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Expert Q&A
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| By Karen Ansel Nutritionist | ||
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Is too much sugar – for example, foods and drinks with high sugar content – harmful to the fetus?
As long as you do not have gestational diabetes, sugar in and of itself is not harmful to the fetus. In fact, the glucose found in sugar is the No. 1 fuel source for your baby's developing body. But that doesn't mean that items high in sugar should be a mainstay of your diet either, since sugar-laden foods can quickly fill you up, making less room for more healthful choices that deliver nutrients that your growing baby needs. While a small splurge now and then is harmless, try to get your carbohydrates from nutrient-dense items that are high in complex carbohydrates such as whole grain breads, pasta, rice, fruits and vegetables, rather than simple sugars.
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