Artificial Sweeteners (Sugar Substitutes)
Should I avoid them? Although some are OK, one in particular isn't so clear-cut.
Aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame-K have been found to be safe to use in moderation during pregnancy. However, you should avoid aspartame if you or your partner has a rare hereditary disease called phenylketonuria (PKU), in which the body can't break down the compound phenylalanine, which is found in aspartame. In that case, you should avoid aspartame altogether since your baby may also be born with the disease.
But the jury still seems to be out on whether saccharin, which is found in some foods and in the little pink packets, is safe to use during pregnancy or not — it can cross the placenta and could stay in the fetus' tissue. (Also, a sweetener called cyclamate was banned in the United States because of concern about cancer.)
What are the risks, if any, to my baby? Although some people have alleged that the artificial sweetener aspartame is linked with birth defects and illnesses ranging from multiple sclerosis to Parkinson's disease, government authorities and medical groups throughout the world have evaluated aspartame and approved it as safe for human consumption, including during pregnancy.
Research done during the 1970s suggested that saccharin caused bladder cancer in lab rats when given in large quantities. Since then, though, those studies have often been called into question. Also, a warning saying that it could cause cancer was removed from all saccharin-containing products' labels in 2000.
What can I do about it? With aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame-K, moderation is the key. It's OK to have an occasional diet soda or sugar-free food with these sweeteners here and there. But if you're really craving something sweet, it's probably better to have the real thing, as long as it's in moderation.
If you've already consumed something with saccharin in it during your pregnancy, don't obsess about it. It's highly unlikely that small amounts could do any harm to your baby.
Still, it's wise to check product labels and try to avoid — or at least limit — anything with artificial sweeteners (especially saccharin), just to be safe. After all, this is one time in your life when you have a good reason to avoid diet foods! And the more naturally flavored whole foods you eat during pregnancy, the better.
Aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame-K have been found to be safe to use in moderation during pregnancy. However, you should avoid aspartame if you or your partner has a rare hereditary disease called phenylketonuria (PKU), in which the body can't break down the compound phenylalanine, which is found in aspartame. In that case, you should avoid aspartame altogether since your baby may also be born with the disease.
But the jury still seems to be out on whether saccharin, which is found in some foods and in the little pink packets, is safe to use during pregnancy or not — it can cross the placenta and could stay in the fetus' tissue. (Also, a sweetener called cyclamate was banned in the United States because of concern about cancer.)
What are the risks, if any, to my baby? Although some people have alleged that the artificial sweetener aspartame is linked with birth defects and illnesses ranging from multiple sclerosis to Parkinson's disease, government authorities and medical groups throughout the world have evaluated aspartame and approved it as safe for human consumption, including during pregnancy.
Research done during the 1970s suggested that saccharin caused bladder cancer in lab rats when given in large quantities. Since then, though, those studies have often been called into question. Also, a warning saying that it could cause cancer was removed from all saccharin-containing products' labels in 2000.
What can I do about it? With aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame-K, moderation is the key. It's OK to have an occasional diet soda or sugar-free food with these sweeteners here and there. But if you're really craving something sweet, it's probably better to have the real thing, as long as it's in moderation.
If you've already consumed something with saccharin in it during your pregnancy, don't obsess about it. It's highly unlikely that small amounts could do any harm to your baby.
Still, it's wise to check product labels and try to avoid — or at least limit — anything with artificial sweeteners (especially saccharin), just to be safe. After all, this is one time in your life when you have a good reason to avoid diet foods! And the more naturally flavored whole foods you eat during pregnancy, the better.
posted by jasdeep_grover26 @ 8:20 PM
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