Benefits of Dates During Pregnancy
Dates are very rich in fiber and thus the pregnant mother is advised to eat dates that will benefit her as well as her baby. The fiber present in it reduces constipation, hemorrhoids, and a number of other stomach-related issues during pregnancy. It also provides essential nutrients for a healthy body.
The vitamin present in dates helps the development of eyesight and sound hearing for your unborn baby. Vitamin K present in dates strengthens the bones for your baby and prevents osteoporosis after delivery. Dates also have magnesium which aids smooth muscle function. It also helps to increase breast milk production.
In fact, dairy products should be taken with dates to get maximum benefits from them. Dates can even help those women who have trouble breastfeeding because of the strong milk flow.
Snacking on dates occasionally can help your digestive system work better. Dates are rich in sugar, so pregnant women should avoid overdoing it to prevent gestational diabetes during pregnancy. They also have fructose that can cause intestinal gas problems for pregnant mothers.
Date fruit is very high in calorie content, at 180 calories per 100 grams. Calcium present in dates helps beat calcium deficiency problems faced by expectant mothers. The iron present in date fruit helps to fight anemia and boosts hemoglobin levels. Iron also prevents premature delivery problems.
Dates are also beneficial for diabetic patients because they contain a low glycemic index which prevents blood sugar levels from rising too quickly after the meal. Thus the diabetic patient can eat dates to manage blood sugar levels. Dates are rich in fiber and can help fight constipation-related problems that pregnant women experience during the pregnancy period.
You need to take care of your teeth when you consume too many dates. They have high sugar content, so they can create cavities in your teeth if you don’t clean them properly after eating the fruit. So, pregnant women should brush their teeth after consuming dates.
Dates are best for improving health. If you are still not taking them, then it’s about time that you include them in your diet for a healthier life ahead. You may also consult with your doctor before taking dates or any other food items while being pregnant. This will help the expectant mother avoid any kind of problem.
Black dates are good for pregnancy:
For pregnant women, dates are beneficial in various ways. Dates can boost the immune system of the mother and protect her against colds. They also help to build the blood supply in the body, increase energy levels and provide an easy escape route for excess water that otherwise would be held up in the body during pregnancy.
Dates are very nutritious and contain high fiber content which is good for digestion. Here are some benefits of black date (Kaju) during pregnancy:
Date powder or paste is available easily at grocery shops. Soak one teaspoon of date powder in half a cup of milk overnight on low flame. Overnight soak helps date to become soft, tasty & digestible sweet. Have it before bedtime without disturbing your sleep schedule.
Date juice is also good for pregnant women. Take six to seven dates, remove seeds, and blend with half a cup of water. Now squeeze the ground paste in a muslin cloth or fine strainer so that date milk flows into a bowl below it.
From this milk extract two tablespoons daily before or after meals or both times daily if you are suffering from constipation problems. Date milk helps to cure constipation when eaten with warm water. If your digestive system is not strong enough to digest whole dates, then drink date milk instead of eating them in the usual way.
Date water, which is very nutritive & tasty, can be prepared in the same way as you prepare lemonade at home by adding sugar syrup to it according to your taste.
Dates can be eaten as it is or even added to different types of food preparations like sweet dishes & desserts, curries & gravies, etc. Dates are sweet so they are used in cooking several sweet dishes. Just chop the dates into small pieces and add them while making sweets or curries.
Date sugar is also available which can be used instead of normal sugar for preparing all types of foods and drinks. Date fruit has certain medicinal properties that can help you with your pregnancy-related problems if taken regularly during the period when the baby develops inside your womb (uterus). Here are some health benefits of date fruit for pregnant women:
Dates help to prevent anemia:
Iron deficiency anemia- A woman is most likely to suffer from anemia during pregnancy. Dates are a good source of iron and hence they help in preventing anemia in pregnant women. They also help to increase hemoglobin levels in the blood, strengthen muscles and boost energy levels.
Date paste/powder with lukewarm water can be applied to the scalp to prevent hair fall and premature balding
Dates help to prevent pre-eclampsia:
High blood pressure is one of the common pregnancy health problems that affects about 8% of pregnant women. Dates contain a high amount of potassium, which helps in controlling high blood pressure during pregnancy. Potassium is essential for both the physical and mental well-being of a pregnant woman as it prevents various complications like pre-eclampsia.
Dates prevent birth defects:
Dates are also very beneficial for women who have already conceived as dates contain certain minerals that assist the proper growth of cells inside the body during the gestation period which prevents various birth defects like spina bifida, mental disabilities, etc.
Moreover, it also ensures that there is no mutation or chromosomal changes that could occur during the cell development stage that could lead to the birth of a defective baby.
Dates help in stretching and contraction of the uterus and pelvic muscles:
Dates contain magnesium which maintains the optimum muscle tone in the blood vessels and bladder also helps in preventing urinary tract infections (UTIs) that pregnant women commonly suffer from.
Dates are known to be very effective for strengthening uterine muscles, which is especially important during labor when you need strong uterine muscles to go through contractions smoothly.
Dates provide relief from constipation:
Constipation is another common problem experienced by many during their pregnancy period as your digestive system slows down due to hormonal changes taking place inside your body. Dates can help relieve constipation since they contain natural sugar and high fiber content.
Dates should be taken regularly to promote lactation:
Lactating mothers are highly recommended to eat dates as they provide relief from postpartum fatigue, increase milk production and provide nutrition to nursing mothers.
Also, due to its natural sweetness, it provides instant energy & strength to the body making it fit for breastfeeding also it gives relief from flatulence (gas problem). Date fruit or date palm is used in Indian culture in numerous ways.
It is used medicinally, it is consumed for the pleasure of its fruit and even used in religious rituals. Dates are a good source of carbohydrates, fiber & minerals like potassium besides being an excellent source of energy. They help keep your body healthy during pregnancy by providing all the necessary nutrients to your baby.
Date fruits are rich nutrient food that enhances fertility rate because it has a high content of folic acid which is good for the development of the baby’s neural tube, so women who want to get pregnant should eat date fruit regularly or take date palm syrup instead of taking synthetic iron-folic acid tablets because synthetic iron-folic acid tablets have side effects on different parts of the body especially the liver, therefore, it should avoid this type of medicine and consumer date fruit or date palm syrup for good health.
It is recommended that during pregnancy a woman should take at least 75-85 grams of carbohydrates every day, but since it is hard to measure the amount of bread or rice you consume in one day, dates are an easy way to fulfill your daily carbohydrate intake requirement.
Date fruit/dates also provide energy & strength to the body by maintaining blood glucose levels because it has low glycemic index food which does not cause a sharp rise in sugar level after eating them.
We all know that pregnant women usually become anemic due to iron deficiency mainly caused by loss of blood during delivery & menstruation, but consuming foods rich in iron like dry fruits (especially date fruit) will help boost your hemoglobin levels because it contains iron that helps in preventing or curing anemia.
Dry dates during pregnancy:
Taking dry dates regularly helps improve the overall health of pregnant women. Dates are also useful in treating vomiting and nausea that most pregnant women experience during pregnancy. It is also known to be good for the cardiovascular system, stimulates appetite, and reduces swelling (inflammation) caused by allergic reactions.
Date fruit is rich in B vitamins like thiamine, riboflavin & vitamin B-6 which help keep you healthy during pregnancy because these vitamins play a key role in reducing morning sickness especially nausea.
In addition, it contains plenty of dietary fibers that increase your body’s metabolism, thereby helping your baby grow at a faster rate too. Furthermore, consuming date fruit or date palm syrup can safeguard against heart diseases because it protects LDL cholesterol from oxidation which helps prevent narrowing of the arteries.
Date fruit aids in blood clotting because it contains vitamin K, therefore it is recommended to pregnant women as it reduces the risk of excessive bleeding during delivery & other complications.
Taking date fruit regularly during pregnancy can help protect your baby from birth defects like spina bifida. The reason behind this is that dates contain folic acid which plays an important role in producing healthy red blood cells and prevents anemia (deficiency of iron), therefore preventing neural tube defects (defects in the spinal cord).