How much is too much chocolate?

[JFTB1177]

I avoided chocolate completely for the entire 1st trimester and beginning of my 2nd trimester. I'm now almost 26 weeks, and for the past couple of weeks and I've been going nuts with chocolate... like a pack of M&M's one night, and 2 Kit-Kat bars the next night, etc. How much is too much? How much is bad for the baby? I know it's not exactly healthy but I am talking more about safety (caffeine, etc.).

Thanks!

[WifeofAnt]

Does your stomach hurt? The caffeine content in chocolate really isn't that high. The sugar is probably more of an issue. If its just one candy item a day its probably fine. I was drinking nearly 100 grams in sugar a day before I realized my green tea contained THAT much, lol. (I finally realized it when I gained 10 pounds in 3 weeks!)

[JFTB1177]

No, my stomach doesn't hurt. I've been eating more than one choc item a day, tbh. I've just been craving it so bad, maybe b/c I laid off of it for such a long time.

[MaerynPearl]

Chocolate is much healthier than a lot of things we eat.

The caffeine content is extremely low, if you are eating only a candy bar or so per day you are not even getting enough caffeine to matter. Especially considering it is generally accepted that one cup of coffee per day is not going to harm baby.

The sugar content is fairly high but there are a lot of things out there, including homemade foods, that are much higher in sugar content.




All things in moderation, you know. Its not great health advice to eat candy every day... but its also not harming the baby.

[WifeofAnt]

If it makes you feel better I made a dozen chocolate chip muffins and ate pretty much all of them in 48 hours. Sugary but oh-so-good.

[spatulagirl]

I read a study someone did in Europe (Sweden maybe?) years ago that mom's who ate chocolate while pregnant had happier babies. I think they ate dark chocolate., which is better for you anyway.

I drink a cup of coffee every morning and have for all of my pregnancies (ok, except this one, coffee made me vomit for 18 weeks but I am drinking it again now) and my kids are fine. Some nights I have hot cocoa too. Coffee has more caffeine than milk chocolate, so I think you are fine.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by spatulagirl

I read a study someone did in Europe (Sweden maybe?) years ago that mom's who ate chocolate while pregnant had happier babies. I think they ate dark chocolate., which is better for you anyway.

maybe THAT explains DD2 lol

I craved chocolate like crazy with her and I am amazed at how little she cries.

[Aliy]

well if there is a problem the my kids should all have issues.. I get big chocolate cravings....but really all in all it's not to bad as long as you are eating other stuff and it isn't all you eat. plaus moderation for many things....

[~Demeter~]

LOL... seriously??

Chocolate is fine. It's not like you are only eating chocolate. If you are concerned with WHY exactly you are craving chocolate try upping your magnesium intake... chocolate cravings are typically a sign of low mag.

There is nothing wrong with eating chocolate or consuming a little caffeine while pregnant.

[spatulagirl]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

maybe THAT explains DD2 lol

I craved chocolate like crazy with her and I am amazed at how little she cries.

I think I even read it in Mothering Magazine.

[fruitfulmomma]

IMO the issue is the high amount of processed sugar in those types of candies. If you are watching your overall amount of sugar then it is probably not a problem, but if you like it I would switch to a higher quality dark chocolate, something like Green & Blacks. It is more expensive, but more concentrated so I find the cravings are satisfied with lower quantities. (I am not currently pregnant and I eat maybe one bar a week, which I split with my youngest dd. We eat about 2-3 pieces at a time.)

I don't consume any other caffeine so I am not at all concerned about that when pregnant, but even so it is pretty low and is naturally occurring, not an additive like you would find in soda.

The magnesium supplement is also a good idea.

[MrsBone]

Originally Posted by JFTB1177

No, my stomach doesn't hurt. I've been eating more than one choc item a day, tbh. I've just been craving it so bad, maybe b/c I laid off of it for such a long time.

I would be more concerned about the artificial dyes and flavors in the stuff you are eating than the caffeine. I'd also be more concerned about sugar than caffeine. If you want to eat chocolate that's a bit healthier, try hershey's dark. It's still got sugar, but it's darker, so it has less sugar, but then again it has a little more caffeine. But, the amount in chocolate, is fairly low, so I wouldn't worry about it. Just don't overdo it!

[nia82]

There is too much chocolate?! I eat as much as I please. It depends on the quality of the chocolate - I don't like those bars or sweet chocolate...
I stick with European chocolate - Belgian, Swiss, German, it has no weird ingredients and isn't overly sweet. I also eat the Nutella directly from the jar that I brought over from Germany. It's less sweet than the American version and the only "artificial" ingredient is vanilla, but I'm comfortable with how it is produced (artificial vanilla has no heavy metals or anything like that and is the same chemical composition as real vanilla). Sure, I'd prefer the real stuff, but we can't always get what we want....
Anyways, I brought 10 jars 2 weeks ago and 6 are left... Do the math... :P

[babymango]

No advice... but now Im craving chocolate too!

[neverdoingitagain]

Chocolate has been linked to lower incidence of preeclampsia when consumed 5+ times a week
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art57019.asp (its still a small difference but hey! take what you can get )
If you can, get a nice 60+% dark chocolate. Lindt has some really nice ones, they're really meant to be savoured The lower sugar content and lack of unpronounceable ingredients helps.

[lillymonster]

I eat it a lot, but we eat soy free chocolate because of my DD's intolerance to soy. So it's really only one candy bar a week. Soy free seems to have less junk in it. I'd worry about the other junk - the soy, the dyes, etc.

Switch out the M&M for the non food dye brand - Sundrops is the brand I believe.

But that doesn't mean I haven't snuck a kit-kat when my DD wasn't around! and dang, it was gooood!

I have also eaten chocolate pudding in place of candy - seems a tad healthier to me.

[tessie]

Originally Posted by nia82

There is too much chocolate?!

That's what I was thinking!

I really wouldn't describe one a day as excessive. Unless you're taking family size bars/packets?

[m0xxie]

Bravo to you for abstaining through the first trimester! I really believe that if caffeine can have negative effects, they are most pronounced while development is at its earliest.

I was also very strict in the first tri, but I have recently been allowing myself a few chocolate items (Trader Joe's vegan chocolate chip cookies being the primary one) and the taste is heaven, although I think they contribute to my frequent acid reflux symptoms which is a bit of a dis-incentive.

I would agree with others commenting here, that moderation is probably the safest course (with regard to the caffeine and sugar both). If you're eating a lot of candy, it's likely that you may not be eating as much nutrition-dense foods as you could, and that may be the bigger problem. If your current diet does not include as much fruit, vegetable and protein as it should, perhaps your focus could be on making sure you're getting all the good stuff first... I'm guessing you simply won't have as much room for the other stuff if you attack the issue from that end. Best of luck to you!

[CookAMH]

I personally avoid processed chocolate like commercial candies, for the most part. The chocolate I do regularly enjoy though is bittersweet chocolate chips, say with a spoonful of peanut butter, or any chocolate dessert that I've made. Dark chocolate too.

So, if you're craving it, I would try to stick with genuine chocolate and enjoy each bite! And I think a little bit each day is fine. I'm more wary of the additives and lack of quality in commercial candies than I am the caffeine.

[amaayeh]

I agree that there is no excessive amount! I personally go for the dark chocolate covered almonds...chocolate is bittersweet so you have little sugar and then you are getting protein. Win, win!