Pregnant women eating dark chocolate may cause teratogenesis
Introduction: Pregnancy is a special stage that women need to handle with care and attention to their dietary abilities to ensure a healthy fetus. Although chocolate may be a favorite of pregnant women, dark chocolate should be avoided as much as possible without the advice of a professional doctor because it can cause birth defects.
Influence mechanism
For the health of the fetus, pregnant women need to pay special attention to whether their daily diet meets the nutritional deficiencies. However, some inappropriate foods in the diet of pregnant women may also have adverse effects on fetal development. Current research proves that consuming high-concentration dark chocolate during pregnancy may have adverse effects on fetal brain development due to its high caffeine and theobromine content.
Effects of caffeine
The caffeine in dark chocolate can affect the fetal central nervous system. If you consume foods high in caffeine, it can easily cause excessive fetal activity and even abnormal neurological damage, leading to the inability to develop normally. Caffeine may also aggravate anemia in pregnant women and cause poor nutritional supply to the fetus.
The effect of theobromine
Pregnant women who consume cocoa-based foods with high levels of theobromine will not only affect the central nervous system, but also cause abnormalities in the fetal cardiovascular system. Research shows that the continued development of the heart during pregnancy requires the participation of a certain amount of beta interferon. Theobromine inhibits the production of beta interferon, leading to abnormal fetal heart development and increasing the risk of congenital heart disease and other diseases.
Other relevant factors
Pregnant women should also pay attention to the following points while avoiding dark chocolate:
Other taboo foods during pregnancy
– Raw and cold food (yoghurt, cheese, oysters, raw meat, etc.)
– Highly greasy food
– High-sugar foods that increase the risk of gestational diabetes in pregnant women
Other nutritional needs during pregnancy
– Folic acid supplementation can achieve higher quality placenta and normal fetal nervous system development
– Supplement calcium, which is beneficial to fetal bone development
Notes
– Pay attention to the time difference during meal times, and do not leave too much time between meals.
– Pregnant women should have a diversified diet. They can try more hand-made light dishes. Foods that ensure freshness are more suitable for pregnant women.
Summary
Pregnant women eating dark chocolate can cause teratogenesis, a fact that has been confirmed by relevant studies. From a theoretical perspective, the negative effects of caffeine and theobromine on pregnant women and fetal development are inevitable. Therefore, pregnant women need to pay attention to their eating habits in daily life, choose a variety of nutritious foods, avoid or reduce the intake of taboo foods during pregnancy, and pay regular attention to pregnancy check-ups, so as to ensure that the fetus grows in a healthy living environment.
