When it comes to pregnancy the moms-to-be are very cautious about what to eat and what not to? Why wouldn’t they be? Every step will affect the health of the baby.
Most importantly the eating habits of the mother are a major issue contributing to the baby’s health. It is perfectly normal for any mother to ask ‘what to eat and what to avoid’?
A similar kind of question asked is ‘can you eat too many oranges during pregnancy?’
This nutrient filled fruit is a native to Southeast Asia. Brazil is the largest producer of oranges in the world.
They are a rich source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, flavonoids, dietary fiber, and folic acid. The fruit is beneficial but its peel, when dried is an important ingredient added to homemade face packs.
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How Many Oranges Can You Eat During Pregnancy ?
Oranges have all the excellent qualities but it can also turn things bad when not taken in the right amount. They are a high source of Vitamin C and for it the daily recommended dose is 85mg. That means the pregnant woman cannot eat more than 3 oranges a day.
Health Benefits Of Oranges During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is that peak time when what the mother eats matters a lot. The baby’s health along with the mother merely depends on the right food, in what quantity to take and what precautions to follow.
Any mother would want to know the health benefit of what she is eating and how will it affect her little one. To satisfy this curiosity the following are the benefits of this tangy fruit.
1. An Improved Immune System
The Vitamin C present in it is known as a good booster of the immune system.
The healthy immune system is a requirement for the mother as during pregnancy the body is prone to many sorts of foodborne or allergic reactions.
Consuming oranges during pregnancy will help to keep the baby healthy along with strengthening the mother’s immune system.
Also, Vitamin C helps absorb various nutrients like zinc which helps to form the baby’s cartilage, strengthens his tissues, blood vessels and bones.
2. Effective For Brain Development
Oranges help in baby’s proper brain development.The folic acid or Vitamin B6 in oranges help the brain to develop fully and further prevents any neurological development in the baby.Also, Vitamin C can reduce the risk of preterm labour.
3. Provides Folate To The Baby And Mother
An important Vitamin needed during pregnancy is folate. Folate helps develop new tissues and creates new blood cells.
It also helps to increase the total birth weight of the baby. Folate is important for both the baby and the mother and the need for folate rises by 5-10 times during pregnancy and oranges fulfill this demand.
4. Say Bye To Constipation
Since it is rich in fiber, constipation which is the most common issue faced by the pregnant woman is solved.The fiber in oranges contains both soluble and insoluble fiber which helps in a good bowel movement.
5. Controls blood pressure
The high potassium index of this fruit prevents the issue of high blood pressure in pregnant women.
Side effects of oranges during pregnancy
With so many health benefits you may be thinking of including oranges in your diet plan. Be sure to do so! But too much of everything is dangerous.
Eating a lot of oranges (more than 2 a day) can turn things ugly and do more harm than good. Pregnant women especially should consult their doctors before starting anything new to their diet plan.
There are various side effects, this fruit may have on you and may provide discomfort to your little one.
- The high citric content in this fruit can cause a sore throat and prove to be bad for the teeth.
- Too much of oranges means too much of acid in the body. This can be a trigger of heart burns and provide discomfort to the mother and the baby.
- Eating too many oranges can cause abdominal pain and diarrhoea. Although they are a good source of fibre, excess of it can cause loose motions and abdominal cramps. During the pregnancy, is can cause problems with the digestive system.
- Eating too many oranges can spike up your calorie intake. A medium orange has up to 85 calories and eating more than 2-3 oranges a day can disturb your calorie intake ad spike the sugar levels, in turn leading to weight gain.
- Too much of Vitamin C during pregnancy can also induce preterm labour.
What is a healthier option during pregnancy orange juice or orange?
Oranges are a stack of healthy nutrients. But the excess of it can raise the fibre in the body and disturb the metabolism and bowel movement.
Pregnant mothers can avoid this and fulfil their orange craving by squeezing a fresh orange, add no sugar to it and have its 1-2 hours after a meal. 2 glasses of orange juice a day are more than enough.
Does Eating Oranges Make The Baby Fair?
There are a lot of confusing sayings like ‘if you eat too many oranges your baby will be a little bit of orange in complexion’ or ‘eating oranges during pregnancy can make your baby fair’. It is good the facts before taking any step.
Oranges have an effect on the baby’s skin tone and is known as the fruit for pregnant women. The Vitamin C in oranges does benefit to the baby.
Health Benefits Of Eating Oranges
Best known for its immunity-boosting Vitamin C, oranges are highly beneficial including the peel. This fruit has more in stock than you could have possibly imagined.
- Helps fight certain diseases: It’s a fact known by all that oranges are an excellent source of Vitamin C. A healthy intake of Vitamin C helps fight the risk of certain cancers, respiratory diseases, ulcers, kidney stones and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Boosts immunity: Oranges contain a pigment called as beta-cryptoxanthin which acts an antioxidant and boosts immunity which helps fighting common infections like the cold.
- Improves skin health: Eating an orange a day can benefit the skin as well. The vitamin C in it helps fights wrinkles and makes the skin appear younger and increases its beauty by repairing the damage done by the sun and pollution.
- Keeps cholesterol under check: An orange has around 80-85 calories and has no fat, cholesterol or sodium. The fibre in this fruit speeds up metabolism, keeps the blood sugar levels under control and the Polymethoxylated Flavones (PMFS) in the peel lowers the cholesterol levels of the body. Since they control the blood sugar levels they are a healthy snack for diabetics.
- Help in weight loss: Since the fibre aids metabolism. It is a healthy food for weight loss and dieting.
- Good for the eyes: The Vitamin A present in oranges helps improve vision and reports also show that Vitamin C present in it lowers the risk of cataracts.
While pregnant, a woman should eat ample of fruits and vegetables. This will help absorb all the nutrients and keep the baby healthy. But eating too much of anything can prove dangerous and cause troubles.
Before starting any diet regime or including or excluding anything from the diet, it is always a good idea to consult your doctor.
You can use Essential Oils For Pregnancy for treating different problems faced by them.
Stay healthy and eat good and this way you won’t compromise the health of your baby or yours.
