Not all artificial sweeteners are safe for consumption by pregnant women. If consumed too often, certain types of artificial sweeteners are feared to harm the health of pregnant women and their little ones. This is the reason why pregnant women need to be more selective in choosing food and drinks during pregnancy.
Some pregnant women may experience cravings sweet foods and often difficult to avoid. Even though it's actually okay, pregnant women need to be more careful if the sweet foods or drinks they consume contain artificial sweeteners.
The reason is, there are several types of artificial sweeteners that can actually cause health problems, not only for pregnant women, but also for the little one who is still in the womb.
Consumable Artificial Sweeteners
There are two types of artificial sweeteners that are safe for consumption during pregnancy, namely artificial sweeteners without calories and those containing calories.
The amount of artificial sweetener that pregnant women consume must be considered and should be according to doctor's advice. Especially if pregnant women have a history of diabetes, insulin resistance, or high blood sugar levels.
The following are various calorie artificial sweeteners that pregnant women can consume:
- Sugar in the form of sucrose, dextrose, corn sugar (corn sugar), fructose, and maltose.
- Sugar alcohol. This sugar is found in many foods or drinks that have a 'sugar-free' label. Some examples of artificial sweeteners that are included in the type of sugar alcohol include xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt, mannitol, and hydrogenated starch.hydrogenated starch).
Meanwhile, non-calorie artificial sweeteners that are considered safe for consumption during pregnancy include:
- Aspartame
- Sucralose
- Rebaudioside A (Stevia)
- Potassium accesulfamate (Sunnet)
Pregnant women must always be careful by reading the description of the composition of the ingredients when buying food or beverage products. If there are artificial sweeteners in the product you are planning to buy, make sure the type is included in the artificial sweetener that is safe for consumption during pregnancy.
Artificial Sweeteners Are Harmful to Pregnancy
Unlike the various artificial sweeteners above, the following are artificial sweeteners that pregnant women should avoid:
Saccharin
In general, saccharin-type artificial sweeteners are actually safe for consumption as long as the amount is not excessive.
However, for pregnant women, this needs careful consideration. The reason is, a number of studies have found that saccharin can enter the placenta and increase the risk of your little one suffering from bladder cancer.
Cyclamate
So far, there has been no research that states or can prove that artificial sweeteners of the cyclamate type are safe for pregnant women or the fetus in the womb. Therefore, pregnant women are advised not to consume artificial sweeteners cyclamate without a doctor's advice.
Consuming artificial sweeteners while pregnant is actually okay, as long as pregnant women know the types of artificial sweeteners that are safe for consumption and the maximum amount.
In addition, pregnant women still have to meet the nutritional intake needed by pregnant women and their little ones by eating good food for pregnancy.
To maintain a healthy pregnancy, pregnant women also need to exercise regularly, get enough rest, drink lots of water, avoid stress, and regularly check the condition of their pregnancy to the obstetrician.
