Well if it helps the baby...
A recent study will be music to the ears of pregnant women all over Ireland!
According to the research eating chocolate daily is said to have several health benefits for unborn babies.
The Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine is responsible for the study and they revealed eating chocolate on a daily basis would have positive effects on foetal growth, the placenta and overall baby development thanks to an improvement of blood flow in the expecting mother’s body.
It's also suggested that a flavanol (found in cocoa) can reduce the risk of expectant mothers experiencing pre-eclampsia, a life threatening blood pressure condition.
The study composed of 129 pregnant women over a 12-week period. The expectant mums were separated into two groups. Some were given 30 grams of low-flavanol chocolate per day while the others were given high-flavanol chocolate.
"This study indicates that chocolate could have a positive impact on placental and foetal growth and development and that chocolate's effects are not solely and directly due to flavanol content," researcher Emmanuel Bujold said.
