Benefits of dates for pregnant women
With a history dating back thousands of years, dates are considered the world's oldest cultivated fruit. Dates come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the two most popular in the United States are Medjool and Deglet Noor (also known as Deglet Nour).
Eating Dates Has Health Benefits
Vitamins and minerals abound in dates. They're also high in antioxidants, which help protect cells in the body. It's critical to eat a well-balanced diet that includes all of the essential nutrients for you and your kid when you're pregnant. The following are some of the health advantages of eating dates when pregnant:
- Potassium. Potassium is required by the body to maintain fluid balance and support normal cell activity. In the United States, less than 2% of persons consume the daily recommended potassium intake of 4,700 milligrammes.
In the first trimester, many pregnant women suffer vomiting, which can lead to low potassium levels. A 100-gram serving of dates has 696 milligrammes of potassium (about 4 dates).
- Fiber in the diet. Dates are high in dietary fibre, which aids with regular bowel motions. Four dates contain about 6.7 grammes of dietary fibre, which is about 25% of the daily fibre recommendation of 20 to 35 grammes.
Constipation can be relieved by eating dates. Hormones cause the gastrointestinal tract to slow down, therefore this is a frequent symptom during pregnancy. Constipation can be exacerbated by iron supplements, which are commonly taken by pregnant women.
- Folate. Dates also contain folate, a B vitamin that protects against major birth disorders like spina bifida during pregnancy. Pregnant women should take a folic acid supplement to get the recommended daily dose of 600 micrograms of folate. Dates provide 15 mcg of folate per 100-gram serving.
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- Food with a low GI. Dates are a food with a low glycemic index (GI). This means they'll be absorbed more slowly and won't spike your blood sugar levels as quickly. Gestational diabetes, which causes elevated blood sugar levels, affects about 10% of pregnant women. This can result in issues including a greater birth weight infant and preterm labour.
- Iron. Pregnant women have an increased risk of iron deficiency anaemia and require twice as much iron as non-pregnant women. Severe anaemia might increase your risks of having a premature or underweight baby, as well as suffering postpartum depression.
Is it Safe to Eat Dates While Pregnant?
There is no evidence that eating dates during pregnancy has any detrimental effects. Dates, in fact, are an excellent snack for reducing sugar cravings. You can fulfil your sweet desire by eating a few dates instead of ice cream or candies. High-sugar diets during pregnancy can impact a child's brain function, according to a study of mothers and their offspring. Natural sugars from fruits like dates, on the other hand, were linked to higher intellect scores.
While it is safe to consume dates while pregnant, there are a few factors to remember:
Calories are plenty. Because dates are heavy in calories and carbohydrates, keep track of how many you eat each day. A 100-gram portion of dates contains 277 calories, or about four pitted dates. This is just over the 300 calories required in the second trimester.
Allergen potential. Dates may cause an allergic reaction in some people, thus they should be avoided.
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Can Dates Induce Labor?
Dates have long been thought to aid in the induction of labour by many people. There's some evidence that eating dates can speed up labour, but it won't necessarily get it started.
Eating dates can help soften the cervix or cervical ripening for childbirth, according to a 2013 study of more than 200 pregnant women.
Pregnant women who ate six dates a day for four weeks before their due date had a shorter first stage of labour and a softer cervix before delivery, according to another study. In late pregnancy, eating dates has been proven to reduce the demand for oxytocin, a hormone that helps to trigger or speed up labour.
SOURCES
- European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: “ Allergy to date fruits: characterization of antigens and allergens of fruits of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)”
- Journal of Midwifery & Reproductive Health: “The Effect of Late-Pregnancy Consumption of Date Fruit on Cervical Ripening in Nulliparous Women.”
- Mayo Clinic: “Iron deficiency anemia during pregnancy: Prevention tips,” “Low potassium (hypokalemia).”
- Oregon State University Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center: “Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load.”