Can pregnant women eat celery?

Spring is coming, and garden beds are green with various herbs and seasonings. The expectant mother is actively preparing salads that will be useful for her health, as well as for the development of the baby. Specific spicy celery is an excellent choice for a pregnant woman, as it contains a significant amount of useful elements.

Chemical composition and benefits

Celery is considered one of the most popular vegetables in the world. Root and crunchy stems are used for food, which allows to give the dish a unique taste and aroma. But most of all, culture is valued for its rich composition:

• vitamins of various groups (B, C, A, E, K and others);
• organic and fatty acids;
• antioxidants;
• micro and macro elements (potassium, selenium, magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, sulfur, manganese and others);
• interchangeable and essential amino acids (tyrosine, asparagine);
• ethers;
• alimentary fiber.

The plant brings the greatest benefit in fresh form - it can be added to salads or used as a separate side dish.

Due to its composition, celery is very useful during pregnancy.

1. Rejuvenation. Fatty acids and antioxidants contribute to the renewal of cells and their regeneration.
2. Sedative effect. Juice from celery stalks calms the nervous system and slows down the production of stress hormones, which ensures a safe and sound sleep for the expectant mother. Celery also prevents the development of neurosis, panic attacks and depression.
3. Improves digestion. The esters in the composition of the spices stimulate appetite and enhance the secretion of hydrochloric acid, and also contribute to the production of digestive enzymes. Dietary fiber provides the normal formation of feces and timely bowel movements, which is important for expectant mothers with chronic constipation.
4. Reduces allergy symptoms. Celery antioxidants timely detect histamine, bind and remove it from the body.
5. Reduces inflammation. Esters and vitamins strengthen the human immunity, and also help to weaken the symptoms of inflammation: tissue swelling, redness, numbness, aching pain.
6. Regulates the water-salt balance.
7. Lowers blood glucose and bad cholesterol.
8. Improves the cardiovascular system. Seasoning cleanses the walls of blood vessels from atherosclerotic and cholesterol plaques, trains the heart muscle, improves blood flow.
9. It produces a diuretic effect. Celery removes excess fluid from the body, thereby coping with edema in pregnant women.
10. Produces a laxative effect. A decoction of the plant is successfully used in the treatment of chronic constipation and hemorrhoids in expectant mothers.
11. It treats urinary infections. Juice and broth are used in the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases (urethritis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis, cystitis and others).

How to use

The most useful fresh celery. The leaves and stems of the plant are used as an ingredient for salad, and the root is grated and added to soups, main dishes.

Also from the raw materials you can prepare a decoction or infusion, squeeze fresh juice.

Expectant mother is recommended to drink half a glass of such a drink a day to strengthen the digestive system and maintain immunity. Nutritionists advise diluting fresh water in a ratio of one to one. Also, you need to drink juice or a decoction in small portions (divide the entire daily volume into several approaches). Such a drink is best absorbed half an hour before a meal.

During the preparation of juice, make sure that seeds of the plant, which can be toxic, do not get into it.They can also enhance the uterine tone, which in case of an unsuccessful pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage in the early stages or premature birth in the later.

It is advisable to season celery dishes with olive oil or low-fat sour cream so that it remains not only healthy, but also non-nutritious.

If the seasoning root is added to soups and side dishes, then the amount should not be more than two tablespoons per 1 kg of the finished dish.

Side effects

Even if the future mother has no contraindications to the use of celery, then it is desirable to limit its use to 12 weeks of pregnancy.

You can not use seasoning and pregnant women with the following symptoms and pathologies:

• pyelonephritis of pregnant women;
• gestational or diabetes mellitus;
• urolithiasis and other diseases of the urinary system;
• pain in the lower back and abdomen;
• vaginal discharge with blood;
• increased uterine tone, a feeling of a "stone" abdomen;
• increased acidity of the stomach and related pathologies (gastritis, ulcer, colitis, flatulence, heartburn);
• individual intolerance to the product;
• allergy to yellow and green vegetables and fruits, berries.

Pregnancy complications (placental or hematoma detachment, uterine structure pathology, intrauterine growth retardation, risk of miscarriage, isthmic-cervical insufficiency, etc.).

In the presence of severe toxicosis, seasoning can irritate the gastric mucosa and aggravate the condition (provoke vomiting.)

Spicy greens also stimulate increased gas formation in the intestines, so after eating it, you can "rumble" your stomach and bloating. If this condition is observed in the later stages, then the expectant mother may experience severe discomfort, as the crowded intestines will put pressure on the uterus and cause abdominal pain (the area around the navel).

After 30 weeks of pregnancy, celery must be eaten carefully so as not to provoke premature birth.

Also, doctors do not recommend eating seasoning for women who are only planning a pregnancy in the current menstrual cycle.

Young stalks of celery are an excellent complement to any dish, add a characteristic flavor and aroma to it. In addition, they are very good for health, especially if you take precautions and do not abuse decoctions and juice from fresh herbs. If during the use of seasoning there was discomfort and unpleasant symptoms, then the reception must be urgently stopped.

Video: the benefits and harms of celery