Ideally, any junk food is not recommended during gestational diabetes; if you wish to eat pizza, know that before eating pizza, seek medical and nutritional advice from your healthcare providers. Women with gestational diabetes should eat in moderation, as long as foods are part of a nutrient-dense, balanced meal plan. Even if your favourite pizza has extra cheese or pepperoni, it’s not okay to indulge in high calories and saturated fats. We will learn how we can still make pizza a healthier option.
Is eating pizza a safe option during gestational diabetes?
Healthcare professionals generally advise minimising your intake of refined carbohydrates used to produce pizza crust, whether or not you have diabetes. However, women who have gestational diabetes should pay special attention to how much refined and total carbohydrates they eat. The only food that directly raises blood sugar levels is carbohydrates. There are several varieties of pizza dough made with refined carbohydrates, like white flour that has been refined to take out the fibre, fat, and protein. They offer no nutritional value, add to the calories, and spike sugar levels.
How can you make your pizza a healthier option?
Since if you want to have a pizza, it’s preferable to reduce the amount of some ingredients if you want to make your slice healthy.
How the pizza will affect your blood sugar, that depends on, the sort of crust you choose. Generally, looking for thin, whole grain crusts or cauliflower crusts are excellent choices that add fibre to your meal, as fibre is great for diabetics.
Adding more protein sources like sausage, chicken, or turkey and fibres through colourful vegetables as toppings is a mindful recipe. Fibre reduces the glycemic index of foods, so, whenever possible, it is best to choose a high-fibre, whole-grain crust for your pizza. Fresh vegetable toppings also provide rich fibre and contain virtually no fat or sodium. It is the preferred choice over processed tomato sauce.
Including healthy fats like avocado or olive oil to balance these macronutrients can help make a meal more filling and suitable for blood sugar levels. And don’t forget that cheese is both protein and fat and probably makes your pizza satisfying and delicious, but remember that before consuming pizza, seek medical and nutritional advice from your healthcare providers.
Is pizza a complete meal on its own?
If you choose the correct crust, pizza can often be a well-balanced meal on its own, but you can also add other items to it or mix it with them. Instead of eating pizza by itself, you can enjoy it as a part of a meal. For example, instead of only having a whole medium-sized pizza for lunch (just a random number; everyone’s needs vary), you may have 1 or 2 slices with a salad as a safe and satisfying meal. Again, these numbers may vary depending on hunger levels and the pizza size you might prefer. Consider, pizza as part of a larger meal to help spread the effects of carbohydrates more evenly and avoid sudden rises in blood sugar.
While following these tips can be helpful in the blood sugar management journey of gestational diabetes, remember that everyone’s body will respond to foods differently, and more goes into your calorie numbers than just a singular meal. You also need to consider things like stress, movement, what you had earlier, time of day, and practicing mindful eating. Ideally, any junk food is not advisable during pregnancy.
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