It's no secret that citrus fruits provide many benefits to a person's health. Not only does the taste make oranges popular with people of all ages, but the contents of this orange fruit also provide many benefits for pregnant women.
This orange fruit, which is rich in vitamin C, is known as an excellent source of iron for pregnant women. So it can be used to maintain health and fulfill the nutrition of the fetus in the womb.
Apart from that, what are the benefits of consuming oranges for pregnant women? Come on, see the complete information, Mother.
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Nutritional content of orange fruit
Oranges have various ingredients that are beneficial for our bodies. “The calories contained in oranges are not excessive, and they contain many micronutrients, such as calcium, potassium and vitamin C, which are really needed by pregnant women,” said Leyla Shamayeva, a dietitian based in New York, quoted from Mom Junction.
Usually, citrus fruits are famous because they are rich in vitamin C. This means that oranges can help prevent cell damage and help absorb iron. Apart from that, oranges can be useful for maintaining hydration when you are pregnant. Because, there is a lot of water in oranges.
Not only that, it contains a lot of folate or what is commonly known as folic acid. As you already know, pregnant women are often advised to consume folic acid.
Reporting from Healthline, folate is a B vitamin which can also be useful for preventing defects in the brain or spinal cord, or commonly known as neural tube defects.
Benefits of oranges for pregnant women
It turns out that there are many more benefits of oranges for pregnant women, Mother. Quoted from Mylo, here are 10 benefits that you can get from oranges:
1. Encourages the formation of the baby's neural tube
Because oranges contain a lot of folate, it is important for pregnant mothers to consume them. Because, as previously mentioned, folate can help the development of the neural tube.
At the beginning of pregnancy, mothers should increase their consumption of oranges or other foods rich in folic acid so that the neural tube can develop properly.
2. Replenish nutrients in the body
During the first trimester, it is not uncommon for pregnant women to experience nausea and vomiting. This causes the nutrition in your body to decrease.
Therefore, you can consume oranges which are rich in nutrients to restore the nutrients you excrete when you vomit. Not only do they provide nutrition, citrus fruits can also be beneficial for pregnant women to neutralize nausea and help increase appetite.
If you also have a fever or flu during pregnancy, eating oranges could be an option so you can recover quickly.
3. Helps maintain hydration for pregnant women
During pregnancy, it should be noted that mothers must drink sufficient water every day to avoid dehydration.
In citrus fruit, there is as much as 80-89 percent water content. Therefore, the water content in oranges is also one of the benefits of oranges for keeping pregnant women hydrated. With its refreshing taste, mothers can consume orange fruit without having to experience nausea.
4. Reduce stress
Sometimes, mothers who are pregnant can feel stressed. However, this feeling of stress will actually have an impact on the fetus who also feels the stress.
One effort that mothers can make to avoid stress during pregnancy is by eating oranges. Because the vitamin C content in it can have an effect on reducing the level of stress hormones in the bodies of pregnant women.
Even though it cannot completely eliminate stress in pregnant women, consuming citrus fruits can at least reduce this feeling.
5. Strengthens the immune system
Maintaining the body's immune system during pregnancy is also an important thing to do to keep the fetus healthy.
In general, pregnant women are susceptible to infection. By consuming oranges, the vitamin C content in oranges can help to protect the immune system to be more awake.
6. Helps the growth of the baby's brain and bones
The need for folic acid for pregnant mothers tends to increase by 5 to 10 times compared to before. No need to worry, oranges can be a help to meet these needs.
As already mentioned, folate can help the fetus' brain develop better and prevent defects in the baby's neural tube. In addition, folic acid can help to increase the baby's weight at birth and develop new blood cells and tissue.
7. Reduces the risk of developing anemia
Blood deficiency or anemia can occur if you lack folate, iron and vitamin B12 while pregnant. The vitamin C content in oranges can help to absorb iron effectively.
Therefore, citrus fruit can be a natural and healthy medicine to prevent the risk of anemia during pregnancy.
8. Control blood pressure
Normal blood pressure is very important for pregnant women so that it does not cause serious complications in your pregnancy. In order to prevent hypertension, it would be good if you diligently consume citrus fruit. Because, the high potassium index in citrus fruit can help reduce the occurrence of hypertension by controlling blood pressure.
9. Helps fight constipation
Constipation is a problem often experienced by pregnant women. However, the fiber content in oranges can help mothers prevent constipation and make bowel movements smoother.
10. Maintain healthy skin
The antioxidants contained in vitamin C in oranges can also keep your skin moist, you know, Mother. Sometimes, acne often appears in pregnant women, and consuming oranges can be a solution to prevent acne.
Safe dosage of eating citrus fruit for pregnant women
Even though it is good for fetal development, it is still best not to consume too much oranges during pregnancy. So, how many oranges can pregnant women consume to stay safe?
Basically, every pregnant woman needs 85 mg of vitamin C every day. By consuming three oranges every day, you will actually meet your vitamin C requirements.
However, if you continue to consume more oranges with other foods, you should be able to estimate how much oranges pregnant women should eat.
The impact of eating too much citrus fruit
Consuming anything in excess will definitely have certain effects, including if pregnant women consume too much citrus fruit. If a pregnant woman consumes too many oranges in one meal, it can cause stomach acid to rise or the mother will suffer from stomach ulcers.
Therefore, make sure you can control the amount of orange fruit you consume every day. Even better, if you can consult a doctor about how many oranges you can consume each day. Because, every pregnant woman may have different conditions.
Suggestions for serving citrus fruit for pregnant women
So that you don't get bored because you have to eat oranges every day, here are several variations of consuming oranges that you can imitate:
Mothers can make a fruit salad consisting of a mixture of fruits that are rich in water, such as oranges, watermelon and apples cut into pieces.
Mother, eating oranges made into juice is also delicious, you know. With the sometimes hot weather in Indonesia, this orange juice can be refreshing for pregnant women.
Ice cream made from oranges can be a healthier alternative when Mother is craving ice cream. Mother just needs to put the orange juice that has been squeezed into the ice cream mold, then put it in the freezer and wait until it freezes.
Those are 10 benefits of consuming oranges for pregnant women. Don't forget to consume oranges every day in moderation, Mother.
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(rap/rap)