Malinka is a favorite treat for everyone, especially preferred by women. Whether it is necessary to refuse it, being in position, this article will tell.
Raspberries
“Raspberry berry beckoned to us,” read the lines of the song, and you can’t argue. Malinka really beckons to her, both adults and children love her. Perhaps, it is hardly possible to find a person who at least once in his life has not been treated with raspberry jam. The thing is its amazing properties and the ability to exert a beneficial effect on the body, including during illness.
Can I eat raspberries during pregnancy?
During pregnancy, the body of the expectant mother needs support, because all of its reserves are concentrated on bearing the unborn child. A woman in an interesting position simply needs increased intake of vitamins and minerals.
Raspberry is a storehouse of useful substances that are so necessary for pregnant women. However, not everything is so simple. In order to assess the degree of potential benefit and risk and unequivocally answer the question of whether raspberries can be eaten during pregnancy, one should turn to its biochemical composition to consider the effect of this berry on the body.
Fruit content
The composition of raspberries includes:
- sugar;
- organic acids;
- antioxidants;
- tannins;
- protein substances;
- cellulose.
The berry contains a large number of B vitamins, including B9, called folic acid, vitamin A and vitamin C. In addition, the fruits contain such useful minerals as iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc.
Due to the low sucrose content (about 10%), the berry has a low calorie content. Such a balanced composition indicates that raspberries during pregnancy can be of undoubted benefit to the health of the mother and the unborn baby, but is that so?
Positive properties of the berry
Most of the opinions agree that these wonderful berries are useful for women in position. First of all, this is the replenishment of vitamins necessary for the body, which have a beneficial effect both on the development of the embryo and on the state and well-being of the mother herself.
In addition, fiber and pectin stimulate intestinal motility, preventing the constipation that pregnant women often suffer from. Being a natural diuretic, raspberries can prevent swelling. Well, trace elements, such as calcium and iron, are simply necessary for expectant mothers.
The described plant has long been famous in folk medicine as a medicine in the fight against colds, and not only the fruits are used. Its uniqueness also lies in the fact that the expressed properties are not lost even after heat treatment, so tea with raspberry jam is one of the first helpers in the cold season for many. In this regard, the benefits of raspberries during pregnancy are obvious, given that most drugs during the period of gestation are contraindicated.
Raspberries during pregnancy: is it possible or not?
Special studies that unequivocally prove or disprove the version that raspberries during pregnancy are extremely useful have not been conducted. Doctors, arguing this or that, are guided by the probable effect on the body of the mother and fetus of trace elements included in the biochemical composition of the berry.
Most are inclined to think that you should not abuse anything, so when consumed in moderation, raspberries during pregnancy are also useful. Benefit or harm will largely depend on the individual characteristics of the body. In the absence of contraindications, it is recommended to eat no more than half a glass a day, and raspberries can be eaten either in kind or added to various desserts or cocktails. A great option is a smoothie. Such a cocktail, depending on the ingredients, can replace a full breakfast, being tasty and healthy at the same time.
Use
Most often raspberries are added to tea. For a change, you can cook raspberry juice or simply beat it in a blender, then mix it with any other juice you like.
In rainy autumn or cold winter, raspberries are better than ever during pregnancy. In this case, you can use not only fruits, but also leaves and even inflorescences, for example, making tea from them. But one should take into account the laxative effect on the cervix, which can provoke a spontaneous miscarriage, which is mostly exerted by the leaves, so such a decoction can be useful precisely in the last weeks of bearing a child to stimulate labor.
Separately, I would like to note raspberry jam. The properties of fruits after cooking are more pronounced, which is successfully used in traditional medicine in the treatment of colds and respiratory diseases. Tea with a spoon of raspberry jam will have a warming, diuretic, diaphoretic effect.
In addition, the berry has an anti-inflammatory effect, providing a mild antibacterial effect. Undoubtedly, a small amount of raspberry jam with warm tea will bring much more benefits than taking all kinds of medicines during the period of gestation. However, relying solely on raspberry jam, self-medicating, is not worth it. Treatment of a pregnant woman should be carried out under the mandatory supervision of a doctor, due to the high vulnerability of the female body.
Positive impact
Summing up the preliminary result, we can clearly see that raspberries during pregnancy can be useful in many situations:
- The diaphoretic and bactericidal properties help to alleviate, and sometimes prevent, respiratory diseases.
- The high content of vitamins has a beneficial effect on the body, helps strengthen the immune system.
- Folic acid is necessary for the normal development of the fetus.
- A mild diuretic helps to avoid swelling without side effects.
- Normalizes the gastrointestinal tract due to fiber and pectin, prevents constipation.
- Due to the presence of iron, it helps prevent anemia.
- Easily digestible calcium, contained in the composition, is necessary for both the mother and the baby developing rapidly in the womb.
Contraindications
Despite the arguments in favor of the fact that the raspberries eaten during pregnancy are not only tasty, but also necessary for the expectant mother, there are situations when this goodness can cause serious harm to both the woman herself and the embryo.
Even the most useful and harmless things, especially when it comes to nutrition, are good in moderation. Extremely plentiful consumption of raspberries obviously will not bring anything good. The maximum recommended dose is no more than half a glass per day. Abuse is not worth it - there will be much more harm. But specific cases when the eaten miracle berry can lead to adverse consequences:
- Individual intolerance. Raspberries are classified as highly allergenic products, and therefore intolerance to these berries is very common. In the case of an allergic reaction, of course, there can be no talk about any positive properties of these fruits.
- The inflammatory process of the kidneys.
- The presence of gastritis, stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer.
- During an exacerbation of urolithiasis.
- With bleeding, immediately before the birth, due to the fact that this berry reduces blood coagulation, thereby increasing bleeding.
- With diabetes, since it contains sucrose (fructose).
In all other cases, subject to the measure, raspberry delicacy will not only benefit both the mother and the child, but also pleasure, because these berries are one of the most favorite, due to their pleasant sweet and sour taste.