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Why You Must Eat Walnuts During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time when we women have to be more cautious about what we should eat and what not to. Whatever we eat can have a good or bad effect on the health of our baby.

The foods that pregnant mothers eat must be rich in nutrients, which can feed the needs of the growing baby inside.

Pregnant women also have to consume double the recommended amount of nutrients to feed their body and the baby as well. Otherwise, the mothers can suffer from a low blood count and other deficiency diseases.

There are many healthy foods that a to-be mother has to eat and one among them is walnuts. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, etc, that are required by the mother and baby.

However, you must not eat them in excess, as anything eaten in excess during pregnancy can do harm than doing any good.

In this article, we have mentioned some of the best health benefits of eating walnuts during pregnancy. Have a look:

Brain Development Of A Child

Brain Development Of A Child

Omega-3 fatty acids present in walnuts help in the development of the baby's brain, and thus helps in improving brainpower in the newborn babies. Minerals such as potassium, selenium, calcium, manganese, copper, iron, magnesium, zinc, etc, found in walnuts are all important for the proper development of the baby's brain.

Reduces High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

Reduces High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

Eating walnuts during pregnancy helps to reduce high blood pressure by reducing the cholesterol level. They also increase the level of good fats in the body, which further reduces bad cholesterol in the body.

Proper Growth Of The Baby

Proper Growth Of The Baby

Copper present in walnut is essential for the normal growth of the foetus. The essential fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid) present in walnut help in the growth of the bones and teeth in a baby.

Increases The Mother's Immunity

Increases The Mother's Immunity

It is very important for the to-be moms to protect themselves from all the infections, and for this they must have a strong immunity to fight with the upcoming infections easily. The antioxidants and vitamin E, polyphenols, copper, etc, present in walnuts increase the immunity in the mother.

Reduces Inflammation And Increases Blood Circulation

Reduces Inflammation And Increases Blood Circulation

Walnuts reduce the internal inflammation of the body during pregnancy and also increase the blood circulation. This helps to supply more blood to the baby, and thus the baby receives more oxygen and nutrients from the mother's body.

Helps To Control Weight During Pregnancy

Helps To Control Weight During Pregnancy

Walnuts are rich in proteins and fibres that give you a feeling of satisfaction and fullness during pregnancy and you stop overeating. Walnuts also kill your unhealthy food cravings for sugary foods, which may cause diabetes during pregnancy too. Therefore, you must eat a handful of walnuts during pregnancy.

You Will Have A Good Sleep

You Will Have A Good Sleep

Eating walnuts during pregnancy will help you to get a good night's sleep. This is because walnuts cause the secretion of a hormone known as melatonin that is important to induce sleep in pregnant women.

Story first published: Friday, January 22, 2016, 13:32 [IST]
Read more about: pregnancy prenatal