Most harmful ingredient for pregnant women.

One thing you must never consume.

You must be wondering what foods you cannot eat during pregnancy. But more than the food, it is certain ingredients that cause more harm. So you must be wary of them!

One of the most harmful ingredients for pregnant women is High Fructose Corn Syrup, popularly known as HFCS.

It exists in ingredients like low-calorie sweeteners, artificial sweeteners, and various food items such as sodas, salad dressings, breakfast cereals, chips, and many more.

It can convert the stem cells of a growing baby in the womb into fat cells. So, your baby could be born with excess fat cells and the ‘obesity gene’, even before coming to this world. This leads to a lifelong struggle with food and body image.

Companies use HFCS because it's cheaper than sugar and much, much sweeter. It means they have to use much less HFCS (sometimes so less that they don't even have to mention it in the ingredient label, keeping consumers in the dark).

Corn syrup exists in everything, from pizza, spaghetti, bread, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and cereal. It is available in practically all pre-packaged foods, including granola and protein bars (the ones we put in the "healthy" category).

Also, there has been a growing concern that fructose found in processed foods and sugary drinks links to diabetes and obesity in recent years.

It is essential to avoid food items with HFCS as a pregnant woman. Also, adults who worry about weight loss despite every effort should avoid foods with HFCS. The first step would be to stop having pre-packaged food and shift to a more organic, natural food-based diet.

What does science say?

According to a study conducted by researchers from different countries, fructose consumption has increased since the 1970s. In addition, human and animal studies show that high fructose consumption links to various metabolic problems.

According to the findings, fructose consumption during pregnancy affects maternal metabolic parameters and placental or fetal development. It also potentially influences postnatal illness risks.

Next time you want to pick up that diet soda, read the ingredients first.

Trust this helps,

Roshni Sanghvi.