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Are Artificial Sweeteners OK to Consume During Pregnancy?
I'm 4 months pregnant and sometimes enjoy food and drinks that are artificially sweetened. But could I be causing harm to my baby?
- Joanie
Five artificial sweeteners (also called sugar substitutes) are currently approved for use in the United States — saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-K, and neotame. There has been some controversy and debate as to the safety of these sweeteners, especially aspartame and saccharin, but most health care professionals believe that they are safe when used in moderation.
One thing that is clear is that you should avoid aspartame if you have the rare hereditary disease phenylketonuria, or PKU, in which the body can't break down the compound phenylalanine, found in aspartame. The jury is still out on whether saccharin is safe to use during pregnancy. Although it crosses the placenta and can accumulate in the fetus' tissue, there's not enough evidence to prove that it is harmful to an unborn baby.
The bottom line is it's OK to have an occasional diet soda or sugar-free food. Still, it may be prudent to check product labels and try to limit anything with artificial sweeteners (especially saccharin), just to be on the safe side. After all, this is one time in your life when you have a good reason to avoid diet foods!
For more information, check out these articles.
Eating During Pregnancy
Staying Healthy During Pregnancy
Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD
Date reviewed: June 2006
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