absolutely wonderful seeing such a positive post in the Facebook group and I just had to share it with you all. Because if we played a part in this Mum feeling like she does, then that’s all I ever wanted to do with Gestational Diabetes UK ❤️ and I’m #winning

Yesterday I talked about not relying on trying to

Yesterday I talked about not relying on trying to eat set amounts of carbs (because some types of carbs will be more tolerable than others)
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But how do you know where to start?
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Rather than counting all carbs as set amounts/weighed grams of carbs, start with this much easier visual measure and then see how you get on with each carb
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It’s important to stick to ONE carb per meal otherwise it can be confusing trying to work out which carbs you are struggling to tolerate
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Start with the small amounts suggested here and then test your levels after 1hr to see how you get on. The current NICE guidelines recommend a 1hr post prandial target of <7.8mmol/l (140mg/dl)
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It’s important to also ‘pair’ these carbs to slow down the release of glucose into the bloodstream, so try to remember #NeverEatANakedCarb
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Pair carbs with natural fats & protein and this will help slow down gastric emptying, therefore it helps keep blood sugar levels lower and more stabilised than if you ate the carbs on their own eg. instead of eating a piece of wholemeal toast with just butter, add butter, eggs and avocado and you will see lower more stabilised levels than with just butter alone
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You should find that you have some types of complex carbs that you tolerate better than others
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Once you have figured out which carbs are more tolerable to you, you can then increase these slightly and likewise, with the ones you don’t tolerate so well, you can pair more heavily, or decrease, or eliminate these from your diet
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If you are struggling with ALL carbs you try, then this suggests that your insulin resistance is so high that you may need meds/insulin, or increased doses to help you process them - this is absolutely fine and is just the case for some (myself included). That said, you should still find some carbs that you fair better with and these are the ones you should be able to rely more on in your pregnancy
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#youdontneedtoCOUNTcarbs #nocarbcountingnecessary #nocarbcounting #
#GDUKMums #8GoldenRules #GDFoodPairing #LCHF #lowcarb #highfat #highprotein #gestationaldiabetes #gestationaldiabetesdiet #nocarbcounting #diabetesinpregnancy #pregnancydiabetes #makelifeeasier

My last hack isn’t so much of a hack but essenti

My last hack isn’t so much of a hack but essential to the GD diet
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PAIRING!
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🍞+🍳
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🍫+🥜
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#GDFoodPairing #NeverEatANakedCarb
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Eating fat & protein alongside your serving of carbs slows down the release of glucose into the bloodstream and slows gastric emptying
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Lots of ladies ask what macros (what ratio of carbs/protein/fat) they should aim for on the GD diet, but unfortunately we’re dealing with a hormonal beast when it comes to GD! I often refer to gestational diabetes as ‘diabetes hormonal big sister’ And one thing that causes a big problem is that not all carbs are equal, and this can seem worse during pregnancy🤰🏾
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Each pregnant mother tolerates different carbs differently 🤰🏾🤰🏻🤰🏼🤰🏽🤰🏿🤰
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So whereas as I may tolerate rice really well and really struggle with bread. You may be the complete opposite?! It can also be different in one pregnancy to a subsequent GD pregnancy!
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It is for this reason I do not advocate ‘carb counting’ as a way to manage your BG levels in diabetic pregnancy
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If you are told to eat set amounts of carbs per snack and meal, you are led to believe that you ‘should’ be able to tolerate anything within those carb limits. But for most unfortunately it is not as simple as that (which you will find after eating & testing)
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Just because something is within your carb limits DOES NOT mean you will achieve optimal BG levels, but it also does not mean you necessarily need meds/insulin OR increased doses to be able to tolerate it either
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Try out different carbs in small servings (aiming to stick to one main carb source), eat it with plenty of protein & good natural fats #thisisGDFoodpairing adding plenty of green veg & salad for additional fibre and see how YOU get on. A majority will find certain carbs they can eat more of, or with less protein & fat than a more tricky carb, and some carbs no matter how well they pair they cannot tolerate
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Please note: if you find you are struggling to tolerate most carbs even well-paired it is then that you may need to introduce meds/insulin or increase doses. Many women will not be able to diet-control alone and that’s absolutely fine and nothing to feel bad about 🥰
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Hack No5. Freeze your bread before toasting ⠀ (o

Hack No5. Freeze your bread before toasting
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(or freeze your bread, defrost and eat - although I’m personally not keen on this as I find it doesn’t taste the same, whereas toasting frozen bread makes toast ‘as normal’) 🍞
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A study in May 2008, The impact of freezing and toasting on the glycaemic response of white bread, Burton. P, Lightowler HJ, found that “freezing and defrosting, toasting from fresh, and toasting following freezing and defrosting, favourably altered the glucose response of the breads.” With the biggest benefit seen from bread which was frozen, defrosted, then toasted 👍🏻
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Hack No4. Rinse your rice in water thoroughly to r

Hack No4. Rinse your rice in water thoroughly to remove as much starch as possible
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Cooking rice straight out of the packet means lots of the starch is left for the rice to cook in
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Starch turns into sugar in the body, so rinsing rice until the water runs clear removes as much starch as possible (and also means your rice won’t be as sticky)
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Obviously this hack is for those of you cooking raw rice. Please do not attempt to rinse your microwave packet of rice 😬
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Rice yet again is another type of carb that gives lower blood glucose when eaten cold or cooked, chilled and reheated ⚠️ although pregnant women may wish to avoid reheating rice as this can cause food poisoning due to bacteria found in rice called bacillus cereus 🦠

Hack No3. Leave the skins on your potatoes ⠀ Man

Hack No3. Leave the skins on your potatoes
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Many of you may already know this, but much of the fibre is contained within the potato skin (in fact half of a potatoes fibre is found in the skin!)
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Fibre helps us feel full for longer & slows digestion, 2 things that help to maintain lower and stabilised blood glucose levels
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Fibre also aids digestion and helps prevent constipation (something many pregnant women struggle with)
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In a meta-analysis study published March 2020, Reynolds.A et al, Dietary Fibre and Whole Grains in Diabetes Management: Systematic Review and Meta-analyses they concluded;
“Higher-fibre diets are an important component of diabetes management, resulting in improvements in measures of glycemic control, blood lipids, body weight, and inflammation, as well as a reduction in premature mortality. These benefits were not confined to the fibre type or to any type of diabetes and were apparent across the range of intakes [including women with gestational diabetes]”
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Potato skins are also packed with nutrients, Vitamins B & C, iron, calcium & potassium

Hack No2. Cool and reheat cooked potatoes ⠀ Not

Hack No2. Cool and reheat cooked potatoes
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Not only does it work for pasta (shown in my previous post), but not surprisingly it works for other starchy carbs too; potatoes, noodles, rice and lentils!
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If you struggle to tolerate potatoes, it may not be the best carb for you (as we all tolerate some carbs better than others). However if you do tolerate them but see levels increasing even when the potatoes are well-paired with protein & fats, you can try this hack!
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A research study, Method of Food Preparation Influences Blood Glucose Response to a High-Carbohydrate Meal: A Randomised Cross-Over Trial, Hodges. C et al. 2019, found that eating cooked cooled pasta reduced the spike in blood sugar levels and reheating the cooked pasta achieved even lower blood sugar levels with a faster return to baseline levels! This is due chemical changes after cooling and then reheating turning it into resistant starch. This study cites many others studies looking at cooking & cooling changing the amount of resistant starch present in the food
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To read this research study, please use the link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk labelled ‘Study on Food Preparation’

Hack No1. Cool and reheat cooked pasta ⠀ If you

Hack No1. Cool and reheat cooked pasta
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If you struggle to tolerate pasta, it may not be the best carb for you (as we all tolerate some carbs better than others). However if you do tolerate it but see levels increasing even when the pasta is well-paired with protein & fats, you can try this hack!
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A research study, Method of Food Preparation Influences Blood Glucose Response to a High-Carbohydrate Meal: A Randomised Cross-Over Trial, Hodges. C et al. 2019, backed up findings by BBC Trust Me I’m a Doctor TV Show where they found that eating cooked cooled pasta reduced the spike in blood sugar levels and reheating the cooked pasta achieved even lower blood sugar levels with a faster return to baseline levels! This is due chemical changes after cooling and then reheating turning it into resistant starch
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To read this research study, please use the link in my bio @gestational_diabetes_uk labelled ‘Study on Food Preparation’

Today I thought I’d share a few carb hacks & tip

Today I thought I’d share a few carb hacks & tips which you may or may not know
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By carb ‘hacks & tips’ I mean things that make higher starchy carb foods cause less of a rise in blood glucose levels!
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If carbs raise blood glucose levels, should I just cut them out or follow a keto diet?
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Restricting carbs during pregnancy can cause ketosis & may leave you feeling tired, lacking energy
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Is ketosis bad in a diabetic pregnancy?
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Not all types of ketones are equal. There are 3 types of ketosis:
1) nutritional
2) starvation
3) diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA)
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1) Nutritional ketosis may become present when following a low carb diet. The body is burning fat for fuel but is still gaining sufficient calories from fat & protein within the diet. With nutritional ketosis, blood glucose levels remain normal
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2) Starvation ketosis may become present because the body is burning fat stores because this is the ONLY source of fuel due to starvation. In pregnant women this can be found following a short duration of vomiting, commonly seen during illness or if the mother is suffering from hyperemesis
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3) DKA is a condition that may become present in insulin-DEPENDANT diabetics & can be fatal if not treated. It is caused by a severe lack of insulin, where the body cannot process glucose AT ALL & breaks down fat instead. As a result of the acidic build up, the body’s metabolic processes cannot function as they should. Unlike the other causes of ketones, in DKA blood glucose levels are extremely high causing a teratogenic environment for baby
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Studies have shown all pregnant women have increased ketone levels in pregnancy, even more so in the 3rd trimester
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NOTE: Ketones may be found when the mother has not eaten for a long period of time, or if they are dehydrated
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Studies on ketones in pregnancy & effect on baby are typically based on DKA & are lacking evidence in mild ketosis
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The diet I advocate is low carb, but not keto which I have found to be the best balance between moderate ketosis & good blood glucose levels
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Read more @ www.gestationaldiabetes.co.uk/ketones/ or use the link in bio @gestational_diabetes_uk to search for ‘ketones’ on the website

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