Snacks, fruit and vegetables and gestational diabetes

Suggestions for snacks with a smaller amount of carbohydrates

• 1–2 handfuls of nuts and seeds.
• A piece of fruit (if you choose a banana, it is best if you only eat half of it).
• 100–200 ml quark (kvarg), cottage cheese (Keso), plain yoghurt or fermented milk (filmjölk) with one of the following:
  – berries and nuts or seeds
  – berries and 100 ml Keyhole-labelled muesli
  – a piece of fruit and 50 ml Keyhole-labelled muesli.

• Chia pudding: 
  2 tablespoons Chia seeds, 100 ml milk/plant-based alternative and flavouring of your choice, such as cinnamon, vanilla essence and berries.
• Overnight oats: 
  100 ml porridge oats, 100 ml milk/plant-based alternative with berries and nuts.
• A slice of wholegrain bread with two toppings.
• 1–3 pieces of crispbread with two toppings.
• 1–3 plain puffed rice, sweetcorn, spelt, lentil or chickpea cakes with topping, such as: 
  – low-fat cheese and turkey
  – liver pâté and egg
  – hummus, pea or bean spread
  – sprat salad (gubbröra), shrimp salad (skagenröra) or ham salad (skinkröra)
  – peanut butter, cottage cheese and a slice of pear.
• Egg, omelette or scrambled eggs.
• Mackerels in tomato sauce.
• Egg and herring (sill).
• Avocado.
• Olives.
• Vegetable sticks with dip.
• Edamame beans with salt or soya sauce.

Fruits and vegetables are healthy eating choices because they are high in fibre, vitamins and minerals. However, fruits, unlike vegetables, are high in sugar. A good rule of thumb is to eat just one piece of fruit each time. With some fruits (such as bananas), you should limit the amount you eat and eat only half a piece each time. With other fruits, you can eat several pieces each time (such as two or three clementines or kiwis). 

When it comes to fruits and vegetables, 15–20 grams of carbohydrates per portion can be a good rule of thumb. 

Here you can compare how many grams of carbohydrates various fruits and vegetables contain, either each or per portion:

Fruits

Type	Weight/amount	Carbohydrates
Pineapple	45 grams/slice	5 grams
Orange	125 grams each	15 grams
Apricots, fresh	125–150 grams each	10 grams
Apricots, dried	7 grams each	3.5 grams
Banana	100–150 grams each	20–30 grams
Blueberries	60 grams/100 ml	5 grams
Clementine	75–125 grams each	5–10 grams
Dates	8 grams each	5 grams
Raspberries	50 grams/100 ml	2 grams
Strawberries	50 grams/100 ml	5 grams
Kiwi	50–100 grams each	5–10 grams
Mango	250 grams each	35 grams
Melon	150 grams/slice	10 grams
Raisins	60 grams/100 ml	40 grams
Sharon/kaki (persimmon)	85–100 grams each	15 grams
Grapes	10–15 grapes	15 grams
Apple/pear	125–200 grams each	15–20 grams

 

Vegetables

Type	Weight/amount	Carbohydrates
Aubergine	70 grams/portion	2 grams
Avocado	100 grams each	2 grams
Cauliflower	25 grams/floret	1 grams
Broccoli	25 grams/floret	1 grams
Cucumber	50 grams/100 ml	1 grams
Sweet corn	70 grams/100 ml	10 grams
Carrot	65 grams each (medium sized)	5 grams
Parsnip	65 grams each (medium sized)	5–10 grams
Potato	60 grams each (egg sized)	10 grams
Pumpkin	70 grams/portion	3 grams
Beetroot, fresh	50–100 grams each	5–10 grams
Beetroot, pickled slices	10 grams/slice	1.5 grams
Red onion	100–200 grams each	5–10 grams
Lettuce	25 grams/100 ml	0 grams
Tomato	80–100 grams each	2 grams
Cabbage	35 grams/100 ml	2 grams
Peas	60 grams/100 ml	5 grams

Comparing the carbohydrate content of different foods and dishes can help you to more easily keep you blood sugar level under 8 mmol/l after each meal.

Your diet should include at least 175 grams of carbohydrates each day. A good rule of thumb is 3 main meals with 30–45 grams of carbohydrates per meal and 2–4 snacks with 15–30 grams of carbohydrates.

It can be a good idea to download the T1D app and use “Enkla-listan” (simple list). 

Find out more (in Swedish only): Appen T1D - din guide till typ 1 diabetes (The T1D app – your guide to type 1 diabetes)