Summer is the season of fruits, especially for expectant mothers who enjoy trying a variety of fruits. While fruits are healthy, not all of them are suitable for pregnant women. So, which fruits are ideal for expectant mothers? Here are some suggestions:
Apples
Apples are rich in sugars, vitamins, and zinc. Eating an apple a day can benefit both the expectant mother and the baby by providing essential nutrients.
- Key nutrients: Sugars, Vitamins, Zinc
- Tip: Avoid eating too many apples before meals. Pregnant women with diabetes or chronic nephritis should avoid apples due to high sugar content, which might lead to gestational diabetes.
Recommended recipes: Apple milkshake, Apple sweet soup, Orange apple milk, Yam apple puree.
Dragon Fruit
Dragon fruit contains plant-based albumin with detoxifying effects and dietary fibers that help regulate gastrointestinal function and prevent pregnancy constipation.
- Key nutrients: Plant fibers, Sucrose
- Tip: Beneficial for pregnant women with hypertension or preeclampsia. Due to its high sugar content, it’s recommended to consume one dragon fruit every 1-2 weeks, preferably after meals.
Recommended recipes: Dragon fruit juice, Dragon fruit milkshake, Dragon fruit yogurt, Red dragon fruit mousse cup.
Oranges
Oranges are packed with Vitamin C and niacin, which can help prevent excessive bleeding during childbirth and postpartum.
- Key nutrients: Vitamin C
- Tip: Oranges contain a lot of sugars, so it’s advisable to limit to 1-2 quality oranges per day to avoid pregnancy weight gain. Pregnant women prone to constipation should avoid excessive consumption to prevent heatiness.
Recommended recipes: Orange salad, Orange sweet water, Orange apple milkshake, Honey orange lemon water.
Strawberries
Strawberries are rich in Vitamin C, folate, and fibers.
- Key nutrients: Folate
- Tip: When buying strawberries, choose well-ripened, bright-colored, and regularly shaped ones. Do not use detergent to wash them; instead, use rice water. Strawberries are perishable and should not be stored for long. As strawberries are cooling, avoid eating too many.
Recommended recipes: Strawberry milkshake, Strawberry juice, Strawberry apple puree, Strawberry barley yogurt.
Bananas
Bananas are rich in folate. Consuming folic acid-rich foods is beneficial for the blood vessel and nerve development of the newborn.
- Key nutrients: Folate
- Tip: Sour foods can stimulate gastric juices, enhancing digestive enzyme activity and gastrointestinal peristalsis, thereby improving appetite and digestive issues caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy. Eating bananas also aids in the development of the baby’s bones, brain, and overall organ growth.
Recommended recipes: Banana puree, Banana milkshake, Oatmeal banana, Banana chestnut pancake, Pumpkin banana porridge, Banana purple sweet potato salad.
Watermelon
Watermelon contains carotene, vitamins, sugars, iron, and other nutrients, providing thirst-quenching and heat-relief benefits.
- Key nutrients: Vitamins, Sugars, Iron
- Tip: Avoid chilled watermelon. Pregnant women with diabetes should not eat watermelon. Adding a little salt to watermelon can enhance its sweetness but deplete its potassium content, so it’s best consumed without salt.
Recommended recipes: Watermelon juice, Watermelon sago, Yogurt watermelon salad.
Peaches
Peaches are rich in sucrose, dietary pectin, beneficial for diuresis and constipation. It is also suitable for pregnant women with hypoglycemia, lung diseases, and chronic asthma.
- Key nutrients: Proteins, Varied Sugars, Multiple Vitamins, Malic Acid, Citric Acid
- Tip: Do not eat unripe peaches as they can cause bloating or boils. Avoid eating too many ripe peaches as they can cause heatiness; and never consume damaged peaches.
Recommended recipes: Honey peach juice, Icy peach tea, Peach puree.