It’s not always easy to eat a balanced diet when pregnancy cravings abound, but for the sake of the baby, an effort should be made to limit your sugar intake. Yes, this is the time in your life when 300 extra daily calories is not only appropriate, but encouraged. However, be aware that your baby is impacted by what you eat, so try to cut back on anything that might be detrimental to your newborn’s health.
CNN noted that sugar is actually necessary for the body to function – but the news source was referring to the naturally occurring glucose and fructose found in fruits and vegetables, not the tasty coating on your glazed donut. Processed and refined sugar is indicative of empty calories, but it’s addicting as well.
One of the main concerns of eating too much processed sugars is that it increases the chances that you’ll develop gestational diabetes, a diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and usually goes away after birth. However, it makes it more likely that you’ll be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes after giving birth and can negatively affect the health of your baby.
No one is positive about what causes gestational diabetes, but it has been linked to excess weight during pregnancy. And refined sugar is almost sure to play a significant role.
Natural pregnancy tips: Eat nature’s candy
The best way to make tackling sugary pregnancy cravings easier on yourself is to drop excess sugar from your diet when you’re trying to conceive or early on in your pregnancy. Try to find some fruits and veggies that you really enjoy eating, such as cut bell peppers, orange slices, raisins or apples. Some mommy bloggers even recommended going for raw chocolate without any added sugars to fulfill your cravings for sweetness. There are also ways to make these snacks more interesting. For example, dust your peppers with natural sea salt or ground black pepper for a little kick in the pants.
And while everything in moderation is always a good motto, it can be hard to stop eating sugar once you start, even if you only indulged a bit. Removing the temptation from your home might make the rest of your family upset, but you’re the one carrying a child. If they want sweets, they can take them on the road, but if you want your house to be a temple, then they should leave their Twinkies in the garbage can on the curb.