Best protein shakes for gestational diabetes

What is gestational diabetes? 

Gestational diabetes is diabetes that is first diagnosed during pregnancy. Like other types of diabetes, gestational diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects how the body converts food into energy. Basically, our bodies break down what we eat into sugar (glucose) and release it into our bloodstream. extruded and used as energy there. Diabetics cannot produce enough insulin or use it effectively. When you don’t have enough insulin or your cells don’t respond to insulin, too much sugar remains in your bloodstream. Over time, this can lead to serious health problems.

During pregnancy, your body produces more hormones and undergoes other changes such as weight gains. These changes can cause cells to use insulin less efficiently, leading to insulin resistance. All pregnant women have some degree of insulin resistance during pregnancy, but some women have insulin resistance even before conception. Therefore, they are more likely to start pregnancy with an increased need for insulin and develop gestational diabetes.

Protein shakes good for gestational diabetes

If you have gestational diabetes, your diet can have a big impact on your blood sugar levels. Protein powder is no exception. Therefore, avoid protein supplements high in simple carbohydrates such as sugar. These can cause blood sugar spikes. The natural sugars found in fruits and vegetables are safe to eat. Recent studies show no link between natural sugars and diabetes. This is because these types of sugars are slow to digest and absorb, causing fewer blood sugar spikes.

Protein preparations sweetened with artificial sweeteners also require caution. Other studies have shown that artificial sweeteners increase the risk of prediabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, which is a precursor to diabetes.

you should choose protein supplements that are made from minimally processed, real foods

. It is made from They are listed in the ingredients list as “pea protein” and “whey protein”, not “pea” and “whey”. May cause hematuria (abnormally high levels of insulin). Although such high-protein, low-carb foods have a low glycemic index, a high insulin index can still be measured. In other words, protein concentrates and isolates do not raise blood sugar as much as most carbohydrates. However, it can still spike insulin because the protein has insulinotropic properties (stimulates insulin secretion).

He has two types of protein supplements. To make a gestational diabetes protein shake using protein powder, you need to mix the powder with milk or water. This requires a blender or shaker bottle and a little more time and effort. Some people prefer ready-to-drink protein shakes because they are more convenient, but if you knew what you were drinking, you would probably spit it out. Packed with stabilizers and thickeners. Such ingredients improve properties such as shelf stability but can be difficult to digest and cause unpleasant side effects (more on this in a moment). For this reason, we recommend making your own protein shakes with protein powders. contain the same additives. Read on to learn why you should avoid food additives.

Avoid food additives.

Most protein powders are packed with food additives. Additives aren’t necessarily bad for you in small amounts, but they can accumulate quickly (especially if you drink protein shakes every day) and can cause gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhea, gas, and stomach pain. It can cause side effects. This is because food additives are generally difficult to digest. They stay in your gut longer than food, giving your gut bacteria more time to nourish them. When you eat, these bacteria produce gas, causing bloating and stomach pain. Gas also slows colonic transit (the time it takes for food to pass through the colon) and can lead to constipation. It can lead to the development of disease (IBD) and systemic inflammatory diseases

. Artificial sweeteners are one of the most harmful additives in the long term because they change the composition of your gut flora (the collection of microbes that help you digest food). This can lead to serious, chronic gastrointestinal problems, widespread inflammation, and permanent damage to the gut microbiome. Some sweeteners, especially sugar alcohols such as xylitol, are also absorbed through the gut. It is less susceptible (meaning it nourishes hungry gut bacteria) and causes diarrhea as it draws water into the intestine. Now you have something perfect for a post-protein shake trip to the bathroom!

Here is a list of the most common food additives found in protein powders.

Inulin, Locust Bean Gum, ‘Natural’ Flavors, Maltodextrin, Rice Syrup Solids, Soy Lecithin, Silica, Sucralose, Sunflower Lecithin, Xanthan Gum, Xylitol

These are usually unpronounceable ingredients. But food additives aren’t the only things to look for when buying a protein powder for gestational diabetes – there are several other ingredients that can upset your stomach.

Avoid dairy

Dairy-based proteins such as whey and casein, which are by-products of cheese and yogurt manufacturing, are known to cause digestive problems, especially in patients with lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). About 1 in 3 Americans is lactose intolerant, and IBS has a prevalence of 10-15%. Therefore, you may be lactose intolerant or have irritable bowel syndrome and not be aware of it. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a poorly understood condition It is unclear why the product causes symptoms. On the other hand, lactose intolerance is clearly understood. People who are lactose intolerant cannot fully digest lactose; the sugar found in dairy products. As you just learned, partially digested food nourishes the gas-producing bacteria in your gut.

Avoid protein concentrates and isolates.

It’s hard to find an additive-free, dairy-free protein powder. It’s nearly impossible to find an additive-free, dairy-free protein powder made from real foods. why? Most protein powders are made from protein concentrates and isolates*, foods that have been stripped of all but the protein. Whey protein” is listed in the ingredients list. Without going into details, protein concentrates and isolates undergo heavy mechanical and chemical processing before they become protein powders. Manufacturers sometimes use chemical solvents such as hexane to separate (separate) proteins from foods. In other words, what you put into your body doesn’t look like real food. (Your intuition always prefers the real thing, not a mass-manufactured imitation.

Instead of protein concentrate or isolate, we use egg whites and almonds. The egg whites are simply pasteurized and dried before becoming a protein powder. The almonds are only roasted, pressed and ground. Minimally processed ingredients like these are easily digestible, gut-friendly alternatives to protein concentrates and isolates. Best protein. The protein is low in fiber, low in FODMAPs, naturally basic, and has the highest Protein Digestibility Corrected Amino Acid Score (PDCAAS) of any whole food.

If eggs aren’t your thing, try almond protein powder. Unlike protein concentrates and isolates, almonds are rich in healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin E. Because almonds are gut-friendly, they’re also made with other minimally processed plant-based ingredients. preferred over other protein sources. Studies suggest that almonds have prebiotic properties and may improve the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome.