Nutrition
We recommend a Mediterranean diet…
Healthy eating is important at every age. When deciding what to eat or drink, choose options that are full of nutrients. It’s important to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, grains, protein foods, and dairy or fortified soy alternatives.
Mediterranean Diet
- Vegetables: tomatoes, broccoli, kale, spinach, onions, cauliflower, carrots, Brussels sprouts, cucumbers, potatoes, sweet potatoes, turnips
- Fruits: apples, bananas, oranges, pears, strawberries, grapes, dates, figs, melons, peaches
- Nuts, seeds, and nut butters: almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almond butter, peanut butter
- Legumes: beans, peas, lentils, pulses, peanuts, chickpeas. Studies have shown that substituting vegetable protein for animal protein before pregnancy can decrease risk of gestational diabetes by about half.
- Whole grains: oats, brown rice, rye, barley, corn, buckwheat, whole wheat bread and pasta
- Fish and seafood: Salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel, shrimp, oysters, clams, crab, mussels
- Poultry: chicken, duck, turkey
- Eggs: chicken, quail, and duck eggs
- Dairy: cheese, yogurt, milk
- Herbs and spices: garlic, basil, mint, rosemary, sage, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper
- Healthy fats: extra virgin olive oil, olives, avocado and avocado oil.
The best way to lose weight is by making changes in your diet and by being more physically active. Cutting back on your daily calories is a good first step. An easy way to cut calories is to avoid sugary drinks, such as sodas. Also, pay attention to the amount of food you eat. Portion control is key.
Water should be your go-to beverage on a Mediterranean diet.
A Mediterranean diet also includes moderate amounts of red wine — around one glass per day. However, this is completely optional, and wine should be avoided by some people including anyone who is pregnant, has difficulty drinking in moderation, or is taking certain medications that may interact with alcohol.
What should I avoid?
You’ll want to limit sugar-sweetened beverages, such as soda or sweet tea, which are very high in added sugar. Fruit juice would be OK to include in moderation, but you’re better off choosing whole fruits to get the benefit of fiber.
You should limit these processed foods and ingredients when following the Mediterranean diet:
- Added sugar: found in many foods but especially high in soda, candies, ice cream, table sugar, syrup, and baked goods. Women who drank five or more such beverages per week before they got pregnant were at greater risk of gestational diabetes.
- Refined grains: white bread, pasta, tortillas, chips, crackers
- Trans fats: found in margarine, fried foods, and other processed foods
- Refined oils: soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, grapeseed oil
- Processed meat: processed sausages, hot dogs, deli meats, beef jerky
- Highly processed foods: fast food, convenience meals, microwave popcorn, granola bars