What - chocolate doesn't have to be a guilty secret during your pregnancy!

Probably not IF you find a high quality,additive free dark chocolate!  (P.S. I have a source for you to try...pictured to the left is Lisa Reinhardt from Wei of Chocolate - heaven in your mouth)

The "traditional" concerns with chocolate during pregnancy:

Well, here is the scoop!  I am on my way out the door - here are some links for you to peruse and to ponder.

The biggest deal for me from this reading list?  Chocolate intake seems to be tied to a decrease in a pregnant mother's risk for pre-eclampsia.  WOW!!!

Chocolate has been shown to be a positive factor in pregnancy

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20609337

Chocolate has health benefits during pregnancy

http://suite101.com/article/chocolate-in-pregnancy-a105931

Here is our source for fair-trade, vegan chocolate that keeps all the good stuff in, plus the added benefits of flower essences:

http://www.weiofchocolate.com/

As per the caffeine info below, one piece of dark chocolate per day is well below the 200/mg per day max!!

*Caffeine During Pregnancy

More about caffeine levels during pregnancy from
http://www.healthlibrary.com/healthwise.php
(You can find this info if you search for "Caffeine During Pregnancy" in their database.)

"Caffeine is the most frequently used drug during pregnancy. In small amounts, caffeine is considered safe for the fetus. It's a good idea to keep your caffeine intake below 200 mg a day because:

Caffeine can be found in many types of drinks and in chocolate. The amount of caffeine in your coffee or tea can depend on the serving size, the brand, or how it was brewed.

Coffee drinks such as a 16-oz mocha can have 175 mg of caffeine, and a 12-oz regular coffee can have as much as 260 mg of caffeine. Tea can have 30 mg to 130 mg of caffeine in a 12-oz cup. An ounce of milk chocolate can have 1 mg to 15 mg of caffeine, and dark chocolate can have 5 mg to 35 mg of caffeine. Many soft drinks and energy drinks also have caffeine.

It is important to keep track of your caffeine intake throughout the day. Check the label if you do not know how much caffeine is in your drink or chocolate bar. Talk to your doctor about caffeine and nutrition during pregnancy."