Is it okay to eat sweets while pregnant?

During pregnancy, women will have a special preference for certain foods due to changes in hormones and other substances in their bodies. For example, many pregnant women like to eat sweets. So for this question, many people will have questions, why do pregnant women like to eat sweets, so is eating sweets good for pregnant women? What should pregnant women pay attention to when eating sweets? Below, the editor will introduce to you some relevant knowledge about liking to eat sweets during pregnancy.

1. Reasons for liking sweets during pregnancy

This is because after a woman becomes pregnant, the placenta will secrete human chorionic gonadotropin, which has the effect of inhibiting gastric acid secretion, reducing gastric acid secretion and greatly reducing digestive capacity, thereby affecting appetite and digestive function. Pregnant women will experience early pregnancy symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite. Sour foods can stimulate gastric acid secretion and improve digestion and absorption functions. Therefore, pregnant women can relieve early pregnancy symptoms by eating some sour foods.

2-3 months after pregnancy, the fetal bones begin to form. The main component of the bones is calcium, but acidic foods are necessary to convert free calcium into calcium salts and deposit them to form bone. Therefore, eating acidic food during pregnancy helps the growth of fetal bones. Iron is an essential trace element for the human body and an indispensable raw material for the production of hemoglobin. However, iron can only be converted from trivalent iron ions to divalent iron ions and absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract under acidic conditions. Therefore, eating acidic food for pregnant women can help correct iron deficiency anemia. Vitamin C plays an important role in the formation of fetal stromal cells, the production of adipose tissue, the formation of cardiovascular system and the soundness of the hematopoietic system. Vitamin C can also promote the absorption and utilization of iron by pregnant women. Foods rich in vitamin C are mostly acidic, and pregnant women can eat acidic foods to provide more vitamin C for themselves and the fetus.

Therefore, it is in line with physiological and nutritional requirements for pregnant women to like to eat sour foods. But it is best to choose fresh fruits such as cherries, grapes, bayberries, etc. which are both sour and nutritious. This can not only improve gastrointestinal discomfort, but also increase appetite and supplement nutrition. But you must eat sour foods in moderation.

2. Precautions for eating sweets during pregnancy

After pregnancy, expectant mothers should not eat too much sweets. Sweets not only contain a lot of sugar, but also usually contain a lot of fat and are high in energy. Long-term and large intake will not only cause excessive weight gain, but also increase the risk of some pregnancy complications. Pregnant women eating too much sweets can cause high blood sugar. Whether it is pregnancy in a diabetic patient or hyperglycemia after pregnancy, it is easy to develop various infections. If the blood sugar concentration continues to increase, it may lead to giant fetus, weighing up to 4000 grams or even more, which is easy to be complicated by dystocia, delayed labor, stillbirth, postpartum hemorrhage and infection.

Although the above content introduced by the editor reminds pregnant women to eat sweets with caution, it does not mean that eating sweets is bad for pregnant women. Instead, they should eat sweets correctly, with a low sugar content. It is best to make them yourself rather than buy special exquisite sweets from outside. You should pay special attention to food safety during pregnancy, so it is better to make it yourself.