Is It Okay To Have Pomegranate During Pregnancy?

Pomegranates are considered to be one of most nutritious fruits. If you happen to be pregnant, then you would surely want to give yourself the most healthy and nutritious meals possible. Instead of believing what others have to say on what to eat and what not to, you should preferably do your own little research and prepare a healthy diet chart for yourself.

You might have come across mixed opinions about eating pomegranates during pregnancy. Each one will have their own theories to justify what they believe and follow. However, it is absolutely necessary that you read into the facts of eating pomegranate when you are expecting.

Nutrition Intake Through Pomegranates

If you are pregnant and looking out to provide yourself the highest intake of nutrition, then you surely would have considered the consumption of pomegranates. Many love pomegranates for its delicious taste and also as it turns out to be one of the healthiest alternatives to calorie-rich snacks for your little hunger pangs.

Doctors have never advised against eating pomegranates, unless you have a particular health issue such as being allergic to it. Otherwise there is no particular reason as to why a pregnant woman should not eat pomegranate, especially considering how it can provide you and your unborn baby several nutrients.

If you are pregnant and craving something sweet, then you are just a handful away from grabbing a pomegranate, or you can also choose to have a pomegranate juice, this way you will ensure that you stay well hydrated as well.

Nutritional Requirement During Pregnancy

It has been stated that a pregnant woman needs about 300 extra calories daily, especially in her second and third trimesters. You, when pregnant, also require a lot of nutrients. So, it is best to combine the calorie and nutrition intake through the consumption of pomegranates, which are not just delicious but also provide ample health benefits during pregnancy.

How Do You Benefit By Eating Pomegranates During Pregnancy?

Read on to know some of the health benefits of pomegranates during pregnancy.

• Bowel-related problems are common during pregnancy. Especially during the last trimester of pregnancy, you are likely to suffer from a few episodes of constipation. Incorporating fibre-rich food in your diet is the best way to solve such problems. Pomegranates are a rich source of fibre and having at least half cup of pomegranate seeds will ensure that your bowel movements are well regulated, freeing you from constipation-related worries.

• Several pregnant women are found to be suffering from anaemia. If you suffer from anaemia during pregnancy, along with the iron supplements advised by your doctor, you should also increase the intake of iron-rich food, which will help your haemoglobin levels to rise to the normal. Being iron-deficit during pregnancy can lead to several issues such as pre-term labor and baby being born with a low birth weight. Eating pomegranates can ensure that you maintain the required daily intake of iron through your diet.

• Absorption of iron requires vitamin C in your body. Pomegranates are a rich source of vitamin C and having them in good amounts will ensure that your body is able to absorb iron from supplements as well as iron-rich food sources in a good manner.

Risks Associated With The Consumption Of Pomegranates During Pregnancy

Now that we know the health benefits of including pomegranates in your pregnancy diet, let us look into some of the risks associated with the intake of this fruit.

• Early labor due to contractions can be induced with the intake of the pomegranate extract, so avoid consuming it.

• Pomegranates if consumed in the juice form should be in limited amounts, as it is quite high in calories.

• If you are on any medication, other than the regular supplements like iron and calcium, during pregnancy, then it is good to check with the doctor whether you can still continue to eat pomegranates or not. Ideally, pomegranates should be avoided if you are on medications like blood thinners or on blood pressure medicines.

Pomegranates Serve The Nutritional Requirements During Pregnancy

When pregnant, your body requires several nutrients such as calcium, vitamin D, iron, protein and folate. Half-cup of pomegranate can provide you with 72 calories and 9 milligrams out of the 1000 milligrams of calcium that your body requires daily.

This quantity of pomegranate will also provide you with 0.26 milligram out of the 27 milligram of daily iron requirement, 33 micrograms of folate out of the 800 micrograms that are required per day and 1.45 grams of the 71 gram of daily protein requirement.

Half-cup of pomegranate also gives your body 8.9 milligrams of vitamin C, so that your body can readily absorb iron consumed through food and supplements.

Eating pomegranate in the fruit form or as a juice can surely benefit you in more than one ways, especially if you are pregnant. However, if you have any concerns, do check with a medical practitioner and if given thumbs up by the doctor, then go ahead and indulge in this delicious fruit as much as you want.