Pineapple during pregnancy - benefits and harms

This perennial herb of the bromeliad family grows in all tropical countries. The fruit has a height of up to 60 cm, and the length of the leaves can reach 90 cm. The leaves along the edge are bordered with thorns, which makes it difficult to harvest. When the fruit is ready to eat, its weight ranges from 2 kg to 15. At this point, the pineapple looks like a conifer cone with a bunch of short leaves on the crown. Pineapple fruit consists of a large number of small yellow berries collected in a single inflorescence.

Chemical composition

To understand what pineapple is useful for us, we learn what it consists of.

100 grams of product contains:

• Calorie content, kcal - 52
• Fats, g - 0.1
• Proteins, g - 0.3
• Carbohydrates, g - 11.8
• Water, g - 85.5
• Fiber, g - 1
• Organic acids, g - 1
• Sugar, g - 11.8
• Vitamins - A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, C, E, PP

Minerals (mg)

• Potassium - 134
• Calcium - 17
• Magnesium - 13
• Sodium - 1
• Phosphorus - 8
• Iron - 0.3

Useful properties of pineapple pulp

Do not forget that fresh fruits that have not been cooked contain more vitamins, which are much healthier than canned ones. This also applies to pineapple.

Advantages of fresh fruits:

1. The fruit contains bromelain, famous for its fat-burning properties. In its action, bromelain is similar to enzymes of gastric juice (trypsin and pepsin). It promotes the breakdown and better absorption of proteins in the stomach and intestines, has a stimulating effect on the pancreas while reducing the secretion of enzymes. Facilitates the condition of a person after overeating. The substance is present only in fresh pineapple. Nutritionists recommend consuming this product on an empty stomach, without combining it with other foods. Pineapple is indispensable in the nutrition of obese patients. With its use, a person experiences a lesser feeling of hunger, metabolic processes accelerate, and mood improves.
2. Vitamin C helps to strengthen the immune system, accelerates recovery in the presence of inflammatory diseases.
3. Potassium and magnesium contained in pineapple improve heart function, strengthen blood vessels, and help normalize blood pressure. Organic substances that make up it, thin the blood, reduce the risk of blood clots. They successfully fight cholesterol plaques.
4. Pineapple improves the condition of cancer patients. The pulp of the fruit contains components that block the protein of cancer cells.
5. Fiber makes it easier to cleanse the intestines from food debris, toxins, and mucus. It also helps to restore beneficial intestinal microflora.
6. Regular consumption of this fruit improves the general condition of patients with arthritis, arthrosis, and reduces joint and muscle pain.
7. The pulp has diuretic properties, due to this, edema caused by diseases of the cardiovascular system and kidneys is significantly reduced.

Is pineapple allowed for pregnant women?

This fruit is a piggy bank of vitamins that are so necessary for women during gestation. Therefore, pregnant women are often drawn to all kinds of berries and fruits, the body simply directs them along the right path.

The benefits of pineapple for expectant mothers:

1. Vitamin C contained in pineapple strengthens the immune system, helps prevent seasonal colds. The list of approved medications during pregnancy is very small, so special attention should be paid to prevention. Vitamin C improves the absorption of beneficial trace elements and other vitamins. B vitamins are very important for the formation of the central nervous system of the fetus.
2. Pineapple contains folic acid, which is extremely important for the proper formation of the neural tube of the fetus, for the normal development of the baby’s nervous system.
3. Calcium and manganese contribute to the strengthening of the skeletal and muscular system of the baby. The lack of these elements can lead to a deterioration in the condition of the teeth and bones of women.
4. Many pregnant women face constipation problems. A large amount of fiber in this product promotes regular bowel cleansing. If it enters the intestines, bromelain can destroy pathogenic bacteria.
5. Bromelain not only helps to break down fats better, but also facilitates the functioning of the liver. This leads to the fastest breakdown of food, getting rid of heartburn, a feeling of heaviness in the stomach and flatulence. It is extremely important for a pregnant woman to control her body weight, extra pounds can disrupt the correct course of pregnancy, complicate the process of childbirth.
6. Fresh pineapple juice cleans the walls of blood vessels of cholesterol plaques, normalizes blood pressure.
7. During pregnancy, the volume of blood circulating in the body of a woman increases. This leads to a decrease in hemoglobin levels. The consumption of pineapple pulp increases the amount of iron in the blood, improving the supply of oxygen to the fetus.
8. In the first trimester of pregnancy, when many expectant mothers are bothered with toxicosis, several slices of sweet and sour juicy fruit help to cope with nausea and prevent the occurrence of vomiting.
9. Toward the end of pregnancy, pineapple, which has a mild diuretic effect, will help cope with swelling of the limbs.
10. Since the fruit is low in calories and contains little sugar, it can be included in your diet for women who have gained excess weight during pregnancy.
11. Just before childbirth, pineapple will help the female body prepare for this event. Pineapple strengthens the tone of the uterus, contributes to the fastest softening and opening of the cervix.

And which is important for any woman, and especially pregnant, pineapple has an excellent taste and aroma that improves her mood.

Pineapple harm for expectant mothers

This fruit contains vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for women during pregnancy. However, there are some contraindications:

1. When eating a large amount of pineapple pulp, the uterine tone may increase. This is especially dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy, especially if there is a threat of miscarriage. If a woman feels pulling pains in the lower abdomen, she has bloody discharge, it is worth refusing to use pineapple.
2. You should limit the use of pineapple with increased acidity of gastric juice, so as not to provoke an exacerbation of gastritis or ulcers.
3. This fruit may be an allergen.
4. With caution, you need to use pineapple for diabetes.
5. Due to the high acid content in the pineapple pulp, irritation of the oral mucosa and destruction of tooth enamel can be observed.

Nutritionists recommend consuming no more than 150-200 grams of pulp per day or drinking a glass of pineapple juice. Please note that we are talking about freshly squeezed juice. Packed juices and canned pineapple rings contain a lot of sugar and citric acid, and most vitamins are destroyed by heat treatment. The benefits of such a product are minimal.

Video: Pineapple Benefits