Pregnancy cravings can be strange and odd, and at times, quite unhealthy too. One such instant is craving diet coke during pregnancy. Though a soft drink now and then may not really harm you or the baby, yet there have been concerns regarding drinking sodas when pregnant. Let’s know more on drinking diet coke during pregnancy.
Craving Diet Coke During Pregnancy
Well, pregnancy can make you crave various foods and drinks, and of you have been regular with drinking diet coke, you may feel it helps with your common pregnancy aches and pains. Many women also feel that diet coke lifts up their spirits and that’s why it is an indulgence they must not be denied during pregnancy.
Diet coke, as we all know does contain caffeine and artificial sweeteners. Additionally, most of us are also aware that caffeine consumption for pregnant women needs to be restricted to 200 mg per day. Coca Cola website claims that a can of diet coke contains about 42mg of caffeine, while a can of classic Coca Cola contains 32 mg of caffeine1.
The first thought is perhaps that diet coke does not contain alarming content of caffeine, so it is unlikely to cause any harm during pregnancy. Even multiple cans of diet coke could pass without much concern.
But caffeine is only half the equation. The other half comprises of additives and artificial sweeteners, which have been scientifically proven to cause some nasties during pregnancy.
Related Reading: Energy Drinks During Pregnancy – Are They Safe?
Effects Of Drinking Diet Coke During Pregnancy
As discussed above, artificial sweeteners, such as aspartame used in diet coke, which has some serious potential health hazards. A 12 ounce can of diet soda usually contains about 192 milligrams of aspartame says the American Cancer Society2 on its website.
Now, aspartame is highly rich in empty calories but contains no vitamins or minerals. Artificial sweeteners during pregnancy can make a child twice as likely to be overweight at one year of age, concluded a study3. In a country where childhood obesity has been on the rise, and in a world where childhood obesity is soon turning epidemic, consumption of artificial sweeteners during pregnancy may also be one contributing factor. The growing waistlines in children have been linked highly to consumption of artificial sweeteners.
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Consumption of artificial sweeteners is also linked with disruption of metabolic processes, the ability of body to use excess glucose and other processes associated with gut bacteria4. Another research5 has found correlation of development of asthma and allergies in babies born to mother who consumed sodas during gestation period.
When pregnant, the focus should on consuming nutritive sweeteners which can contribute to the baby’s growth and development.
Related Reading: 10 Drinks To Avoid During Pregnancy
Diet Coke Pregnancy Test
Many of us may have already heard about diet coke pregnancy test, and that it sort of turns a pregnancy test strip positive. Many women use this trick to see their boyfriend’s reactions, while some do it for sheer fun. Faking a pregnancy test with soda is quite common, but I am not sure why would someone use this as a tool to test someone’s loyalty.
Anyway, if you are looking to fake a pregnancy test, with a normal pregnancy test kit, you should know that soda does contain certain properties similar to the hCG hormone – the pregnancy hormone. If you have to show a fake pregnancy test, just hunt for a can of soda and pee on the test kit. Drop the soda on the test kit drop by drop, as excess soda can make the pregnancy line appear very dark. A dark pregnancy line on the pregnancy test kit can only appear during the later stages of pregnancy, not during the earlier days. So, to avoid getting caught, be very careful with the use of soda.
Playing a pregnancy prank with a diet soda is quite easy, but pranks can be hard on some people. So, if you intend to use it just as a trick, its fine, but beyond that, it may tension and high drama.
Craving Coca Cola During Pregnancy- Girl Or Boy?
Gender guessing is fun, when you pass the games on as games and not take them seriously. Pregnancy cravings have been associated with gender guessing by many old wives, and sometimes there is a good data to support a claim. However, be assured that your baby’s gender is a work of genes, and the relation of pregnancy cravings with baby gender has no scientific evidence whatsoever.
If you are game, you can have fun gender guessing. Like when you crave a lot of Coca Cola or soda during pregnancy, it is said that you will have a boy. When your caffeine consumption is nil, the old wife’s tales say you are likely to have a girl.
It must be added here that both above claims are not supported by any scientific study, and many mothers who had loads of caffeine during their pregnancy ended up with baby girls. Know that each gender has an exact 50:50 chance, so do play these games, but make sure not to go overboard!