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mental retardation,
birth defects, and low
birthweight babies.
Limit caffeine to no
more than 300 mg per
day. The caffeine
content in various
drinks depends on the
beans or leaves used
and how it was
prepared. An 8-ounce
cup of coffee has
about 150 mg of
caffeine on average
while black tea has
typically about 80 mg.
A 12-ounce glass of
caffeinated soda
contains anywhere
from 30-60 mg of
caffeine. Remember,
chocolate (especially
dark chocolate)
contains caffeine -sometimes a
significant amount.
The use of saccharin
is strongly
Joy feelings magazine
discouraged during
pregnancy, because it
can cross the placenta
and may remain in
fetal tissues. But, the
use of other nonnutritive or artificial
sweeteners approved
by the FDA is
acceptable during
pregnancy. These
FDA-approved
sweeteners include
aspartame (Equal or
NutraSweet),
acesulfame-K
(Sunett), and
sucralose (Splenda).
These sweeteners are
considered safe in
moderation, so talk
with your health care
provider about how
much non-nutritive
sweetener is
acceptable during
pregnancy.