Don't Drink The Kool-Aid

Hubby and I went shopping for some Superbowl party food. Since I am sensitive to artificial sweeteners AND counting carbs, the biggest adjustment in my diet is that I cannot drink anything except for water or mineral water. A regular, 12 oz. can of Coke, for instance, contains 39 g of carbohydrate. So, let's see... Would I like to eat lunch or drink a can of Coke? An 8 oz. glass of apple juice contains 23 g of carbohydrate. Would I prefer a small glass of juice or a 2/3 cup of potatoes at dinner? Even flavored waters and vitamin waters contain more than 20 g of carbohydrate in a C-store-sized bottle!

Basically, I can have an 8 oz. glass of plain soy milk which contains 8 g of carbohydrate with a meal or snack. Occasionally, I will splurge with a lemon wedge or splash of juice in my water... or take a swig of pop off hubby's drink! I can also drink plain brewed coffee or tea, depending on the amount of caffeine and type of tea.

Natural Additions
If you want to stay away from artificial additives and caffeine, you can add some flavor to your water the natural way with:

* A twist of lemon or lime (or a little juice)
* A small piece of fruit
* A little unsweetened cranberry concentrate (look in health food stores)
* A slice of cucumber (subtle, but refreshing)
* A mint leaf or two ("bruise" them a little to release the flavor)
* A lavender flower or other edible flower
* Herbal tea bags

Safe Coffee and Tea During Pregnancy
Caffeine does cross the placenta and reaches the developing baby, and the baby cannot metabolize caffeine like an adult can. For this reason, there is much controversy on how much caffeine is safe or if it should be avoided altogether. It is known that the less caffeine consumed, the better it is for the pregnancy.

Herbal teas are naturally caffeine free, so caffeine is not an issue when consuming this type of tea. The concern with consuming herbal teas during pregnancy is the lack of data available on most herbs and their effects on a developing fetus. There are mixed opinions on the safety of herbal teas, for both pregnant and non-pregnant women.

Teas made from ginger, lime blossom, peppermint, roasted barley, rose hips, and thyme are probably safe to drink occasionally in small amounts while pregnant or nursing. Teas which contain anise, catnip, chamomile, comfrey, ephedra or "ma huang", European mistletoe, hibiscus, horehound, Labrador, lemongrass, licorice root, mugwort, pennyroyal, raspberry leaf, rosemary, sage, sassafras, stinging nettle leaf, vetiver, and yarrow should be avoided.