Most eating potatoes can be dangerous for pregnancy & bull; hello healthy

One of the health complications that may arise during pregnancy is gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes not only affects health during pregnancy, but this condition can continue to occur even though the mother is no longer experiencing pregnancy, and will affect the development of the fetus.

At least 7% of pregnancies have complications in the form of gestational diabetes. According to the Diabetes Journal, gestational diabetes affects 200 thousand pregnant women each year. Gestational diabetes is a condition in which blood sugar levels during pregnancy exceed normal, and insulin cannot handle it. Until now there is no clear explanation regarding the causes of increased blood sugar levels in gestational diabetes experienced by pregnant women, but experts think that the lifestyle and dietary choices that are applied by the mother causes this to happen. This is evidenced in a recent study which stated that consuming too many potatoes before becoming pregnant can cause gestational diabetes in the mother. Why does this happen?

Eating a lot of potatoes before pregnancy has the risk of triggering gestational diabetes

This statement was made by researchers who examined the diet of pregnant women in the United States, which involved 21,993 pregnant women who stated that they liked and almost entirely consumed potatoes since before becoming pregnant. This research was conducted from 1991 to 2001. During the 10 years of the study, the experts looked at the mother's diet by giving a questionnaire in the form of notes on their diet every two years. For the consumption pattern of potatoes, the researchers recorded how many potatoes they ate at one meal, how they were cooked and served, and how often they ate potatoes in one day.

Then the results showed that out of 21,993 pregnant women, 845 cases of gestational diabetes occurred. Researchers concluded that cases of gestational diabetes were only 5.5%. Meanwhile, mothers who consume more than 5 servings of potatoes in one week have a 1.5 times higher risk of developing gestational diabetes. The group that consumed potatoes as much as 1 to 4 servings a week had a chance of developing gestational diabetes by 1.2 to 1.27 times. In addition, at the end of the study, researchers stated that replacing 2 servings of potatoes with whole grains or various other types of vegetables in one week, can reduce the risk of gestational diabetes by 9 to 12 percent.

Can pregnant women eat potatoes?

Potatoes are one of the most consumed staples in the world, apart from rice and wheat. Although potatoes are rich in vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and several phytochemicals, they are also high in sugar and on the glycemic index, which can make blood sugar rise quickly.

Eating too many potatoes, such as french fries, is an example of a poor diet. Potatoes contain a high enough amount of sugar and glycemic index, so that when they enter the body, they are broken down and become blood sugar. The glycemic index is a measure of how quickly a food containing carbohydrates is converted by the body into blood sugar. The higher the glycemic index, the easier it will be for these foods to increase blood sugar in a moment. Therefore, potatoes can increase postprandial blood sugar levels quickly.

In addition, excessive consumption of potatoes can cause oxidative stress in the body. Oxidative stress is a condition in which the body produces free radicals due to impaired bodily functions. Then this condition results in pancreatic beta cells, which are supposed to produce insulin to regulate the amount of blood sugar, to become damaged and not perform their function properly. When the insulin produced by pancreatic beta cells is not enough to regulate blood sugar that is very high, the body will experience hyperglycemia. Hyperglycemia that occurs during pregnancy results in gestational diabetes.

How to prevent gestational diabetes during pregnancy?

Lifestyle and diet before pregnancy will greatly affect the situation during pregnancy. Therefore, here are some ways that can be applied to prevent gestational diabetes:

Eating healthy food and drinks

Choose foods that are low in sugar and high in fiber. In addition, limit foods that are high in fat and calories, which can increase body weight and fat levels in the body. Expand to consume fruits, vegetables and wheat.

Stay active

Doing exercise before and during pregnancy can prevent gestational diabetes from occurring. At least 30 minutes of exercise a day, such as walking, cycling and swimming.