Table of contents:
- Benefits of guava fruit for the health of pregnant women
- 1. Prevent pregnancy complications
- 2. Prevent anemia and low birth weight babies
- 3. Support the baby's brain development
- 4. Reducing the risk of muscle aches and cramps
- Eating guava while pregnant is healthy, as long as….
Pregnant women need a lot of nutrition for themselves and the fetus. These nutrients can be obtained from eating healthy foods, one of which is guava fruit. However, do you know what are the benefits of guava fruit for pregnant women? Come on, see the following reviews.
Benefits of guava fruit for the health of pregnant women
Who doesn't know guava? The fruit, which is often made into juice, is equally delicious when consumed directly. The shape is round with various sizes and is covered by greenish fruit skin. Named guava, because this fruit has many small seeds in the middle that can be eaten.
According to Indonesian Food Composition Data, guava contains many nutrients such as fiber, calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium, and various vitamins that the body needs.
The amount of nutritional content is of course very unfortunate if it is overlooked by pregnant women.
Here are various health benefits for pregnant women when consuming guava.
1. Prevent pregnancy complications
A study in the journal Nutrients mentioned that guava fruit is rich in vitamin C. This vitamin, called ascorbic acid, has many roles for the body.
Vitamin C works together with vitamin E to increase antioxidants so that it can inhibit free radicals that cause oxidative stress in the body. That means, the body's cells will be protected from inflammation which can increase the risk of preeclampsia, premature birth, premature rupture of membranes, and underdevelopment of the fetus in the womb.
2. Prevent anemia and low birth weight babies
Not only pregnant women, guava also provides benefits for fetal development. The reason is, guava contains iron, which is a nutrient needed twice as much during pregnancy.
This increased need for iron is needed to produce extra blood for the baby. This hemoglobin-containing blood becomes a medium for the baby to get food and oxygen intake from the mother.
When iron levels are low, the mother is at risk of developing anemia. As a result, babies born will be underweight. Apart from meat, fish, green vegetables, pregnant women can consume guava to meet their daily iron needs.
3. Support the baby's brain development
Just like iron, folic acid is also a very important nutrient during pregnancy. Folic acid is needed by the body for the production of red blood cells as well as helping the development of the brain and hind spinal cord. Well, pregnant women can get the health benefits of folic acid by eating guava.
If a pregnant woman is deficient in folic acid, the baby's neural tube may not close properly. As a result, babies are at risk for neural tube defects, such as spina bifida or anencephaly.
4. Reducing the risk of muscle aches and cramps
The benefits of guava for pregnant women further reduce the risk of body aches and cramps. Pregnant women are prone to joint and muscle problems, especially along the spine.
This condition occurs because the fetus puts weight and pressure on the abdomen which affects the spine. However, it could also be a sign that the body is deficient in certain minerals. To overcome and prevent this condition, doctors will certainly recommend pregnant women to eat more vegetables and fruits, guava is one of them.
Eating guava while pregnant is healthy, as long as….
Guava does provide abundant benefits for pregnant women. This can be obtained if pregnant women consume according to the rules. This fruit should not be eaten in excess because it can also increase daily calorie intake.
Guava is high in fiber. So, it must be balanced by drinking lots of water so as not to cause indigestion. Choose fruit that is in good condition and fresh because the nutritional content is still high. It is important to wash the fruit with clean running water so that germs and residual pesticides are gone.
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