Can pregnant women eat dark chocolate?

Dark chocolate is a type of chocolate. Compared with ordinary milk chocolate, it tastes more bitter, but the aroma is stronger. Its nutritional elements are also different from ordinary chocolate. So can pregnant women eat dark chocolate? Is eating dark chocolate good for pregnant women's physical and mental health? Let’s take a look together.

Can pregnant women eat dark chocolate?

Pregnant women can eat dark chocolate, but they should not eat too much. Eating chocolate in moderation is beneficial to the physical and mental health of pregnant women.

1. Control blood pressure

Studies have found that hypertensive patients who ate 3.5 ounces (about 100 grams) of dark chocolate every day had lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels after half a month. However, eating real white chocolate (without cocoa or flavonoids) does not have this effect.

2. Moisturize the skin

French researchers asked 24 women to consume a cup of extracted flavonoid chocolate powder every day. After three months, the skin of these women became more moist and smooth, and the symptoms of pigmentation and dandruff caused by sun exposure were also effectively improved. The researchers believe that this is because flavonoids are absorbed by ultraviolet light, which helps to protect and enhance skin blood circulation, thereby improving appearance.

3. Protect against cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases

Dark chocolate contains a high content of the natural antioxidant anthocyanin, which has anti-infection effects similar to aspirin. At a certain concentration, it can reduce the activity of platelets, remove the accumulation of oxygen free radicals in the inner wall of blood vessels, and fully exert its protective effect on cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases to a certain extent.

4. Control your appetite

The caffeine often contained in chocolate has the effect of accelerating metabolism and can promote the body's basal metabolism. Appropriate intake of chocolate can produce a sense of fullness and effectively control appetite. Among all chocolates, dark chocolate has the least sugar and fat, but it contains more caffeine than milk chocolate.

5. Adjust the digestive tract

The methyl cellulose in dark chocolate can promote intestinal peristalsis and assist gastrointestinal digestion and absorption. The soy isoflavones can inhibit the metabolism of sulfate in the gastrointestinal tract and relieve diarrhea symptoms.

6. Adjust immune function

Dark chocolate can meet the body's needs for a variety of nutrients. In addition, the flavonoids in dark chocolate also have the function of regulating immunity, which can protect the human immune system from damage by free radicals. Anthocyanins also have the function of regulating a variety of immune cells.

Because chocolate is also rich in calories and fat, if you consume too much, it will cause burden to the body. In addition, dark chocolate contains caffeine, if consumed too much, it may cause miscarriage in pregnant women.