
Can Eating Too Much Fruit Cause Gestational Diabetes?
Many of us grew up following the food pyramid guidelines.
We were told we needed at least 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of vegetables.
They sat right next to each other on the pyramid, and despite the slight number difference, they seemed equal.
Can Eating Too Much Fruit Cause Gestational Diabetes?
Fruit and vegetables are recommended as part of a healthy pregnancy diet. Eating plenty of fruit is particularly suggested as a way of curb the cravings for sweet foods like chocolate and sugary soft drinks.
So, if fruit is healthy, could it cause any health problems?
New research found a strong correlation between eating a lot of fruit during pregnancy and developing gestational diabetes.
How Could Fruit Cause Gestational Diabetes?
It’s important to note a correlation isn’t necessarily a cause, rather a connection or a link.
However, this study found women who consumed large amounts of fruit had a 400% increased risk of developing gestational diabetes (GD).
Diabetes is diagnosed when someone has too much glucose in their blood. In the case of GD, this only occurs during pregnancy in a woman without type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
The reason a woman without type 1 or type 2 can develop diabetes during pregnancy is due to hormones from the placenta which impact blood sugar.
Consuming a lot of fruit means you’re consuming a lot of fructose. While it’s a naturally occurring sugar, and far better for you than processed sugars, fructose can still impact your blood sugar.
Consuming large amounts of fruit on a regular basis appears to have the potential to impact your blood
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