Having fruits is essential to ensure that you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals required for a healthy pregnancy. When you add a variety of fruits, your chances of getting each and every mineral increases. Having fruits also prevents constipation and dehydration and keeps you energetic throughout the day. The American pregnancy association recommends eating 2 to 4 servings of fruit each day.In general, one serving of fruit is a medium piece of whole fruit (about the size of a tennis ball) or 1 cup of cut fruit.
Here are fruits that you should have for a healthy pregnancy:
1 . FIBER RICH FRUITS
-Constipation is very common during pregnancy, leaving you bloated and uncomfortable.
-Adding fruits rich in fiber to your pregnancy diet can help in maintaining regular bowel movements.
-Having a fiber rich diet can also lower risk of piles (hemorrhoids) which is also common during pregnancy.
-Include apples and pears which are excellent sources of fiber. Bananas, oranges and kiwis are also rich sources of fiber.
2 . FRUITS PACKED WITH VITAMIN C
-One of the key minerals for a healthy pregnancy is adequate iron.
–Vitamin C helps the body absorb the right about of iron from dietary sources.
-So, including vitamin C rich foods can help you get your daily dose of iron.
-Add oranges, melons, strawberries, kiwis and lemons to your daily fruit platter.
3 . FRUITS LOADED WITH FOLIC ACID
-Having foods rich in folic acid both before and during pregnancy can prevent some major birth defects in the baby’s brain and spinal cord.
-Doctors recommend that during pregnancy, women should take 400 of folic acid daily. So, make sure you have fruits that are rich sources of folic acid.
– Fruits rich in folic acid include oranges, pineapples, avocado and papaya.
4 . POTASSIUM RICH FRUITS
-Another concern during pregnancy is the painful leg cramps.
-These troublesome cramps can be prevented by having fruits rich in potassium.
-Potassium plays a key role in maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance in your body.
-Include bananas, kiwis, cherries, peaches, grapes and watermelon in your diet.
Fruit Safety Tips
-Be careful when you go fruit shopping. It is best to have organic fruit. Otherwise, buy regular fruit from good quality grocery stores. Prevent risk of bacterial contamination and harmful chemicals by following these simple tips:
-Remove any bruised areas from the fruits to ensure there is no bacterial growth.
-Avoid having pre-cut fruits and eat immediately after cutting your fruit.
-Make sure you store fresh fruit s in your the refrigerator away from the raw meat.