Chocolate is one of the most liked foods, including pregnant women. Sometimes a pregnant woman cravings drinking a cup of warm chocolate in the morning or consuming a piece of chocolate as a snack. However, many issues circulate in the community that harmful chocolate is consumed by pregnant women. Just like coffee and tea, chocolate also contains caffeine, so many circulating information in the community that this food is not recommended for pregnant women. But even though the chocolate is good for pregnant women, still have to keep the amount of chocolate intake that goes to the fetus.
A. Here are some chocolate benefits for pregnant women
1. Preventing Preklamsia
Preklamsia is a pregnancy disorder that causes pregnant women to have high blood pressure throughout the pregnancy and is at risk for the health of pregnant women and fetuses. This condition can lead to premature birth, impaired liver and kidney function, and endanger the lives of pregnant women.
The benefits of chocolate for pregnant women is apparently able to prevent all the risk of preklamsia because of theobromin content that makes expectant mothers more calm, relaxed and fetal not stressed.
2. Normalizes blood pressure High blood pressure
Blood pressure is important for pregnant women. Abnormal blood pressure may trigger the risk of disability of the fetus. Consumption of chocolate can be one of the foods that can help normalize blood pressure due to its theobrooil content. Theobromin may dilate blood vessels, thus maintaining a balance of pressure in the blood.
3. Giving the baby a happier effect
Various pressures during pregnancy will make the pregnant mother become uncomfortable. Various types of problems related to pregnancy disorders, can make expectant mothers prone to stress. This is what makes pregnant women unhappy and making the fetus also experience the same feelings.
Consuming a few grams of chocolate for one day proved to reduce the risk of stress on the fetus and pregnant women. This condition was examined by the research team of the health magazines of pregnant women in Finland.
4. Rich in antioxidants
Chocolate contains flavonoids that serve as antioxidants. One of the antioxidant benefits for pregnant women is to increase the immunity of pregnant women and to maintain the health of the fetus in its womb, and to help prevent cancer and cardiovascular disease.
5. Improving infant response
The chocolate consumed during pregnancy turns out to give an excellent effect to the infant's response when it is born or in growth. Babies will become more relaxed and calm so they have an excellent response to parents and various environmental conditions. This is because the chocolate containing phenythylamin consumed during pregnancy also becomes the nutrient of pregnant women absorbed by the fetus.
6. Mineral Resources
Chocolate is rich in essential minerals such as magnesium and iron is indispensable during pregnancy for the formation of hemoglobin and the metabolic process of fatty acids.
7. Reduce risk of heart disease
Chocolate contains very high antioxidant substances. Antioxidant substances also play an important role in maintaining health and protecting the heart from different types of diseases. Consumption of chocolate for pregnant women will lower the risk of heart disease in the fetus. So chocolate is excellent for maintaining fetal health.
B. The following are the dangers of chocolate to pregnant women with certain health conditions
1. Raising weight
Chocolate that is consumed by the community basically contains sugar and fat. If consumed excessively will trigger weight gain in pregnant women that can be potentially obese. Obesity is at risk of high blood pressure as well as other health disorders that are harmful to pregnancy.
2.Caffeine content
Excessive consumption of caffeine in the body will be absorbed by the fetus through the placenta. Research shows that caffeine will trigger an abnormal birth baby, thus avoid excessive chocolate consumption. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend that pregnant women consume caffeine below 200 mg/day. While in 100 grams of chocolate contains 43 mg of caffeine.
3. Causes high sugar levels
The first prohibition is for pregnant women with diabetes. Pregnant women who have diabetes is strictly forbidden to consume chocolate, both black and brown other types. This is because chocolate contains calories and some sugar that can cause blood sugar levels to become higher. Although it is actually pregnant women who have diabetes can still consume chocolate provided with strict restrictions, but it is good to avoid it so as not to pose an unwanted risk, such as complications of diabetes E.g.
4. Making allergies
The third prohibition is for pregnant women with chocolate allergies. In this case it is certainly obvious that people who are allergic to chocolate should not consume chocolate, including pregnant women. Some of the risks that may arise when pregnant women with chocolate allergies still force themselves to consume it because of the value of its benefits, such as excessive allergic reactions, seizures, miscarriage, even death though.
5. Dangers can increase the risk of birth defects babies
Although there is a need for further research, there is research indicating that the consumption of excessive caffeine-containing foods or beverages in pregnant women can trigger a defective birth baby. Need to know, chocolate also contains caffeine like coffee and tea. So to avoid this, it's good to reduce and limit consumption of caffeinated drinks and foods including chocolates wisely.