19 Apr How to Eat for Two and Have a Nourished No Sugar Pregnancy

Deciding to start a family is an exciting and transformational time in many people’s lives. One of the best ways to protect and build your family’s health starts with a healthy, whole foods, sugar free diet. Transitioning to a nutrient dense, sugar free diet before you even try to conceive is ideal, but it is never too late to improve your diet, whether it is after you’ve found out you are already pregnant or even after giving birth, particularly if you are considering breastfeeding. A healthy, sugar free diet during pregnancy and postpartum will nourish both mother and child.

If you’re pregnant, your doctor has likely told you that you need to “eat for two” and “make every bite count” rather than simply increasing your caloric intake. What this means is to try to make every calorie as nutrient dense as possible, and to avoid eating empty calories from sugary or highly processed foods. Because pregnancy can be a time of increased appetite and food cravings, it’s important to give your body all the nutrients it needs while avoiding unnecessary sugar, fillers and junk.

Pregnancy is also a time for increased risk for gestational diabetes, so minding the sugar content of your diet is very important. As the placenta develops, it starts producing hormones that can lead to a sugar build-up in your bloodstream. Cells also become more glucose resistant during pregnancy, which allows the sugar to remain in the bloodstream. Normally, a healthy pancreas will make enough insulin to handle sugar levels, but sometimes blood sugar levels rise too high, causing gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes can lead to pregnancy complications, and also increases the risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. A sugar free diet can be protective against gestational diabetes. Limiting sugary sweets and foods rich in simple carbohydrates is a good idea, as is eating fiber with every meal, and getting plenty of exercise.

With the help of a nutrient dense, sugar free diet, you can increase your chances of having an easier pregnancy and healthy baby!