Nutrition per 100g
Snacks & Sweets › Frozen Treats
Ice Pop for Gestational Diabetes
An ice pop is a frozen water-based snack sweetened with sugar or concentrated fruit juice and flavoured with fruit extracts. Sometimes called an ice lolly or ice drop, it is molded around a wooden stick or packaged in a plastic squeeze tube. Because it contains no dairy or fat, it provides an intensely cold, sweet refreshment that melts rapidly in the mouth. It is widely enjoyed during hot weather and is a staple summer treat. Commercially produced varieties often contain water, sugar, glucose syrup, citric acid, flavourings, and fruit concentrates or food colourings.
At a glance
Pregnancy safety
SafeBlood sugar impact
lowCarbs / 100 g
19gIs Ice Pop safe with gestational diabetes?
From the perspective of gestational diabetes, standard ice pops require thoughtful planning because they are composed almost entirely of simple carbohydrates. With 19.0 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, all of which come from fast-digesting sugars, an ice pop provides virtually no dietary fiber, protein, or fat to slow absorption. Consequently, even a modest serving can cause glucose levels to rise fairly rapidly. While it can still be included occasionally as a cooling treat, it is generally treated as a concentrated carbohydrate portion rather than a neutral, hydrating fluid.
How does Ice Pop affect blood sugar during pregnancy?
Ice pops have an estimated glycemic index of 65, placing them in the medium to high range for carbohydrate foods. Because there is no dietary fat or protein to delay gastric emptying, the liquid sugars are absorbed through the digestive tract very quickly once the ice melts in the mouth. For many women with gestational diabetes, this rapid uptake leads to a swift increase in post-meal glucose readings. Monitoring your blood sugar response after enjoying an ice pop will help you understand how your body processes liquid simple sugars during pregnancy.
What is a safe portion of Ice Pop for gestational diabetes?
A sensible portion size for an ice pop during pregnancy is approximately 50 grams, which corresponds to a mini stick pop or roughly half of a large commercial lolly. This 50 gram portion provides about 38 calories and 9.5 grams of total carbohydrates, with 9.2 grams coming directly from sugar. Full-sized commercial ice lollies often weigh 75 to 100 grams and can deliver up to 19.0 grams of fast-acting sugar in a single sitting, so checking the nutrition label and deliberately selecting miniature versions helps keep the total carbohydrate load modest.
How should I combine Ice Pop to manage blood sugar during pregnancy?
Enjoying an ice pop directly on an empty stomach tends to cause a more pronounced glucose rise than having it alongside protein or healthy fats. Consider having your small 50 gram treat immediately following a balanced meal that features fiber and lean protein, such as a grilled chicken salad or baked fish with vegetables. Alternatively, pair the pop with a handful of raw almonds or a spoonful of unsweetened whole-milk Greek yogurt. Consulting your dietitian or diabetes educator can help you fit frozen treats into your daily nutrition plan comfortably.
Last reviewed: August 31, 2026
Important Safety Information
Every pregnancy is different, and gestational diabetes is managed differently depending on your readings, your medication and how far along you are. The ratings and portions on this page are general information — not a diagnosis, a treatment plan or a medical device — and they cannot see your results.
- Low blood sugar:
- If you take insulin or diabetes medication, eating less carbohydrate than your team planned for can push your blood sugar too low. Treat a reading below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L), or symptoms such as shaking, sweating, confusion or a racing heart, with fast-acting carbohydrate immediately and retest after 15 minutes. Never use this page as a reason to skip or shrink a meal you were told to eat.
- Carbohydrate and ketones:
- Cutting carbohydrate hard to force a number down is not safe in pregnancy — it can produce ketones. Published guidance sets a minimum of 175 g of carbohydrate per day in pregnancy. Readings that stay above target for several days need your care team, not a smaller portion.
- Medication and insulin:
- The portions here are generic and know nothing about your insulin doses, your metformin, or the steroids given to mature your baby's lungs — all of which change how a meal affects you. Never adjust a dose or a mealtime based on this page.
- Food safety in pregnancy:
- Blood sugar is not the only thing that makes a food suitable while you are pregnant. Some foods with excellent glycemic numbers still carry mercury, vitamin A, listeria or alcohol risks, and those are judged separately from the ratings shown here. Check your national pregnancy food-safety guidance before adding an unfamiliar food.
- What these ratings can and cannot tell you:
- Glycemic index values, impact ratings and maximum servings are population averages taken from published tables. Two people eating the same food can get very different readings, so your own meter is the only measurement that describes you. Nutrition figures are indicative per 100 g and vary with brand, ripeness and preparation.
Contact your care team the same day if: your readings stay above target for several days; you have a reading below 54 mg/dL (3.0 mmol/L) or needed someone else's help to treat a low; you test positive for ketones; or your baby is moving less than usual. Seek emergency care for confusion, fainting, repeated vomiting, or a low you cannot bring back up.
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Sources & Editorial Review
Content independently developed by Dalo Labs ApS, informed by the American Diabetes Association's Standards of Care in Diabetes, ACOG's gestational diabetes guidelines, and the IADPSG consensus criteria. Not endorsed by or affiliated with any referenced organization. · Last reviewed: August 2026
- American Diabetes Association — Management of Diabetes in Pregnancy: Standards of Care in Diabetes—2026
- ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 190 — Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (reaffirmed 2026)
- USDA FoodData Central — Nutritional Database
- Atkinson et al. — International Tables of Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load Values 2021 (Am J Clin Nutr)
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