Pregnancy Food: Fruits - November 2024

In our previous pregnancy food discussion, we covered grains and potatoes. This time, let's take a look at fruits! We all know that eating fruits is essential, especially during pregnancy and motherhood as it contains a lot of good nutrition. In fact, mums-to-be need to eat at least five different portions of fruits and vegetables each day during their pregnancy. The consumption of the right fruit is essential as you are eating for two now. But which ones are good and which should you avoid? Let’s explore more together, shall we? Healthy Fruits To Eat During Your Pregnancy Apple Apples are very rich in fibre and vitamin C. This makes apples very good to consume during pregnancy. Not only that, it can be a great snack for pregnant mummies, too! And very beneficial towards your baby’s health. Kiwi Pregnant mums should eat kiwi as it is very nutritious! Kiwis can stabilise your moods and improve your sleep quality. It also improves your baby's brain development because it is high in folate. Avocado Avocados are one of the best fruits to eat during your pregnancy. It prevents birth defects in babies. Avocados are also good for mummies’ eyes and skin health. Banana Bananas supply various nutrients and can nourish both mum and baby! It is also a great energy booster and prevents constipation. Coconut It is very good to consume coconuts during pregnancy. Being fat-free and rich in electrolytes, coconuts provide various health benefits. Coconuts also strengthens your body’s immunity and prevents urinary tract infections. They are also low in calories and have digestible carbohydrates. Guava Pregnant mums can consume guavas, too! Guavas prevent birth defects in your baby and helps with their development. At the same time, they also enhance digestion and immunity. Jackfruit Jackfruits are great to consume during pregnancy. Jackfruits improve blood circulation, prevent inflammation and relieve edema. It also helps digestion and skin quality. Not only that, jackfruits also stimulates your baby’s immunity. Lemon Lemon boosts your immune system and radiates your skin! Mums-to-be can also drink lemon water. This helps to relieve morning sickness symptoms. Rambutan Mummies-to-be can consume rambutan, too!. Rambutan can prevent anemia and infections. It also improves foetal bone development. Peaches Peaches are rich in nutrients for both mum-to-be and baby! It also maintains and smoothens your bowel movement. Strawberry It is healthy to consume strawberries during your pregnancy. Strawberries prevent bleeding gums and improves digestion. It also gives you energy and radiates your skin! The folate in them is great for your baby’s spinal cord development and brain. Passion fruit Pregnant mums can also consume passionfruit! Passionfruit contains many health benefits. It can boost your immunity and ease pregnancy-induced hypertension. And it can also improve your baby’s physical fitness and boost his immunity. Not only that, passionfruit also stimulates several of the baby’s development; this includes the baby's vision, teeth, bone and brain developments. Mandarin Expectant mummies should consume mandarins! Mandarins have one of the highest antioxidants in fruits. This fruit provides you with high levels of vitamin C. They also contain calcium, which help strengthen your teeth and aid in the development of strong bones for your baby. They also have fibre that improves your digestive system. Grapes Mums-to-be can eat grapes, too! Grapes help to boost your immunity and give you energy. They also hydrate you and are good for your baby’s visual development. Blueberry Mums-to-be can eat blueberries! They are high in antioxidants which keeps you healthy. They also help with your baby’s development. Consume in Moderation Mangosteen Pregnant mums can eat mangosteen. It protects your baby from potential brain and spinal abnormalities. However, you must eat them in moderation. Especially if you have high blood sugar levels in gestational diabetes, as it is very high in natural fructose. Learn more about the mangosteen fruit here! Watermelon Watermelon radiates your skin and boosts your energy levels. It also reduces inflammation and blood pressure. But mummies-to-be need to watch their watermelon intake as it contains high sugar content. Mango Pregnant mums can eat mangoes but in moderation. They are rich in vitamin C which helps pregnant mums in several ways. It helps to ease morning sickness, improves hemoglobin production and combats indigestion. However, you must be careful because mangoes contain high levels of sugar. So make sure you do not eat too much of them. Find out more about mangoes here! Lychee I know lychee is very delicious and juicy. However, pregnant women cannot eat too many of them. This is because lychees might affect your blood sugar level. If any pregnant mums have diabetes, you should restrain yourself from eating this fruit. Click here to explore more about lychee! Water apple Mums-to-be can eat water apples. Water apples, also known as jambu air, helps with digestion and keeps you strong. However, the seeds are toxic. So please ensure not to eat the seeds. Durian I know some pregnant mums love to eat durians. Durians prevent high blood pressure and boosts your energy levels. But, you need to consume them in a small amount as durians are high in lipids and natural sugar. Fruits to Avoid During Pregnancy Rock melon You need to avoid eating rock melon during pregnancy. This is because it contains the risk of salmonella or listeria bacteria that can transfer from the outer fruit skin. These bacteria can give you severe food poisoning. Hence, rock melons are a big no-no for pregnant mums! Chinese bayberry Pregnant mums should not consume bayberry as it contains a chemical known as proanthocyanin. This fruit can also cause you to have water retention and aggravate vomiting and nausea. Areca palm nut (Betel nut) Expectant mums cannot eat areca palm nuts. This is because it is toxic and can cause cancer. Hawthorn Pregnant mums need to avoid hawthorn as it might trigger your uterus and cause pregnancy risks. Pregnant mums need to eat safe fruits! As we can see here, fruits are really nutritious to eat during pregnancy! However, please consume certain fruits in moderation. It is very important ensure your health especially in this critical time. So, choose wisely! Please also consult your doctor if you have any enquiries. Now that you know which fruits are safe for consumption while you're carrying, here are some pregnancy desserts you could try, too! These will be helpful in managing your blood sugar levels when your sweet tooth kicks in during pregnancy as the recipes are tailored towards a pregnancy diet. Sources: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/13-foods-to-eat-when-pregnant https://www.livescience.com/45090-pregnancy-diet.html https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322757 Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice from Motherhood. For any health-related concerns, it is advisable to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or medical practitioner. For more insightful stories and fun recipes, stay tuned to Motherhood Story!

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