Can I Eat Pizza with Gestational Diabetes

As a pregnant lady, your concern about gestational diabetes is valid. It is a common disease that affects women during pregnancy. A study shows that almost 10 percent of pregnancies are suffered from gestational diabetes in the United States [1]. If you want to know about gestational diabetes, its signs and symptoms, and food choices, then you are in the right place. I will also tell you about the effects of pizza on gestational diabetes.

Can I eat Pizza with gestational diabetes?

When a lady is expecting, she has an extreme thirst for sour and spicy food. Nowadays, everyone is in love with Pizza. The one who eats once in life Pizza has the craving to eat it in a lifetime. Especially a pregnant lady has an extra craze for the cheesy stuff. But most mothers seem to be frightened to eat their beloved food during pregnancy because of the fear of gestational diabetes. But there is great news for you: you can eat pizza during pregnancy and enjoy regular pizza even if you have gestational diabetes [2].

What is gestational diabetes?

Gestational diabetes is the increased blood level of glucose during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, but it disappears as the pregnancy ends. As the baby grows in the mother, there is increased demand for glucose; hence it requires an increased release of insulin from the body. But if your body can not release enough insulin according to growing needs, it develops gestational diabetes.

If you are a mother and have one of the following conditions, you are at increased risk for gestational diabetes.

• Cases of diabetes running in families
• Increased body mass index value BMI having above the 30
• Previous history of carrying an overweight baby weighing more than 4.5Kg
• Having gestational diabetes in the last pregnancy

How will you know whether you have gestational diabetes or not? The symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, feeling sluggish and tired, drying of the mouth, and most importantly, if you are in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. There are strong chances of gestational diabetes. But sometimes, these are normal with pregnancy and do not suggest gestational diabetes. Hence it would help if you visited any health care provider for confirmation. Most cases are diagnosed during the screening test of gestational diabetes [3].

Nutritional Facts about Pizza

Pizza is a balanced food having a mixed amount of all the principal nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Hence it is an excellent source of nutrients and provides the body with a high percentage of protein, carbohydrates, fats, fibres, calcium, and lycopene. The lycopene is present in the cooked tomatoes that form the base sauce for pizzas. It works as an antioxidant and helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the body, making it a healthy food. The pizza crust is made up of grain, a carbohydrate, and is one of the primary ingredients of the pizza. The cheese used in pizza is rich in fats and provides the body with healthy fats. Pizza may become unhealthy if you eat it unchecked and enormous. Moreover, if the crust type, amount of cheese, and the composition of toppings used in Pizza are unhealthy, it can prove as a food disaster for the body [4]. 

Can Pizza Raise/Spike my Blood Sugar?

As a pregnant diabetic lady, this question will often arise in your mind can pizza raise my blood sugar level? Unfortunately, the answer is yes, because the crust of Pizza contains many carbohydrates that can raise your blood sugar level. Still, it does not mean you cannot eat pizza if you have gestational diabetes. I know enjoying the pizza and maintaining the blood sugar level isn't easy. But after adopting some strategic measures, you can easily enjoy Pizza without fearing your blood sugar elevation.

Typically, you can see a rapid spike in blood sugar level after eating a meal. But if we are taking a meal containing a large number of fibers, fats, and proteins, then the blood sugar level increases slowly and steadily. But Pizza, which is also a mixture of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, and fibres, sometimes causes delayed blood sugar levels. The reason is that the high amount of fat causes a slow digestion process in the GIT tract. This causes an initial constant or even drop in blood sugar, but after some time, when the digestion completes, there is a large blood sugar level called a "delayed spike" [5].

How to Make a GD-Friendly Pizza?

You will have to do some things to make a blood sugar-friendly version of Pizza. For this, you will have to balance those macronutrients so that they do not affect your sugar, and you can eat with confidence. The pizza you can enjoy during diabetes must have the following qualities: 

• Use crust that is low in grains and has a high percentage of fibres and protein
• The sauce must contain a limited number of carbohydrates and fat
• Choose a fine cheese, but it is important to use a moderate amount of it because, in large amounts, it becomes unhealthy
• Toppings should be of lean proteins but saturated with fibres [6].

FAQS

Is cheese good for Diabetics?

The answer to this simple question is "yes" in many cases. Cheese is suitable for people with diabetes when consumed in moderate amounts. Cheese is healthy because of its nutritional content. It contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats that are very beneficial to fulfilling the requirements of diabetic food. Calcium is also present in pizza in high amounts and strengthens the bones. Some cheeses like mozzarella and feta are beneficial because they contain some bacteria that help the digestive system's normal functioning. At the same time, others, like cottage cheese and ricotta cheese, are rich in proteins and are the best choices to control blood sugar levels [7].

Is Pizza Crust Good for Diabetics?

The pizza crust is made up of grains that are a source of carbohydrates. If you are diabetic, then it is necessary for you to monitor your daily carb intake and avoid the food that causes a rapid increase in blood sugar. The crust of refined grains affects the blood sugar rapidly, while that of whole wheat and unrefined grains does not affect the blood sugar. So, you will have to be careful about the type of crust used.

The good crust that is beneficial must be rich in proteins and fibres. Some diabetes-friendly pizza crust options include whole wheat, ancient grains, grain-free, green tortilla, and cauliflower crusts [8].

More healthy food for people with gestational diabetes

Healthy gestational diabetes food must contain lean proteins, including chicken, eggs, fish, and low-fat dairy. It is very helpful because it fulfils your protein requirements, does not affect blood sugar, and also helps in your baby's growth. Non-starchy vegetables like cucumbers, green beans, onions, and peppers are considered "freebie" food and contain low amounts of carbohydrates [9].

Final thoughts

Pizza is a favourite food for everyone. It has many nutritional benefits. The macronutrients present in Pizza are enough to fulfil nutritional requirements. Gestational diabetics can also enjoy regular pizza, but they should be careful in eating large amounts of pizza and opt for diabetic-friendly pizza.

References

[1]. Lende M, Rijhsinghani A. Gestational Diabetes: Overview with Emphasis on Medical Management. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Dec 21;17(24):9573. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17249573. PMID: 33371325; PMCID: PMC7767324.

[2]. Amy Campbell, M. R. (2022, February 23). Can Diabetics Eat Pizza? Retrieved from Diabetes Self Management: https://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/healthy-living/nutrition-exercise/can-diabetics-eat-pizza/#:~:text=If%20you%20have%20diabetes%2C%20you,carb%20content%20of%20your%20slice.

[3].   Jillian Kubala, M. R. (2021, October 13). Can People with Diabetes Eat Pizza? Retrieved from healthline: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/can-diabetics-eat-pizza#_noHeaderPrefixedContent

[4].  By Leoni Jesner. (2022, March 29). How Many Calories Are in Pizza? Retrieved from verywell fit: https://www.verywellfit.com/pizza-pointers-3495882

[5].   Mary Ellen Phipps, M. R. (n.d.). Pizza and Diabetes: Dietitian-approved tips for eating pizza with diabetes. Retrieved from Milk and Honey nutrition: https://www.milkandhoneynutrition.com/pizza-and-diabetes-dietitian-approved-tips-for-eating-pizza-with-diabetes/

[6].   Diabetes Diet: How Diabetics Can Include Pizza In Their Diet In Healthy Manner. (2019, May 21). Retrieved from NDTV Food Desk: https://food.ndtv.com/food-drinks/diabetes-diet-how-diabetics-can-include-pizza-in-their-diet-in-healthy-manner-2040231

[7].  Dominguez, L. J.-G.-G.-R. (2014). Fast food consumption and gestational diabetes incidence in the SUN project. PloS one, 9(9).

[8].  Gray, A. &. (2015). Nutritional recommendations for individuals with diabetes.

[9].  Singh, P. &. (2011). Functionality of pizza ingredients. British Food Journal.