Complete Gestational Diabetes Food List: What to Eat and Avoid (Printable)

When you're diagnosed with gestational diabetes, one of the first questions is: "What can I actually eat?" The answer might surprise you - the list of foods you CAN eat is much longer than the list you need to avoid.

This comprehensive food list is organized by category, with carb counts, portion sizes, and clear guidance on what to eat freely, what to enjoy in moderation, and what to limit or avoid. Print it out, stick it on your fridge, and take the guesswork out of GD eating.

Want personalized meal plans built from these foods? Our free GD meal planner creates custom weekly menus based on your preferences and carb targets.

How to Use This Food List

Foods are categorized into three groups:

• GREEN (Eat Freely): Minimal impact on blood sugar. These foods have very few carbs and can be eaten without strict portion control.
• YELLOW (Moderate): Nutritious but contain carbs that affect blood sugar. Enjoy in measured portions and pair with protein.
• RED (Limit/Avoid): High impact on blood sugar. Either avoid entirely or save for rare, small portions.

Important: Individual responses vary. Some women tolerate certain foods better than others. Use your blood sugar testing to fine-tune this list for your body.

PROTEINS (GREEN - Eat Freely)

Protein is your best friend with GD. It has minimal impact on blood sugar, helps you feel full, and slows the absorption of carbs when eaten together.

Meat and Poultry

Food	Serving	Carbs	Protein
Chicken breast	4 oz	0g	35g
Chicken thigh	4 oz	0g	28g
Turkey breast	4 oz	0g	34g
Ground turkey (93% lean)	4 oz	0g	22g
Beef (sirloin, tenderloin)	4 oz	0g	26g
Ground beef (90% lean)	4 oz	0g	23g
Pork tenderloin	4 oz	0g	26g
Pork chop	4 oz	0g	26g
Lamb	4 oz	0g	25g
Bacon (turkey or pork)	2 slices	0g	6g
Deli meat (turkey, ham, roast beef)	3 oz	1-2g	15g

Fish and Seafood

Note: Limit high-mercury fish during pregnancy (shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish). Enjoy low-mercury options freely.

Food	Serving	Carbs	Protein
Salmon	4 oz	0g	25g
Tilapia	4 oz	0g	23g
Cod	4 oz	0g	20g
Shrimp	4 oz	1g	24g
Canned tuna (light)	3 oz	0g	20g
Canned salmon	3 oz	0g	17g
Sardines	3 oz	0g	21g
Trout	4 oz	0g	24g

Eggs

Food	Serving	Carbs	Protein
Whole egg	1 large	0.5g	6g
Egg whites	3 whites	0g	11g
Hard-boiled egg	1 large	0.5g	6g

DAIRY (GREEN to YELLOW)

GREEN - Low-Carb Dairy (Eat Freely)

Food	Serving	Carbs	Protein
Cheddar cheese	1 oz	0.5g	7g
Mozzarella cheese	1 oz	1g	7g
Swiss cheese	1 oz	1g	8g
Parmesan cheese	1 oz	1g	10g
Cream cheese	2 tbsp	1g	2g
String cheese	1 stick	1g	7g
Cottage cheese	1/2 cup	5g	14g
Heavy cream	2 tbsp	1g	0g
Sour cream	2 tbsp	1g	1g
Butter	1 tbsp	0g	0g

YELLOW - Moderate-Carb Dairy (Portion Control)

Food	Serving	Carbs	Protein
Plain Greek yogurt	3/4 cup	6-8g	15g
Plain regular yogurt	3/4 cup	8-10g	9g
Whole milk	1 cup	12g	8g
2% milk	1 cup	12g	8g

RED - Avoid or Limit

• Flavored yogurt (20-30g sugar)
• Sweetened milk alternatives
• Ice cream (regular)
• Chocolate milk

NON-STARCHY VEGETABLES (GREEN - Eat Freely)

These are your unlimited foods! Load up your plate with these at every meal.

Leafy Greens (All less than 1g carbs per cup)

• Spinach
• Arugula
• Kale
• Romaine lettuce
• Mixed greens
• Swiss chard
• Collard greens
• Butter lettuce

Other Non-Starchy Vegetables

Vegetable	Serving	Carbs
Broccoli	1 cup	6g (4g fiber)
Cauliflower	1 cup	5g (2g fiber)
Zucchini	1 cup	4g
Summer squash	1 cup	4g
Green beans	1 cup	7g (3g fiber)
Asparagus	1 cup	5g (3g fiber)
Bell peppers	1 cup	6g
Cucumber	1 cup	4g
Celery	1 cup	3g
Tomatoes	1 cup	7g
Cherry tomatoes	1 cup	6g
Mushrooms	1 cup	2g
Cabbage	1 cup	5g
Brussels sprouts	1 cup	8g (3g fiber)
Eggplant	1 cup	5g
Radishes	1 cup	4g
Snap peas	1 cup	7g
Onion	1/2 cup	7g
Garlic	3 cloves	3g

STARCHY VEGETABLES (YELLOW - Portion Control)

These are nutritious but higher in carbs. Measure portions carefully and pair with protein.

Vegetable	Serving (1 carb serving)	Carbs
Sweet potato	1/2 cup cubed	15g
White potato	1/2 cup cubed	15g
Corn	1/2 cup	15g
Peas	1/2 cup	12g
Winter squash (butternut, acorn)	1/2 cup	10g
Parsnips	1/2 cup	12g
Beets	1/2 cup	9g
Carrots	1 cup raw	12g

FRUITS (YELLOW - Portion Control)

Best Fruit Choices (Lower Glycemic)

Fruit	Serving (15g carbs)	Notes
Strawberries	1 1/4 cup	Best choice - lowest sugar
Raspberries	1 cup	Excellent - high fiber
Blackberries	1 cup	Excellent - high fiber
Blueberries	3/4 cup	Good choice
Apple (small)	1 small (4 oz)	Pair with nut butter
Pear (small)	1 small (4 oz)	Good fiber
Orange	1 small	Good fiber, vitamin C
Peach	1 medium	Lower glycemic stone fruit
Plum	2 small	Lower glycemic stone fruit
Grapefruit	1/2 large	Lower sugar citrus
Cherries	12 cherries	Lower glycemic
Cantaloupe	1 cup cubed	Lower sugar melon

Fruits to Limit (Higher Sugar/Glycemic)

Fruit	Serving (15g carbs)	Notes
Banana	1/2 medium	High glycemic - very small portions only
Grapes	15 grapes	Easy to overeat
Mango	1/2 cup	Very high sugar
Pineapple	1/2 cup	High glycemic
Watermelon	1 cup	High glycemic despite being "watery"
Dried fruit (any)	2 tbsp	Concentrated sugar - best to avoid

RED - Avoid

• Fruit juice (any kind) - 26g+ sugar per 8 oz, no fiber
• Fruit smoothies from stores - often 50g+ carbs
• Canned fruit in syrup
• Dried fruit (concentrated sugar)

GRAINS AND STARCHES (YELLOW - Portion Control)

All portions below equal approximately 15g carbs (1 carb serving)

Better Choices (Higher Fiber, Lower Glycemic)

Food	Serving (15g carbs)	Notes
Quinoa	1/3 cup cooked	Best choice - has protein
Brown rice	1/3 cup cooked	Better than white
Steel-cut oats	1/4 cup dry	Test your response - spikes many women
Barley	1/3 cup cooked	Low glycemic
Whole wheat bread	1 slice	Look for 3g+ fiber
Whole wheat pasta	1/3 cup cooked	Al dente is lower GI
Whole wheat tortilla (small)	1 (6-inch)	Check carb count - varies by brand
Sweet potato	1/2 cup	Better than white potato

Low-Carb Alternatives

Food	Serving	Carbs
Cauliflower rice	1 cup	3g
Zucchini noodles	1 cup	4g
Spaghetti squash	1 cup	7g
Low-carb tortilla	1 medium	3-6g (check brand)

RED - Avoid or Severely Limit

• White bread - High glycemic, spikes blood sugar
• White rice - High glycemic
• Instant oatmeal - Processed, high glycemic
• Breakfast cereals - Most are high-carb, high-glycemic
• Bagels - 50-60g carbs each
• Crackers (most) - Low fiber, quick spike
• Pasta (white) - Large portions common
• Pastries, muffins, croissants - Sugar + refined carbs

LEGUMES (YELLOW - Portion Control)

Beans and lentils are nutritious but contain significant carbs. The fiber helps slow absorption.

Food	Serving (15g carbs)	Protein	Fiber
Black beans	1/2 cup	7g	8g
Kidney beans	1/2 cup	8g	6g
Chickpeas	1/2 cup	7g	6g
Lentils	1/2 cup	9g	8g
Pinto beans	1/2 cup	8g	8g
Hummus	1/3 cup	4g	3g

NUTS AND SEEDS (GREEN - Eat Freely)

Excellent sources of healthy fat, protein, and fiber. Watch portions for calorie control, but carb impact is minimal.

Food	Serving (1 oz)	Carbs	Protein
Almonds (22 nuts)	1 oz	6g (3g fiber)	6g
Walnuts (14 halves)	1 oz	4g (2g fiber)	4g
Pecans (19 halves)	1 oz	4g (3g fiber)	3g
Macadamia nuts (10-12)	1 oz	4g (2g fiber)	2g
Peanuts (28 nuts)	1 oz	6g (2g fiber)	7g
Cashews (18 nuts)	1 oz	9g (1g fiber)	5g
Pistachios (49 nuts)	1 oz	8g (3g fiber)	6g
Pumpkin seeds	1 oz	5g	7g
Sunflower seeds	1 oz	6g	6g
Chia seeds	2 tbsp	8g (8g fiber)	4g
Flax seeds	2 tbsp	4g (4g fiber)	3g

Nut Butters

Food	Serving	Carbs	Protein
Peanut butter (natural)	2 tbsp	7g	8g
Almond butter	2 tbsp	6g	7g
Cashew butter	2 tbsp	9g	6g

FATS AND OILS (GREEN - Eat Freely)

Pure fats have zero carbs and don't affect blood sugar. They help you feel full and aid nutrient absorption.

• Olive oil - Best for cooking and dressings
• Avocado oil - Good for high-heat cooking
• Coconut oil - Good for baking
• Butter - In moderation for cooking and flavor
• Avocado - 1/2 avocado = 6g carbs, 7g fiber, excellent choice
• Olives - 10 olives = 2g carbs

CONDIMENTS AND SAUCES

GREEN - Eat Freely

• Mustard (yellow, Dijon) - 0g carbs
• Mayonnaise - 0g carbs
• Hot sauce - 0g carbs
• Vinegar (all types) - 0g carbs
• Oil and vinegar dressing - 0-1g carbs
• Soy sauce - 1g per tbsp
• Sriracha - 1g per tsp
• Salsa (fresh) - 2g per 2 tbsp
• Guacamole - 3g per 2 tbsp

YELLOW - Use Sparingly

• Ketchup - 4g per tbsp (sugar-free versions better)
• Ranch dressing - 2g per tbsp
• Italian dressing - 2g per tbsp
• Marinara sauce - 5g per 1/4 cup (check brand)

RED - Avoid

• BBQ sauce - 6-10g per tbsp
• Teriyaki sauce - 3g per tbsp
• Honey mustard - 3g per tbsp
• Sweet chili sauce - 8g per tbsp
• Honey/maple syrup - 17g per tbsp

BEVERAGES

GREEN - Drink Freely

• Water (plain or sparkling)
• Unsweetened tea
• Unsweetened coffee (caffeine limit: 200mg/day)
• Unsweetened almond milk - 1g per cup
• Unsweetened coconut milk - 1g per cup
• Herbal tea

YELLOW - Limit

• Whole milk - 12g per cup
• Diet soda - 0 carbs but controversial

RED - Avoid

• Fruit juice (any) - 26g+ per cup
• Regular soda - 39g per 12 oz
• Sweet tea - 20g+ per cup
• Lemonade - 25g+ per cup
• Sports drinks - 20g+ per bottle
• Sweetened coffee drinks - 30-60g per serving
• Smoothies (store-bought) - 50g+ per serving

SWEETS AND DESSERTS

YELLOW - Occasional Small Portions

• Dark chocolate (70%+ cacao) - 1-2 squares = 5-8g carbs
• Sugar-free jello - 0g carbs
• Berries with whipped cream - 8-10g carbs
• Low-carb ice cream (Halo Top, Enlightened) - varies by brand
• Greek yogurt with cinnamon - 6-8g carbs

RED - Avoid

• Regular ice cream - 30g+ per 1/2 cup
• Cookies - 15-25g each
• Cake - 35-50g per slice
• Candy - varies but generally high
• Donuts - 25-40g each
• Pie - 40-60g per slice

Quick Reference: Meal Building Guide

Use this formula for balanced meals:

Build Your Plate

• 1/2 plate: Non-starchy vegetables (GREEN list)
• 1/4 plate: Protein (GREEN list)
• 1/4 plate: Carbohydrate (YELLOW list - measured)
• Add: Healthy fat for flavor and satiety

Carb Goals by Meal

• Breakfast: 15-30g carbs (keep low - mornings are hardest)
• Lunch: 30-45g carbs
• Dinner: 30-45g carbs
• Snacks: 15-20g carbs each

Print This List

Save or print this guide to keep on your fridge or in your purse. Having a quick reference makes grocery shopping and meal decisions much easier.

Key takeaways:

• Non-starchy vegetables are unlimited - eat plenty!
• Protein has minimal blood sugar impact - make it the star of meals
• All carbs should be measured and paired with protein
• Your blood sugar testing reveals YOUR personal responses
• When in doubt, choose vegetables and protein

Ready to turn this food list into actual meals? Our free meal planner creates personalized weekly menus using GD-friendly foods tailored to your preferences.

Related resources:

• 14-Day GD Meal Plan - Two weeks of meals using these foods
• Meal Prep Guide - How to batch cook GD-friendly foods
• Just Diagnosed Guide - First steps after diagnosis
• 50 Best GD Snacks - Snack ideas from this food list