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Craving Carbs
Pregnant and Craving Carbohydrates?
By Shannon McKelden
Dr. Robert Greene, an OB/GYN in private practice, researcher of the effects of hormones on the brain and co-author of Perfect Hormone Balance for Pregnancy (Three Rivers Press, 2007), suggests that carbohydrates (sugars) should be about 30 to 40 percent of the calories that a woman consumes during pregnancy. "It is the preferred fuel of her developing baby," Dr. Greene says. "It easily crosses the placenta to meet [Baby's] growing metabolic needs. The trick is choosing the right carbs."
"Power carbs," according to Dr. Greene, include complex carbohydrates that are more gradually digested and absorbed. "In effect, they produce a 'slow burn,' which prevents rapid shifts in blood sugar and a surge of insulin to be released," he says.
With power carbs absorbed more slowly, they also satisfy the appetite for longer periods of time and protect against low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Foods that fit this bill include fruits, vegetables, grains, granola and peanut butter and snacks like baked whole-wheat pita chips with hummus dip and low-fat string cheese with whole-wheat crackers. "Power carbs also contain significant amounts of fiber, which slows their absorption as well as helps prevent constipation," Dr. Greene says.
Opposite these healthy carbohydrates are what Dr. Greene calls "chaos carbs." Processed sugars like high fructose corn syup produce a rapid rise in insulin and give carbohydrates a bad name due to their link to obesity, insulin resistance and diabetes. "Luckily, it's fairly easy to replace 'chaos carbs' with more natural, unprocessed foods," Dr. Greene says.
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