The single most helpful measure I've found isn't watching what I eat, but watching what I drink. Apart from all the unnoticed carbs, some drinks contain caffeine or alcohol - both of which lower your ability to deal with glucose. Meanwhile, plain water is fantastic, but gets boring. These low or no caffeine/glucose/alcohol alternatives are a kinder, but still have some taste.

• Sparkling mineral water. This one may also help with pregnancy nausea or heartburn. Drink it plain, with a slice of lemon or lime, or use it to dilute unsweetened juices to lower their punch.
  
  
• Unsweetened fruit juice is more sustaining than soft drink, and even more so if the fibrous pulp is left in. Dilute with sparkling mineral water to lower its impact even further.
  
  
• Teas and flavoured water. There are a million things you can pour boiling water over to achieve a great flavour, and many of them are caffeine-free. A tea infuser makes things easy, but you can easily just use a cup or mug, plus or minus a strainer. Drink it hot, or chill it to serve with ice.
  Orange peel and a cinnamon stick.
  Fresh mint leaves, plus or minus green tea.
  Fresh ginger (chopped or crushed) with a squeeze of citrus (lemon/kumquat etc).
  Honey and kumquat (good for sore throats).
  Rose petals.
  Dried apple pieces.
  
  
• Lassi, either salt or sweetened with fruit.