Can you eat McDonald’s with gestational diabetes?
In this article we are going to answer can you eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes, what is Mcdonald’s, what is gestational diabetes, is it healthy to eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes, and what you should eat if you have gestational diabetes.
Can you eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes?
Yes, you can eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes but you need to choose low carbohydrate food from the menu. When you have gestational diabetes, you need to eat healthy carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats as much as you can.
Carbohydrate food such as fruit needs to be paired with protein so blood sugar doesn’t peak too much.
If you don’t eat according to a diet that controls your blood sugar, you and the baby can have serious health consequences.
What is Mcdonald ‘s?
Mcdonald’s is a fast-food multinational American corporation. It started back in 1940 in San Bernardino California. They started as a hamburger stand and then turned the company into a franchise. The headquarters of McDonald’s is in Chicago.
Mcdonald’s is known as the world’s largest chain restaurant by revenue and sales. It is known for its hamburgers, cheeseburgers, and french fries. They also sell breakfast items, soft drinks, milkshakes, wraps, and desserts.
Consumer tastes have changed with time and they are more aware of health problems from fast food. Since then, Mcdonald’s has added to their menu vegetarian options, salads, fish, smoothies, and fruit.
They remove the high-fructose syrup from hamburger buns and artificial preservatives from Chicken McNuggets replacing chicken skin, safflower oil, and citric acid with pea starch, rice starch, and powdered lemon juice.
They also have different menus depending on the country they are in to fulfill customers’ needs. For example, in Germany they sell beer and in Greece, the signature hamburger, Big Mac, is changed by adding tzatziki sauce and packed in pita bread.
What is gestational diabetes?
Gestational diabetes is diabetes that presents after 20 weeks of pregnancy because of hormonal changes. Pregnant women that have gestational diabetes can’t make enough insulin to keep blood glucose at normal levels.
Rapid weight gain and obesity are linked to a higher risk for gestational diabetes. If gestational diabetes is left untreated it can cause problems for the baby such as premature birth and stillbirth.
Gestational diabetes usually goes after the baby is born but if not treated it might stay even after the baby is born. Some common symptoms when you have gestational diabetes are
- Sugar in the urine
- Smell of urine
- Unusual thirst
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
- Vaginal, bladder, and skin infection
Is it healthy to eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes?
McDonald’s is not a healthy place to eat but you can look for the best options on the menu. If you are really craving burgers or McNuggets go for it but don’t make it part of your regular diet. Try to skip the sugary drink and french fries to cut some calories and sodium.
Sodium and MSG are other factors in Mcdonald’s food. High amounts of sodium can lead to problems with blood pressure, swelling, and water retention. All of these symptoms can worsen in the last trimester.
Some healthy choices you can make when eating at Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes includes
- Choose the small burger and try the whole wheat options.
- Try not to make your combo big, it might add too many calories
- Skip the sugary drink
- Try to eat a side salad with no dressing instead of fries
- The sandwich might be a better option than burgers
- Try grilled chicken instead of fry chicken sandwich
Follow this link for the best options on McDonald’s menu if you have diabetes.
What should you eat if you have gestational diabetes?
In general, when you have gestational diabetes you should follow a healthy diet. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Ideally, 2 servings of low carbohydrate fruit and 5 servings of vegetables every day
- Increase your intake of whole grains and cereal foods. Choose high fiber options
- Milk, hard cheese, and yogurt are great options because they are high calcium foods.
- Choose low-fat options and good fats: fats from vegetable sources like almonds, olive oil, and avocado.
- Choose lean proteins and choose low mercury fish options.
- Drink plenty of water
- Always stay active
- Avoid junk food whenever possible, it should not be part of regular meals
- Check the labels before buying processed food to make the best option, and try to stay away from added sugars.
- Avoid buying canned food with syrup, look for canned food with plain/spring water or olive oil.
- Avoid pre-cooked or ready meals
- Choose low-fat options
- Avoid processed/undercooked meat
- Skip fast-food restaurants, instead, try to do healthy meals at home
Weight gain should be closely monitored because the mother and baby’s health depends on it.
If you need more information on what to eat with gestational diabetes, follow this link.
Conclusion
This article answered can you eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes, what is Mcdonald’s, what is gestational diabetes, is it healthy to eat Mcdonald’s with gestational diabetes, and what you should eat if you have gestational diabetes.
Citation
https://katv.com/news/local/what-happens-to-your-body-one-hour-after-eating-a-big-mac
