There are options and tips for ice cream for people with Gestational Diabetes in the UK.

With the first glimpse of some sunshine last weekend, we've seen a few ladies asking about ice cream and ice lollies in our Facebook support group and so whilst this was on my list of posts coming soon, I brought it forward for all you eager ladies.

Ice cream free of sugar is often the first thing a woman with diabetes will look for.There are many types of ice cream on the market, including Frank's, which is widely available in many supermarkets.

You shouldn't have to pay more for ice cream that is "diabetic" but you should be aware of the ingredients used.

Vomiting can be caused by high amounts of artificial sweeteners in ice cream, which may cause stomach upsets.Sorbitol and mannitol are the main culprits for causing stomach upset, but some people struggle with other sweeteners.Natural sweeteners are more tolerant than artificial ones.

If you have diabetes, you may want to look for alternatives that don't have a funny texture or taste.It is possible to take the ice cream craving away when you are walking along the beach.

It is up to you to decide if it is safe to eat this type of soft serve ice cream during your pregnancy with respect to the risks from poorly cleaned machines and the merchant you are purchasing from.

A typical soft serve ice cream (Mr Whippy, or 99) in a basic cone and flake can contain 20-40g total carbs depending on the size.The ice cream has around 3g of sugar in it.

We did our best to find the exact count for Mr Whippy/99 cones, but it is hard to do.

Depending on the size of the ice cream, it can have more than the total amount of calories found in the main meal.

It would appear that McFluffy has a range between 40g total carbs for a plain one, and a scary 63gtotal carbs in a Cadbury's creme egg.

For a medium or large serving, these thick, creamy milkshakes can contain anything from 66g to 90g of total carbs.

In the last year, we have seen the launch of better alternatives to the milkshake.Frijj has launched a ZERO range in chocolate, strawberry and mango & passion fruit flavours, and Yazoo has a range of no added sugar flavours.

If you tolerate milk well, you should be able to tolerate the Yazoo and Frijj.

You can make your own milkshakes using full fat milk, almond milk or cocoa, or even Sweet Freedom chocolate.

These drinks can be filled with sugar.It's not a big surprise when we know that fruit juice and sweet syrups can spike levels very high very quickly.

WATER!This is our top recommendation.There was no added artificial sweeteners.The best way to flush blood sugar levels through the body is to use a tissue.

Walls Light Soft ScoopVanilla is our favourite ice cream and is widely available to buy.7.5g per 100ml or two scoops works out to 17g.An ice cream treat can be made with a scoop and nuts.

If you're on a budget, this is the cheapest ice cream on the market.

They say that Oppo ice cream can be eaten without guilt.The luxury ice creams are made with cold pressed coconut oil and sweetened with a natural sweetener.

There are a few different flavours of ice cream that are low in calories and sugar.You can choose from Salted caramel, or Mint Choc swirl.There is a new flavour called Colombian Chocolate and Hazelnut.

As more stores start to stock this ice cream, you should check out where you can buy it.You can buy Oppo online or in some stores.

Over the last year or so we have seen a few newer ice creams hitting the everyday supermarket freezer shelves that many ladies with gestational diabetes have tried.

There are 3 newer ones that are widely available.They are not as good as OPPO, but they can be eaten in moderation, so don't get carried away with the whole tub.

Perfect World ice cream is free of dairy, wheat, and sugar and has nuts in it.

There are polyols on the nutrition information for Perfect World ice creams.The higher the ice cream's carbs, the slower it will release into the bloodstream.

There are five flavours to choose from, including Banana walnuts chip, Belgian chocolate brownie, loads of strawberry, and a taste of carrot cake.The amounts are per 100ml or two scoops.

Walls mini milk ice cream lollies are a great treat to have when you are out and about.These are the perfect size for a snack or dessert that won't spike blood sugar levels.

One of my favorite treats is the Greek Style frozen yoghurt lollies.There are either strawberry or mango flavours, and you can choose between 50g or 55g.

They also make minis which are 30ml (30g) and are available in the same flavours plus a peach and apricot too.

These are higher in calories.Some ladies will be able to tolerate a sweet chocolate ice cream treat from a shops own brand equivalents.If you check the box, you will see that the totalCarbohydrates perLob range from 10g to 17g.

If you eat a chocolate ice cream treat, you can keep your blood sugar levels within the target range, as the Magnum minis have between 15g and 17g total carbs per lolly.

It is advisable to test after eating this to see how well you like it.

These are small, not full size.A white chocolate magnum has 26g of total carbs, while a plain chocolate one has 23g.

Many ladies like to eat ice poles or freeze pops in the hot weather without thinking about the calories in them.A popular brand like Mr Freeze ice pops contain around 7g total carbs per lolly, which on it's own isn't too bad.The problem comes when ladies eat a few of these a day and it is a lot of extra sugar that can easily be forgotten about but could be feeding your baby.It's not bad if you don't over indulge, Jubbly lollies have around 4g total carbs per lolly, which is equivalent to 1 tsp of sugar.

The best ice poles/freezepops are made with sucralose.They are available in a few big supermarkets and come in different flavours.

You can make your own ice lollies.There are a lot of different ice lolly moulds.Pick them up at the supermarket or online.

You can use any ice cube tray, free plastic pots, or Calippo push up lollies to make your own moulds.

You can make your own lollies at home, from no added sugar drinking squash, to zero or diet sugar free drinks and milk made with almond or coconut milk and melted chocolate.

The great thing about making your own lollies is that you can make them completely sugar free by choosing what ingredients to use.

The Chill Factor Slushy Cup Makers were a great help to our ladies last summer.They are a great way to make sugar free slushy drinks.

Ice cream can be made at home if you have an ice cream maker.5 minute ice cream for 2 is a recipe that does not need an icecream maker, just ice, freezer bags, salt and a towel.

If you do have an ice cream maker, there are tons of great low-cholesterol recipes available online such as this recipe, Low Carb Death by Chocolate Ice Cream shared on All Day I Dream About Food.

You just need to check the nutrition information to see the total amount of calories per serving and think about the ingredients which are bound to spike your levels high.

If you want to try some mini sized lollies and ice creams, make sure to check the content of the calories in them.They should not be avoided if they have pure sugar or sweet coating.

The release of sugar into the bloodstream will be slowed if the ice cream or lolly is accompanied by additional fat.

The same can be said for frozen yogurt, which can contain more calories than ice cream.Just because a product is made from yoghurt does not mean that it will have less carbs, so beware and don't fall for the typical 'healthier option' without first checking the total carbs per serving.

The same goes with low fat ice cream.Because they look like better alternatives, they can often contain high amounts of carbs which can spike blood sugar levels.