How bad is diet soda while pregnant?

Most doctors agree that when used in small amounts, diet soda containing Aspartame is safe for pregnant women, but no more than one or two eight to twelve-ounce servings should be used each day, as the maximum limit.

But research shows it’s not a good idea to make drinking soda a daily habit, whether you’re having regular, diet, or caffeine-free. Drinking soda while pregnant can raise your risk of some pregnancy complications, and can raise your baby’s risk of developing health conditions such as asthma and obesity.

Whatever it is, the bottom line is that Pregnant women should skip the diet drinks. As much as they might seem like they might help limit weight gain, they don’t. Instead, drink water and other unsweetened beverages.

According to The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, It’s a good idea to limit your caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams a day. There are 46 milligrams of caffeine in a 12-oz can of diet coke, so you would have to drink four cans to meet your limit.

“There’s no measurable risk to having an occasional soda,” Dr. Elmer says. So if you just can’t kick your cola habit, it’s best to indulge in small amounts. Try to limit drinking soda to one can — or less — per day, if you can swing it.

According to the Food and Drug Administration(FDA), Aspartame is safe for use during pregnancy and lactation. It is recommended to limit consumption to a moderate level.

What About Caffeine Free Coke? (e.g., Coke Zero?) Like regular Coke, Caffeine Free Coke is relatively safe when consumed in moderation. You don’t have to worry about caffeine with these sugary drinks, but they still have plenty of sugar and carbs.

During pregnancy, it is safe to drink One or less than one serving (1 serving= 330 ml) of soda or diet soda per day. Whether you consume soda containing sugar or artificial sweeteners, the caffeine in soda can be refreshing, but it can be harmful to the foetus.

Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet) and pregnancy

Don’t worry: It won’t harm you or your baby.

Drinking it during pregnancy was linked to poorer fine motor, visual, spatial and visual motor abilities in early childhood (around age 3). By mid-childhood (age 7), kids whose moms drank diet sodas while pregnant had poorer verbal abilities, the study findings reported.

The FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition consider aspartame to be safe for both the pregnant woman and the developing infant. The dietitians at the BWH Nutrition Consult Service/OB-GYN recommend no more than 1-2 servings/day Of aspartame containing foods.

Aspartame does not cross the placental barrier. Aspartame breaks down into two amino acids (aspartic acid and phenylalanine,) and a small amount of methanol. Methanol is also found naturally in many foods such as fruits and vegetables and their juices.

Aspartame itself does not trigger autism. Aspartame cause mental stress, affects learning skills and memory.

Drink: Lemonade

If you’re not pregnant during the winter months, lemonade or lemon water are refreshing and healthy beverages during pregnancy. In fact, the American Pregnancy Association (APA) says that just “sniffing” lemons can “help ease the feeling of nausea” associated with morning sickness.

Pregnant women should limit their intake of caffeinated drinks because of the caffeine content. Caffeinated drinks are also unsuitable for toddlers and young children. Drinks that contain high amounts of caffeine include coffee, tea, colas and energy drinks.