Eating chocolate during pregnancy
Eating chocolate during pregnancy is harmless as long as it is not overdone. We can even say that it is useful. There are some scientific studies that show that eating chocolate during pregnancy reduces the risk of preeclampsia and gestational hypertension .
In a scientific study, expectant mothers regularly ate 25 grams of chocolate daily from the early stages of pregnancy, and as a result, it was observed that the blood flow to the fetus was better.
You should not consume too much chocolate during pregnancy for two reasons. For one, eating plenty of chocolate will cause you to consume less of the other healthy foods you need to eat a balanced diet. Chocolate also tends to be high in sugar and calories and can lead to unhealthy weight gain. The second reason is that chocolate contains caffeine. Experts recommend that pregnant women keep their caffeine intake below 200 milligrams (mg) per day. If you drink any caffeinated beverages and like to snack on chocolate, be careful not to go over the limit.
In general, a little chocolate doesn’t hurt: For example, a 25-gram serving of chocolate contains 160 calories, 16 grams of sugar, and less than 10 mg of caffeine. Dark chocolate generally contains less sugar and more caffeine than milk chocolate: Generally, 25 grams of dark chocolate contains 155 calories, about 10 grams of sugar, and 12 milligrams of caffeine.
However, you may need to stop consuming chocolate if:
- If you have trouble controlling your blood sugar,
- If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes,
- If you are gaining a lot of weight.
You should be careful when consuming chocolate.
For more content on nutrition during pregnancy, see the Nutrition During Pregnancy category.
