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The Sweet (Fake) Stuff During Pregnancy

Do Artificial Sweeteners and Pregnancy Mix?

By Jacqueline Bodnar

This product goes by the name Stevia and is believed to be 200 to 300 times sweeter than sugar. The leaves come from a shrub native to Brazil and Paraguay. Currently it has been banned from being sold as a sweetener in the United States. Therefore it is labeled as a dietary supplement. Pregnant women should exercise caution and consult their physician before using this product because its safety is unknown.

When you want to sweeten something up, think outside the box. "I used honey, Stevia and fresh fruit juices to sweeten things," says Francie Billotti Wood from Jacksonville, Fla. She explains she and her family consume mostly organic products in their house, so they generally avoid artificial sweeteners anyway. "I also sometimes enjoyed things less sweet while pregnant," she adds.

When Leslie Button from Bradenton, Fla., was pregnant, she avoided all types of artificial sweeteners. "I still avoid them at all costs because I am still breastfeeding," says Button. When she's looking for a way to sweeten things up, she usually reaches for honey or natural sugar. 

You can try these products for alternative ways to make something sweeter:

• Fruit juices
• Barley or maple syrup
• Honey
• Blackstrap molasses
• Fruit nectar or jam