London - Pregnant women who crave chocolate are in for a treat – scientists say eating it could be good for them and their unborn babies.
Having just 30g a day may boost a baby’s growth, they claim.
It could also protect the woman’s own health, reducing the risk of potentially fatal pre-eclampsia, in which mothers-to-be can suffer high blood pressure and fluid retention, endangering their babies.
A study found that eating chocolate regularly helped improve blood circulation in the womb, placenta and foetus, leading to better development of the infant.
Previous research on eating chocolate in pregnancy produced conflicting results, so the Canadian team from Université Laval in Quebec set out to evaluate the effects more definitively.
They put 129 volunteers in two groups, giving one chocolate rich in antioxidants called flavanols, while the other ate low-flavanol chocolate.
The women, who had been pregnant for 11 to 14 weeks, were given 30g of chocolate every day for 12 weeks. Ultrasound scans indicated that circulating blood was improved in both groups, suggesting the chocolate had a beneficial effect for which flavanols were not responsible.
Lead researcher Dr Emmanuel Bujold said: “This study indicates that chocolate could have a positive impact on placenta and foetal growth and development, and that chocolate’s effects are not solely and directly due to flavanol content.”
Previous research has suggested that eating chocolate during pregnancy may create happier, livelier babies.
A study of 300 mothers questioned by Finnish scientists before and after they gave birth found those who ate chocolate daily were more likely to say they had jolly babies.
A mood-altering chemical called phenylethylamine may be the cause, although this has not been proven.
Those who ate chocolate were more likely to say their babies smiled and laughed a lot. They were also more likely to say they were active.
Daily Mail