Atkins Diet for Pregnancy

Atkins diet is one of the most popular diet choices for men and women but a few women also go for this diet when they are pregnant. Atkins diet is based on the principle that carbohydrates are to be used before fats for obtaining energy.  What Atkins diet proposes is that by consuming lesser amounts of carbohydrates, one burns fat first and this is done to promote weight loss. According to some experts, Atkins diet is a restrictive diet which is not very healthy for a pregnant woman and her baby.

Atkins Diet  for Pregnant

The following is some more information on Atkins’s diet for pregnancy:

Is Atkins Diet Safe for Pregnant Women?

It is not the best thing for a pregnant woman to go on any type of a restrictive diet.  When a female is pregnant, dieting can affect her weight as well as the weight of the baby.  Going on Atkins diet can prevent the baby and the mother from getting all the important nutrients and is therefore not recommended.  By following Atkin’s diet, one cut off the carbohydrate supply and denies herself from those vitamins and minerals which are essential for the baby’s growth.

Infact as opposed to popular belief, when carbohydrate diet and fat diet is compared in terms of caloric content, then carbohydrates are found to contain lesser calories than fats. It is said that the base of each meal must be a starchy food item and therefore having carbohydrates during pregnancy is very important.

In what Scenarios can a Pregnant Woman follow Atkins Diet?

In some cases or under some conditions, women can follow Atkins diet during pregnancy.  The condition under which she can go by the principle of Atkins diet is that she must consume complex carbohydrates on a daily basis and also get sufficient amount of calories through her diet.  Some examples of complex carbohydrates which a pregnant woman can take while following Atkins diet are legumes, whole grain breads and certain vegetables.

Benefits of Atkins Diet for Pregnancy

It is true that Atkins diet is not recommended for most pregnant women due to its risks and limitations. But there are also certain benefits of this diet for pregnant women and due to this reason; some may opt for the Atkins diet during pregnancy. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of Atkins diet for pregnancy:

  • Since Atkins diet focusses on limiting carbohydrates to certain extent, this can help a pregnant woman in controlling her blood sugar level. Controlling blood sugar level is extremely important for those females who are suffering from gestational diabetes. Therefore Atkins diet is often recommended for diabetic pregnant women.  But the carbohydrates recommended by the Atkins diet for diabetic pregnant women are low-glycemic.
  • Atkins diet doesn’t really mean that you need to eliminate carbohydrates completely from your diet but rather focusses on healthy carbohydrate choices which can in fact prove to be useful for pregnant women in cases where the pregnant female is overweight.

Warning:

Before going for Atkins diet during pregnancy, one should always consult a doctor or a nutritionist.

Photo Credit By:  en.wikipedia.org

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