The Effects of Artificial Foods on Unborn Babies

Know the Artificial Foods

Artificial foods are the edible foods that do not occur naturally and they contain ingredients like flavoring and coloring that are not inherent in the food rather they are created in the laboratory to copy the natural taste. Many artificial foods are good while some can be quite dangerous.

The Common Artificial Ingredients Found in Artificial Foods

Some of the common artificial ingredients found in these artificial foods are as under:

• Saccharin
• Cyclamate
• Aspartame
• Toxins

There are various harmful effects of these above artificial ingredients especially in pregnancy on the unborn child. Some of these effects would be discussed here:

Saccharin

According to American Pregnancy Association, saccharin is one of the sweeteners that is not safe to use in pregnancy. The reason is that saccharin is linked with a number of harmful side effects and has also shown to be one of the reasons of causing cancer. It was also investigated in pregnant women and was found that saccharin cross the placenta and can affect the baby badly. Saccharin is mostly used as an artificial sweeter in plenty of foods and beverages so make sure you check the drink or the food before consuming.

Cyclamate

According to the American Pregnancy Association, cyclamate is also linked with cancer and is banned in United States. However the women outside US should make sure that the food they are taking does not contains cyclamate. It is also used as an artificial sweetener and may contain in foods and beverages. It is unsafe not only for the pregnant women and unborn babies but for all the people generally.

Aspartame

Aspartame is also an artificial sweetener and is a safe artificial ingredient as long as it is taken in a limited quantity. You need to know that all the artificial sweeteners are sweeter than sugar and not much lower in calories so if you would take these in high quantity, your calorie levels would rise drastically.

Summarizing the Effects of Artificial Foods on Unborn Babies

• Avoid all artificial foods in pregnancy and if there is so much craving avoid the above mentioned ingredients.
• If there is so much craving of artificial foods, it should only be taken in a limited quantity with consultation of doctor.
• Avoid majority of the artificial sweeteners.