Fruits For Pregnant

Fruits for Pregnant is a complete food guide that provides all the information you need to know about fruit during pregnancy. Helping expecting mothers improve their health and well-being has been my passion ever since I became a father. I created this list of best fruits to eat during pregnancy to help pregnant women stay healthy and get the right amount of vitamins and nutrients in their diet.

Pregnant women have to watch their weight, and fruit is the best way to satisfy a sweet tooth without breaking your diet. But how much fruit should you be eating during pregnancy? Are there any fruits which should be avoided? In this article we will answer all your question and i have also included the health benefits of fruits.

Related Post: Diet Plan For Pregnant Ladies

Fruits For Pregnant

During pregnancy, your little one depends on you to provide the nutrition they need. That’s why it’s time to make sure you’re making the best food choices for your baby — and yourself.

It’s important to eat a well-balanced diet that includes lots of fruits and veggies. These powerful foods have much of what you — and your baby — need to stay healthy.

Let’s talk about the very best ones you’ll want to keep on hand. And don’t forget: Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are often just as nutritious as the fresh kind, so don’t feel like you have to get them all straight from the farmer’s market.

Related Post: Diet Plan For Pregnant Vegetarian

7 Nutritious Fruits You Should Eat During Pregnancy

If you’re pregnant, you might be craving something sugary. But try not to make a habit of reaching for a piece of cake or a candy bar to satisfy that sweet tooth. Fruit is the perfect solution.

It offers the sweetness you crave and the nutrition you need. Enjoy these fruits as part of a healthy pregnancy diet in salads, in smoothies, over yogurt, or as a snack anytime.

1. Oranges

Oranges help you stay hydrated. They’re also a great source of folate or folic acid. Folate is a B vitamin that’s very important in helping prevent brain and spinal cord defects, also known as neural tube defects.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) recommends taking 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid per day before you start trying for a baby, then at least 600 mcg per day while pregnant.

Oranges are a great source of vitamin C, too. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage. It also helps your body absorb iron.

Plus, it doesn’t hurt that these little vitamin bombs are so tasty.

2. Mangoes

Mangoes are another great source of vitamin C. One cup gives you 100 percent of your recommended daily allowance.

Mangoes are also high in vitamin A. Vitamin A deficiency at birth is associated with lower immunity and a higher risk of complications, like diarrhea and respiratory infections.

Although rare, it’s possible to get too much vitamin A, according to a 2019 research review. Mangoes are a great addition to your pregnancy diet, but eat them in moderation, along with a variety of other fruits.

Related Post: 28-Day Diet Plan To Get Pregnant

3. Avocados

Avocados have more folate than other fruits. They’re also a great source of:

• vitamin C
• vitamin B
• vitamin K
• fiber
• choline
• magnesium
• potassium

Some women say that avocados help relieve nausea, possibly because of the potassium and magnesium in the fruit.

Potassium may also help relieve leg cramps, a common pregnancy symptom. Leg cramps are often caused by low potassium and magnesium.

Choline is important for the development of your baby’s brain and nerves. Choline deficiency may cause neural tube defects and lifetime memory impairment.

Here are tons of ways to sneak delicious avo into your meals.

4. Lemons

In one 2014 study, pregnant people reported some success in using lemons or lemon scents to help relieve pregnancy-related nausea.

Lemons are also high in vitamin C. They help stimulate the digestive system to relieve constipation.

Consider adding some to your water or tea or using them in this Mediterranean lemon chicken recipe.

5. Bananas

Bananas are another good source of potassium. They also contain vitamin B6, vitamin C, and fiber.

Constipation is very common during pregnancy. It may be caused by:

• uterine pressure on the intestines
• worry
• anxiety
• a low-fiber diet
• iron in prenatal vitamins

Adding fiber-rich bananas may help. Research from 2014 shows that vitamin B6 may help relieve nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy as well.

6. Berries

Berries — such as blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and goji berries — are rich in all kinds of goodness, such as:

• carbohydrates
• vitamin C
• fiber
• folate

They also contain phytonutrients like flavonoids and anthocyanins.

Carbohydrates give you much-needed energy, and they pass easily through your placenta to nourish your baby.

It’s important to eat mostly nutrient-dense complex carbohydrates like berries instead of processed, simple carbohydrates like doughnuts, cakes, and cookies.

Consider whipping up a smoothie with both bananas and berries for a vitamin-packed meal or snack.

7. Apples

Apples are high in fiber and are a good source of vitamin C. Plus, they contain vitamin A, potassium, and pectin. Pectin is prebiotic that feeds the good bacteria in your gut.

For the best bang for your nutrient buck, eat the peel — just make sure to rinse it with lots of water first.

Apples are portable and can be added to many recipes, so make sure to stock up when you’re filling your produce bag.

Related Post: Food For Pregnant

How Much Fruit Should You Be Eating During Pregnancy?

Medical professionals usually recommend eating two to four servings of fruit and four to five servings of vegetables each day.

In general, one serving of fruit is:

• a medium piece of whole fruit (about the size of a tennis ball)
• 1 cup of cut fruit

One serving size of vegetables is:

• 1/2 cup of raw or cooked vegetables
• 1/2 cup of vegetable juice
• 1 cup of leafy greens

When it comes to 100% fruit juices, as long as they’re pasteurized, they’re safe to drink. But you may miss out on some of the nutrients in juice form.

Dried fruit can also be used to get nutrients in an on-the-go form. Just be aware that they can be more calorie- and sugar-dense than their fresh counterparts.

Why Hydration Matters During Pregnancy

Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluids than you take in. It’s always serious, but it’s especially concerning during pregnancy.

Water helps form the placenta and amniotic sac. It also supports your baby’s growth.

If you’re experiencing morning sickness, your risk of dehydration is higher. To avoid dehydration, drink 8 to 12 glasses of water daily. Because fruits contain water, they can help you stay hydrated.

How Much Fruit Should I Eat While Pregnant?

While fruit is healthy, it still contains natural sugar, which needs to be limited when you’re pregnant. The general recommendation for a pregnant woman is 2-4 servings of fruit per day.

But watch those (Fruits For Pregnant)serving sizes to make sure you aren’t accidentally super-sizing them.

One serving of fruit equals:

• One cup of cut fresh, canned, or frozen fruit.
• ½ cup of dried fruit.
• Eight ounces of fruit juice.
• ½ cup of pureed fruit.

Fruit is seasonal, so it can be hard to get good-quality fruit all year long. If your favorite fruit isn’t on the shelves, frozen is a fantastic substitute. Frozen fruit is usually preserved at the peak of freshness, and the nutrients may be even denser than the fresh fruit you find in the produce section.

Are Organic Fruits Better While Pregnant?

There is a lot of debate about organic versus non-organic produce. However, pregnancy isn’t the time to mess around with your health, so we take the conservative approach and recommend opting for organic fruit to stay as safe as possible if you can afford it.

If you can’t afford to buy all of your fruit from the organic section, buy conventional options, but prioritize organic choices for the fruits named on the “dirty dozen” list, as these are considered to have the highest concentration of pesticides.

These are the fruits on the “dirty dozen” list:

• Strawberries.
• Nectarines.
• Apples.
• Grapes.
• Peaches.
• Cherries.
• Pears.
• Tomatoes.

And if you can’t afford any organic fruit at all, please don’t just cut it from your diet altogether. Your body and your baby need the nutrients found in fruit, and eating conventional fruit is far better than eating no fruit at all.

If you’re concerned, opt for fruits with a thick exterior, as they tend to have fewer pesticides in the edible portion. Or stick with the fruits listed on the “clean fifteen” list:

• Avocados.
• Pineapples*.
• Papayas.
• Mangoes.
• Honeydew melon.
• Kiwi.
• Cantaloupe.

Take Note

Pineapple has developed a reputation for causing miscarriage and is also thought to stimulate labor late in pregnancy. However, there is no scientific evidence to back up these claims. Pineapple is perfectly safe to consume in reasonable amounts during pregnancy.

Fruit Safety Tips

If possible, purchase organic fruit that hasn’t been treated with synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. But keep in mind that eating nonorganic fruit is much better than eating no fruit at all.

To lessen your risk of consuming pesticide residue or bacteria, follow these tips:

• Wash fruit thoroughly, even if it’s prewashed.
• Remove any bruised areas where bacteria may lurk.
• Drink only pasteurized or boiled fruit juice.
• Avoid eating precut melons, or eat them immediately after cutting.
• Store fresh fruit in the refrigerator, away from raw meat.

The Takeaway

Eating fruit during pregnancy helps ensure that you and your baby stay healthy and ready to take on the world.

Fresh, frozen, and canned fruits are all good options. Just make sure no sugar has been added to canned or frozen varieties.

Contact your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about your pregnancy eating plan. If you need more advice on what to eat, here are 13 foods that are great choices.

Related Post: Vitamin A For Pregnant Woman

Best Fruits To Eat During Pregnancy

You probably already know that fruit should be part of your daily diet during pregnancy. But there are more reasons for this than you probably think.

From satisfying cravings to helping you avoid constipation, the fruit has many benefits during pregnancy, but did you know there are fruits you should avoid while pregnant?

In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about why fruit matters, how much fruit you should eat during pregnancy, and which ones to pick — along with which ones to avoid.

The Importance Of Prenatal Nutrition

Your prenatal vitamins are packed with all the nutrients your baby needs, so why pay attention to your nutrition?

• It affects your baby’s lifetime health: What you eat while pregnant can affect your baby for a lifetime, so it’s important to eat well. There are even some studies that suggest eating a salty, fatty, and sugary diet affects your baby’s taste preferences, potentially setting them up for a lifetime of struggle with their eating habits, health, and weight ⁽¹⁾.
• Food helps your body absorb healthy nutrients: Bodily absorption of nutrients is a tricky business. While your prenatal vitamin would ideally be formulated to promote maximum absorption of all the nutrients listed on the box, that isn’t always the case. For example, iron is best absorbed when combined with Vitamin C, while other nutrients need fat present to absorb properly. If you’re eating a balanced diet, you’re more likely to be getting — and absorbing — the nutrients your body needs.
• Healthy food helps your body function better: There’s way more to fruit than the nutrients inside them. There’s the fiber in the skin, water in the flesh, and a satisfying texture that can help stave off cravings. When you’re eating well, your body will thank you. You’ll have more energy, feel better, and maybe even avoid some of the more common discomforts of pregnancy.

10 Best Fruits To Eat During Pregnancy

Eat plenty of these fruits for the best benefits during pregnancy:

1. Bananas: Bananas are a pregnancy superfood. They are filling, have a satisfying texture that can cure those high-fat cravings, and contain calcium and potassium, which can help ward off those middle-of-the-night leg cramps. You can choose a banana to meet your customized dietary needs. The riper the banana, the higher the sugar content. If you’re craving healthy sweets, choose a fully ripe banana. But if you’ve got gestational diabetes and need a low-sugar option, choose one on the green side.
2. Apples: Apples pack an extra punch since the peel is edible. They contain vitamins A and C, lots of water, and both soluble and insoluble fiber to keep things moving in your body.
3. Watermelon: There’s a reason the word “water” is in this fruit. It has one of the highest water contents of any fruit — a whopping 92%. If you’re struggling with dehydration during pregnancy, this can be a handy fruit to eat. The sweetness and crunch are satisfying, and watermelon contains potassium, zinc, and folate to battle your nighttime leg cramps and help with your baby’s spinal development.
4. Oranges: Oranges can be either sweet or sour, which tend to be pleasing to women suffering from pregnancy nausea. Oranges also have high water content and are an excellent source of vitamin C, which not only boosts your immune system —and your baby’s — but also helps build connective tissue necessary for your baby’s physical development.
5. Avocado: They may not be sweet, but avocados are still technically a fruit — and a fantastic one at that. The texture will help you calm your cravings for fat in a healthy way while still giving you a good amount of fiber. Plus, iron can help stave off anemia while magnesium and potassium help with leg cramps and nausea.
   The advantages of eating healthy fats in pregnancy are finally being recognized. Avocados are an excellent source of the healthy fats you should be eating while pregnant.
6. Berries: Berries are a great source of antioxidants and contain lots of fiber and folate, which are great for both you and your baby. Berries come in various shades and colors, so try them all — they each offer a different mix of nutrients.
7. Pears: With an edible peel that contains pectin, a digestion aid, pears are a great source of fiber that can help prevent constipation. They’re also a great source of vitamin C, iron, magnesium, and folate.
8. Plums: You know what prunes are, right? Dried plums. And you know what prunes have a reputation for, right? Yep — getting your bowels moving. So if you’re having some serious constipation struggles, try eating a plum a day — and if you can’t find them due to availability issues, opt for dried prunes. You should be regular in no time.
9. Mangoes: Mangoes are a fantastic source of vitamins C and A, which help your baby’s immunity. While it’s technically possible to get too much vitamin A, it’s incredibly rare. So as long as you’re enjoying your mangoes in moderation, you should be fine.
10. Cherries: They may only have a short season in summer, but cherries are a fantastic pregnancy food. Not only do they have loads of vitamin C and contain melatonin to help regulate your sleep, but they also help your little one’s brain development. Plus, they’re one of the most low-calorie fruits out there, so you get a lot of nutritional bang for your calorie buck.

Fruits To Avoid During Pregnancy

Pretty much no fresh, ripe fruits are off-limits when you’re pregnant. However, it’s important to make sure you wash your produce thoroughly before consuming it to avoid contaminants. You can easily wash fruit by using a commercial fruit spray or mixing a solution of vinegar and water, soaking your fruit, and then rinsing it off and allowing it to dry.

Take Note

The only fruit you should avoid is unripe papaya. Papaya that is not fully ripe has a latex-type substance that may stimulate contractions. Papaya is ripe when the skin has turned from green to yellow and you can push your finger into the flesh.

These are some fruit-related products you should limit your consumption of:

1. Fruit Juice

Fruit juice may contain some of the nutrients from fruit, but it contains none of the fiber. When you drink a glass of fruit juice — even the “no sugar added” variety — you are drinking ultra-concentrated sugar from the fruit.

With the pulp and skin removed, you are also missing out on a whole lot of the nutrients. It takes about three to four apples to produce one 8-ounce cup of apple juice, so in one sitting, you’ll consume the same amount of sugar as if you were drinking a regular soda.

And without the fiber from the whole fruit, it doesn’t have anything to keep it from immediately hitting your bloodstream and spiking your blood sugar.

2. Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is super yummy, but that’s because the sugar is also concentrated. When fruits are dried, the water is removed, so they take up considerably less mass. The nutrients and fiber are preserved, but the water is no longer present to help hydrate you and fill you up.

It’s easy to eat the equivalent of several whole fruits in one sitting, meaning you’re consuming a large amount of sugar and calories, too.

3. Canned Fruit

These fruits are a great way to get nutrients when fresh fruit isn’t in season. Canned fruits maintain their vitamin C better than fresh fruits. However, a few years ago, canned foods came under scrutiny because of the discovery that many of them were lined with a substance that contains bisphenol A (BPA), an estrogen-mimicking chemical.

While consuming canned foods on occasion isn’t likely to be harmful, you may want to avoid consuming them frequently. Instead, opt for fruit canned in glass jars. You should also check the label and sugar content of canned fruit. If your fruit has been canned in a heavy syrup, skip it. Instead, choose fruit canned in water or its own juice.

Related Post: Food For Pregnant Woman

4. Smoothies

Smoothies can be a tempting alternative to eating whole fruit, but it can be easy to rack up the calories and sugar content without even realizing it. Use an unsweetened or lower-sugar mixer, such as unsweetened almond milk, coconut water, or oat milk.

Health Benefits of Fruits

Eating fruits and vegetables may promote emotional well-being among healthy young adults. Research suggests that good mood may lead to a greater preference for healthy foods overindulgent foods. The other benefits of fruits are listed in detail below.

1. Boost Energy

When you eat fruits, your supply of energy increases in no time; this is one of the prime benefits of fruits that we can utilize in our busy schedules. This is the reason why athletes often eat fruit during and after exercise and why diets for pregnant mothers almost always involve fruits.

2. Heart Health

Fruits like apricot, apple, banana, cantaloupe, berries, grapefruit, and orange are great for protecting your heart as they are rich in flavonoids, carotenoids, fiber, potassium, and magnesium. Fruits also contain vitamins like vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, and folate, all of which aid in regulating cholesterol levels and preventing diseases like stroke, atherosclerosis, and heart attack.

3. Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a condition troubling a majority of people around the globe. While fruits are healthy for everyone, the ones with greater carb content are not recommended for diabetics. Fruits like apple, avocado, cherry, banana, orange, peach, plum, etc., have a low glycemic index (GI) – less than 55, and they help in controlling the blood sugar levels. Also, processed and canned fruits are not healthy as they contain artificial sweeteners, so always eat fresh fruits to reap maximum benefits.

4. Cancer

Vitamin-rich fruits are great for prevention and treatment of many types of cancer like liver cancer and breast cancer. These include soursop, goji berry, camu camu and citrus fruits like oranges, tangerines, etc., When consumed regularly, fruits have the ability to show hepatoprotective properties which help in driving away cancer.

5. Blood Pressure

Potassium-rich fruits like banana, apple, melons, plums, pear, apricots, and mango help in lowering hypertension. This mineral has been connected to regulating blood pressure owing to its vasodilating properties.

6. Kidney Stones

Fruits are rich in vitamin C, which helps in treating kidney stones. Citrus fruits like oranges and lemons are great for reducing your chances of suffering from kidney stones. Also, fruits are low in sodium, which is great news for people suffering from the painful condition.

7. Bone Health

Fruits like grapefruit and orange are rich in calcium and vitamin K, both of which aid in maintaining healthy bones and also help improve the bone mineral density.

8. Prevent Diseases

The combination of powerful flavonoids, antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, phytochemicals, and the countless micro and macronutrients make fruits very advantageous for your health. The daily consumption of fresh fruits lowers the risk of strokes, high blood pressure, indigestion, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Some fruits like bananas contain vital chemicals such as potassium, which helps prevent strokes, high blood pressure, and anxiety. Fruit consumption basically eliminates vitamin and mineral deficiencies and their associated symptoms. Fruits also have high quantities of water and fiber in them, which helps keep your digestive tract clean and your weight under control.