Mainly made of rava (semolina) and sugar, you may be given this sweet to increase your energy levels.

Explains Shweta, in rava sheera there is too much of sugar and ghee added to it.

You can have a couple of spoons for taste sake, but it is healthier to have something like a rava idli or rava upma instead.

This sweet is made across the Indian households.

Steamed Banana

Most Malayalis have steamed bananas with ghee and jaggery. It is given to women who are very thin during their pregnancy and need to put on weight.

Shweta explains that while it might have the nutritional value of phosphorus and calcium, the combination of ghee, jaggery can be helpful if you are really underweight.

How much weight are you suppose to gain during pregnancy?

However, if your weight is normal it is better to have plain banana.

Pinjari

Made of wheat atta, ajwain, saunt, dry fruits and sugar powder mix, this sweet may be given to you at the eighth month of pregnancy to give you strength.

Explains Shweta, the wheat will provide you with carbohydrates. But just look out for the amount of sugar and jaggery that goes into it. Make sure you stick to the dietician's prescription of sugar.

This sweet will not affect the health of your baby in anyway. This sweet is generally served in the Sikh community.

Atta laddoos

This laddoo is made of khus khus, ghee, poppy seeds and dried fruits. You may be given this laddoo for it's protein and cooling effect.

Shweta says that khus khus does have a cooling effect. Also, poppy seeds are a good source of proteins and carbohydrates.

This laddoo will not harm you or your baby in any way.

Atta laddoos are usually prepared in Sindhi households.

While some of the sweets may be beneficial, they are not really necessary. Sonali Shivlani, Specialist in Anti-natal care advices:

• Ghee

A certain amount of ghee is required for the body. But this does not have to exceed two tea spoons. You usually get this in your normal diet, say with chapatis or dals, so having any other kind of sweets with ghee is not required.

Even though you are pregnant, remember you have to gain weight correctly.

• Dry Fruits

You require protein and dry fruits are a good source of it.

• Jaggery

Jaggery is a better substitute to sugar as it is natural and has iron. However, it is also high in calories, so eat it within limits.

Sonali explains that while you do need to gain weight during pregnancy, these sweets only make you put on weight in unnecessary places.

It becomes extremely difficult to lose this weight even after delivery.

However, if you really have to gain weight, Sonali recommends a fruit salad with dry fruits. According to her, this is the healthiest option as it provides you with various vitamins, minerals and proteins that is required for you and the baby.