Marie, I have a serious sweet tooth and am 9 weeks pregnant. I am worried because I don’t want to develop pregnancy diabetes if I eat too much sugar. Can I use artificial sweeteners, such as Splenda, Equal or Sucaryl? I could use those in my recipes instead of sugar.

Thanks for your help, Marie!

Coralie

Hello Coralie,

Excellent question, and I am sure the answer will help many other mothers.

Artificial sweeteners, while not containing the calories of sugar, contain things you need to be careful of during pregnancy. In fact, many processed foods have additives, such as aspartame, stevia, or sucralose. These include jams, soft drinks, desserts, cereals and even yogurt or gum.

Based on current scientific information about risks of consuming artificial sweeteners during pregnancy (for mother and baby), Health Canada considers that there is no evidence to recommend abstaining from using these products unless they include cyclamate, which requires medical advice before use.

Coralie, while some products are permitted, it’s always preferable to use them in moderation. This includes processed foods that contain artificial sweeteners and the artificial sweeteners themselves (Splenda, Sucaryl, Equal) sold in packets, pills or granulated that you add to drinks or recipes.

Coralie, these are the latest recommendations as an answer to your question!

Talk soon,

Marie

The Baby Expert