Can pregnant women with gestational diabetes eat dragon fruit?

Written by Luo Juan
Endocrinology
Updated on March 22, 2025
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For patients with gestational diabetes, it is permissible to eat dragon fruit. Since dragon fruit contains relatively low sugar levels, it can be consumed. However, it should not be eaten in excess, as excessive consumption can still lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels. In the treatment of gestational diabetes, we should not cause the pregnant woman's weight to decrease, hence a low-calorie treatment is not advocated. Generally, the total calories are calculated based on standard weight, approximately 30 to 35 kcal per kilogram of body weight per day. Sugars should make up about 50%, proteins 20%-25%, and fats 25%-30%. It is best to divide these into three main meals and three snacks, adjusting the proportion and calorie content of the diet according to body type. Therefore, patients with gestational diabetes can eat dragon fruit, and it can be consumed as a snack between main meals.

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For women with gestational diabetes, the risk of diabetes in a second pregnancy is higher. Therefore, it is recommended that mothers who have had gestational diabetes undergo fasting glycosylated hemoglobin monitoring at a hospital before becoming pregnant, to rule out the possibility of pre-pregnancy diabetes. Additionally, it is advised to maintain a reasonable diet throughout the pregnancy, exercise regularly, and avoid high-calorie, high-sugar foods, as this can help prevent and reduce the occurrence of diabetes. In fact, for mothers expecting their second child, age is also a major risk factor. As age increases, the risks of hyperglycemia during pregnancy and hypertension during pregnancy become higher, thus the risk of gestational diabetes in a second pregnancy is relatively higher compared to the first.

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What to eat for breakfast with gestational diabetes

Patients with gestational diabetes are encouraged to have a balanced diet for breakfast, ensuring sufficient nutrient intake while choosing foods with a low glycemic index. For example, breakfast can include an egg, half a corn cob, a small meat bun, and a cup of milk. About two hours after breakfast, a snack can be added, selecting fruits with a low glycemic index such as strawberries, cherries, plums, apricots, apples, peaches, oranges, and grapefruits. This means that breakfast and the snack should include carbohydrates, vitamins, and proteins. Additionally, avoid eating porridge for breakfast as it has a high glycemic index, which can significantly raise blood sugar levels after the meal. Also, avoid overly greasy foods as they too can cause an increase in blood sugar.

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The screening time for gestational diabetes refers to all pregnant women undergoing a 75-gram glucose tolerance test between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy to measure blood sugar levels and determine the presence of gestational diabetes. However, for pregnant women at high risk, including those with a history of gestational diabetes, delivery of a large fetus, obesity, polycystic ovary syndrome, a family history of diabetes, positive urinary glucose in early pregnancy, or unexplained recurrent miscarriages, fetal malformations, stillbirths, or even a history of childbirth with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, blood sugar should be monitored as early as possible to understand the situation.