Healthy Alternatives To Sugar For Pregnant Mums

Pregnant? So what do your taste buds crave? Pregnancy is an entirely unique phase of a woman’s life. During the course of nine months, a woman undergoes a gamut of changes and it is also a time when a woman has lots of food cravings and aversions. In a broad categorization, some women crave for all things sweet while some women always want something salty and spicy. It depends from person to person. Interestingly, a woman’s craving for sweet and salty food has been linked to the gender of the unborn baby!
 

You might also like: How can Gestational Diabetes affect your Pregnancy?
 

Coming back to sugar, if you’re one of those who is inclined towards the sweet nectar of jalebis, gulab jamuns, and pastries, it’s a tough time ahead! During pregnancy, certain hormones are released by the placenta and these restrict the work of insulin in the body. Insulin is essential for regulating the blood sugar levels of the body. This ‘insulin resistance’ makes women prone to contracting diabetes during pregnancy. This condition is also known as Gestational Diabetes, and it can pose a lot of threats to the woman and her baby. It can lead to high blood pressure and may also make a c-section delivery the only alternative.
 

Now, if you’re already into eating a lot of refined sugar, it can increase your chances of contracting gestational diabetes! Refined sugar doesn’t get absorbed in the body readily and can also cause damage to your liver. You need to keep a tab on your sugar intake and also monitor your blood sugar levels. With all those cravings, it might become extremely difficult to control yourself but you can definitely make use of some healthy alternatives to sugar to quench your longing for something sweet. These will help to fulfill your sugar cravings without making your sugar levels shoot up.
 

Also read: 10 Food Rules to Live By if You Are Trying To Get Pregnant
 

Here are some healthy substitutes for sugar that are available in your pantry readily:
 

• Honey – It is derived from honey bees and is loaded with antioxidants. Honey is very good for your skin. Just add it to your hot beverages and even your desserts to enjoy the sweet taste of this nectar.
   
• Jaggery – Made from sugarcane, jaggery is supposedly a healthy form of sugar itself. Not only is it devoid of any kind of chemical processing; it is also very beneficial for your health. It helps in curing various common ailments such as cold, cough, and headache. It also helps to raise the hemoglobin levels of the body.
   
• Processed dates – Dehydrated dates are packed with antioxidants and have a very low glycemic index, which makes them completely safe and healthy to consume during pregnancy. Just pop 1-2 dates after a meal when you want to sweeten your palate.
   
• Raisins – Baking a cake and you obviously want it to be sweet! Just grind some raisins and add them to the cake mixture. This fibrous dry fruit will sweeten your cake naturally.
   
• Cinnamon Powder – Add a teaspoon of this aromatic spice powder to sweeten your tea and coffee and enjoy your beverages without any empty calories.
   
• Fruits – These are perhaps the best natural sweeteners. They do not contain any artificial sugars and thus get absorbed in the body without increasing your blood sugar levels. You can eat fruits such as apples, cranberries, guavas, and apricots.
   
• Fresh Fruit and vegetable juices – Just squeeze the juice of some fresh oranges and have a nutritious drink. Other healthy options include carrot juice, beetroot juice and coconut water. You can also try a mixed juice with oranges, carrots and bottle gourd. Not only is it a very nutrient dense drink; it will definitely satisfy your taste buds.
   

Eat healthily and enjoy your pregnancy!
 

Read More: Eight Essential Fruits to have During Pregnancy
 

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This article was originally published on Indian Moms Community.