Researchers have finally revealed that chocolate has health benefits during pregnancy. Aside from boosting fetal growth, a controlled intake of high-flavanol chocolate can also make the placenta more efficient.
The indulgent treat can help pregnant mothers and fetuses by generating antioxidants to help reduce stress. Chocolate can also reduce the risk of pregnancy complications known as preeclampsia.
"Regularly having a bit of chocolate may actually be beneficial during pregnancy," as mentioned by nutritionist Dr. Rana Conway. The amount of chocolate that is safe to eat will usually depend on the health circumstances that surround a woman's pregnancy.
Previous studies have shown conflicting reports about consuming chocolate during pregnancy which is a why a team of scientists wanted to evaluate the impact of high-flavanol chocolate specifically, according to Daily Mail.
Participants of the study included 129 women with single pregnancies who were between 11 and 14 weeks. Each participant had a double-notch on the uterine artery Doppler index which serves as a marker of blood velocity in urine, placental and fetal circulations.
Each expecting mother was asked to eat either high-flavanol or low-flavanol chocolate. They were asked to consume a total of 30 grams of chocolate every day for 12 weeks.
Each participant's uterine artery Doppler pulsatility index remained at the baseline for 12 weeks. The study also evaluated signs of preeclampsia, placenta weight, gestational hypertension and birth weight in women.
Results showed that there was no alteration in preeclampsia, placenta weight, gestational hypertension and birth weight in women between the two groups. However, both groups showed significant improvement in the uterine Doppler pulsatility index.
"The study indicates that chocolate could have a positive impact on placental and fetal growth and development," Dr. Emmanuel Bujold said, co-author of the study. He also mentioned that chocolate's effects are not exclusively and directly due to flavanol content.
However, consuming high levels of caffeine present in chocolate may result in babies with a low birth weight, which is why a controlled amount of the delicious treat is advised, revealed Made For Mums. The NHS recommends a maximum of 200 grams of caffeine a day, which equals to a 50g bar of plain dark chocolate or milk chocolate.
