Pregnancy is the time when you should pamper your body and eat healthy and well balanced meals. Even if you did not eat healthy before, it is the right time to start eating healthy now. One tasty way to add a dash of health to your diet is to include avocados. The rich and luxurious avocados, also referred to as butter fruits, are known to be the richest fruits on earth. Avocados are a rich source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and dietary fiber, thereby eating avocado offers umpteen health benefits during pregnancy.
Why Is It a Good Idea to Eat Avocado During Pregnancy?
Provides the much needed folic acid: Avocado is a rich source of folic acid. ½ a cup of raw, sliced avocado has 60 mcg of it. Your baby requires folic acid for organ development. Folate deficiency can cause deformities of bone in your baby. Folic acid intake also prevents the occurrence of neural defects in the developing baby. It also prevents pregnancy complications such as depression, anemia, lethargy, mood swings, insomnia and preeclampsia.
Avocado is a rich source of calcium: During pregnancy, the requirement for calcium is increased manifold. Avocado is rich in calcium too. Hence, eating avocado will take care of the calcium needs of your body.
Avocado is a rich source of other nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, potassium ,etc.: Avocados are full of important nutrients such as potassium, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B5 and vitamin E. They also provide small amounts of manganese, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, vitamin A, phosphorus, vitamin B1, vitamin B3 and vitamin B2. One serving of avocado also contains 2 g of protein and 7g of fiber.
Prevents anemia during pregnancy: Avocados are rich in iron, thereby eating a few slices of avocado during pregnancy can avert anemia in mothers-to-be.
Avocados help in the absorption of nutrients from other foods: Avocados not only provides nutrients themselves but also help in the absorption of nutrients from other foods. For instance, they help in the absorption of carotenoids (especially xanthophyll carotenoids that are oxygen containing antioxidants) present in sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and leafy greens. This happens as avocados are lipid rich foods and carotenoids are best absorbed in the body on combination with a lipid rich food.
Avocados are a rich source of good fats: Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats (omega-3 fatty acids) and high in calories; thereby help you gain weight in a healthy manner during pregnancy. Omega-3 fatty acids also help in the development of brain of your baby. Avocados are also a rich source of MUFA oleic acid which is one of the main fatty acids present in breast milk and which the lactating mother can get from her diet. 28 g of avocado contains 4.6 g fat of which 3 g is MUFA, mainly in the form of oleic acid.
Avocados may decrease the risk of excessive weight gain: Due to their high fiber content, avocados may actually reduce the risk of excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
Avocados may decrease the risk of gestational diabetes: Again, because of their high fiber content, avocados may be helpful in decreasing your risk of development of gestational diabetes (and risk of diabetes in general in the long term).
Avocados may decrease the risk of preeclampsia: Since avocados are a rich source of potassium, they help in decreasing the risk of preeclampsia, as it has been shown in multiple studies that high potassium intake is associated with reduced blood pressure. This may also decrease your long term risk of heart disease after the baby is delivered.
Avocados boost digestion and prevent constipation: Pregnant females tend to suffer from constipation during the nine months. Avocados, being a rich source of fiber, help in the prevention of constipation and boost digestion.
Avocados help in the brain development of the baby: A cup of sliced avocado has 22 mg of choline that helps in the development of brain and nerves of your growing baby.
Avocados help in easing leg cramps: Due to their high potassium and low sodium content they help in easing the leg cramps that is a common symptom of pregnancy. A 30 g serving of avocados contain about 150 mg potassium and only 2 mg sodium.
Avocados help in balancing the blood sugar and cholesterol levels: You can maintain optimum blood sugar and cholesterol levels by regularly consuming avocado during pregnancy.
The taste of avocado can help you get rid of morning sickness: The buttery taste of avocado can help you in relieving the sensation of nausea. Hence eating a salad containing avocado may serve a good remedy for severe morning sickness.
Eating avocados decreases your desire to consume snacks: The fiber present in avocados will keep you full, hence, reducing your desire to eat unhealthy snacks.
How to Best Enjoy Avocado When You Are Pregnant
Avocados can be incorporated in different ways in your diet. Some of these ways that you can try are:
You can add one cup of sliced avocados to your salad.
You can create a highly nutritious salad of sliced avocados along with grapefruit, baby spinach, sliced onions.
You can make an avocado dip by mashing avocados along with garlic and adding a few drops of lemon juice. Enjoy it with crackers.
Are There Any Risks to Consider or Precautions to Take?
Eating avocado during pregnancy is relatively safe. However, in case you have an allergy to avocado, do not consume it. Moreover, make sure that you wash all your fruits thoroughly before eating to decrease the chances of contamination with pesticides.
If you have an allergy to latex, then consult with your physician regarding allergy to foods such as avocados and bananas. There is a link shown between avocados and banana and latex allergy in research studies.
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