Simple Low Sugar Swaps for Pregnant Mothers

If you are reading this when you are pregnant, let’s do a quick how-are-you-feeling assessment:

Do you feel tired often?
Do you experience excessive pregnancy weight gain?
Do you experience blurred vision?

These are the common symptoms of gestational diabetes. If you mentally ticked two or more of the above, it is time to consider a sugar swap. It does not matter what you are craving this instant, because honey, we are calling for an intervention!

Many think sugar provides a quick energy boost that you might need when pregnant, but, too much can do more harm than good.

Consider this:

High sugar consumption during pregnancy can cause your child to be obese by the time they enter primary school. This is based on a study on 1,078 mothers and their kids.
Gestational diabetes goes away after delivery, but it increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
As per American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a study shows there is an association between mothers taking too many sweetened beverages and reduced cognitive skills in the child.

If you think you might be taking a bit more sugar than you want to, we’ve got a list of sugar swaps you can do!

Replace biscuits with savoury food, like carrots with hummus

Everyone loves a good snack. Rather than feasting on biscuits (from our market-bought cream crackers to butter cookies), consider healthy savoury options.

If you don’t know what hummus is, it is a dip made from chickpeas and tahini, rich in protein, calcium and omega-3 fatty acids. It goes well with freshly chopped carrots, celery, and cucumber.

Carrots are known to have vitamin A and beta-carotene, a healthful source of carbohydrates. Celery contains vitamin C, beta carotene, and flavonoids and has high antioxidant properties. Cucumbers are rich in magnesium, potassium, and vitamin K. Together, they support your cardiovascular system function.

Go for fresh fruit with overnight oats

If you enjoy having pancakes drizzled with maple syrup, or the Malaysian version – roti canai with condensed milk, we encourage you to exchange it with ones that contain less sugar.

Consider boxed cereal for breakfast (or even granola bars), but do check the ingredients list before purchasing because some do have high sugar content.

You can also opt to drown your rolled oats or oat bran (and chia seeds if you’d like) in milk and leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The next day, just top it with fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, bananas or papayas, and there you have it—a nutrient and fibre rich breakfast!

Snack on nuts instead of sweets

When we are working on our screens, we sometimes feel the urge to munch on something, or just to have something in our mouth, lest it feels ‘lonely’. Most would grab for a sweet or a bar of chocolate.

Now, swap it with nuts instead.

These crunchy substitutes are high in protein, healthy fats, folate, vitamin E, magnesium and omega-3 (this helps with your fetus’s brain development). Because they are also packed with fibre, it aids digestion.

There are so many convenience packs available on the market, get the mixed variety or that one nut you are nuts about.

Get sparkling, not cola

When the day is sweltering hot, we just need some fizz for the heat to sizzle out of us. Instead of reaching out for a carbonated drink or ordering bubble tea, stock up on sparkling water instead.

With sparkling water, you can quickly stir up a mocktail with a slice of lemon, mint leaves and ice. Voila, a refreshing cool drink without the sugar!

Choose PROMAMA® Formulated Milk For Pregnancy & Lactating Moms With 0% Sucrose

Expecting mothers are always encouraged to drink milk to nourish yourself. Consider PROMAMA®, a maternal formula that comes with 0% sucrose and is low in glycemic index. Swap your full cream milk with a glass of PROMAMA® as it is formulated with high folic acid, calcium and vitamin D to support your pregnancy needs.

That is not all…

PROMAMA® is formulated with A2 milk protein, making it naturally gentle to tummy. PROMAMA® also contains prebiotic oligofructose that helps increase good bacteria and maintain a good gut environment. With a good gut environment, it will help in reducing constipation. Along with Sphingomyelin, DHA and Choline, PROMAMA® helps to support your maternal nutritional needs.

Looking to watch your sugar intake? Follow our sugar swap closely and feel the difference.

Try the brand new PROMAMA® with A2 milk by getting a free sample here.

Read more interesting stories and fun recipes on Motherhood Story. !

References

DISCLAIMER: The above content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health professional with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.