Paging Rosie: Easter Chocolate – Tips for Moms-to-Be

Pregnant and planning on indulging in Easter basket chocolate this weekend?  Trust me I like my fair share of chocolate so when I was pregnant I made sure to find out just how much was safe!  Here is the lowdown on the holiday favorite.

Top 2 things to monitor:

1. Caffeine:  While the amount of caffeine in chocolate is low (approx. 9g in a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar), it is still important to monitor especially when consuming other caffeinated products. Generally, moms-to-be should be keeping their caffeine intake under 200mg per day.

1. Fat & sugar:  An excess of fat and sugar in your diet can lead to pregnancy risks such as gestational diabetes.   If you generally stick to a balanced, nutritious diet, holiday splurges shouldn’t be a risk (as always, consult your doctor.)

Tips:

1. Eat Dark Chocolate when possible as it generally has fewer calories and less sugar.  It also contains antioxidants!
2. Portion control:  Avoid a sugar rush and feeling sluggish the next day by keeping your candy portions under control.  It can be hard to measure nutrition facts and portions on Easter, as many candies are unwrapped (in eggs etc.), so here is the basic nutritional breakdown of some Easter favorites to give you an idea:

Cadbury Chocolate Eggs (Serving size: 12 Pieces)

Calories          190

Fat                   8g

Sugar              27g

Cadbury Solid Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny (1 Piece)–I think this one calls for sharing 😉

Calories          890

Fat                   48.6g

Sugar              97.1

Cadbury Cream Egg

Calories          150

Fat                   5g

Sugar              20g

Peep’s Hollow Milk Chocolate Egg

Calories          420

Fat                   24

Sugar              53

Bottom line?  Indulge but don’t over do it! And remember, you are growing a wee one.  So if you’d feel really uncomfortable giving your child some of the foods you see on offer for Easter then why would you eat it when you are pregnant?  So stick to purer chocolates rather than candies rich in colorings and other pesky chemicals!

Tags: mom tips, mommy IQ, nutrition, pregnancy