Is It Safe to Eat Guava in Pregnancy?
The news of pregnancy is an event of joy. To have a healthy pregnancy, taking care of the needs of the body is important. During pregnancy, your body is bound to require energy in abundance. Further, there are also cravings for various foods. An important fruit that could be consumed for taste and health is Guava.
Consuming guava during any stage of your pregnancy is completely safe. There are several benefits of eating guava during pregnancy. An important thing to note while consuming guava during pregnancy is that the intake amount should be small. Also, always consume properly ripe and peeled fruit to prevent any health issues.
The excess consumption of any fruit is a risk to health. About 150 gms per day of guava consumption on a regular basis is advised for health benefits.
Nutritional Value of Guavas
The consumption of guava on a regular basis is accompanied by several benefits. The nutritional values of guava can be quite tempting as they are rich in all kinds of nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, folic acids and many more. Below-mentioned are the nutritional values of guava fruit:
1. Full of Vitamins
Guava fruit is known to be rich in all kinds of vitamins, such as Vitamin A, B2, C, and E. it is also believed to have more Vitamin C than oranges. Further, the fruit is also rich in antioxidants. Calcium, Manganese, and Potassium are some minerals found richly in guavas.
2. Rich in Folic Acid
During pregnancy, the foetus requires ascorbic acid and folic acids in abundance for its proper growth. These acids are readily available in guava. It is why the consumption of guava on a regular basis in balanced amounts could do well for the unborn baby.
Benefits of Guava in Pregnancy
As mentioned above, there are numerous benefits of guava during pregnancy. A single serving of guava consists of about 40 calories. During pregnancy, the below-listed benefits of guava are the most sought for the good health of the mother.
1. Relieves Digestive Issues
During pregnancy, pregnant women commonly encounter issues of digestive disorders such as diarrhoea, constipation, and acid reflux. This may be due to hormonal changes and the foetal growth pressurizing the mother’s stomach. As per studies conducted on rodents as a base study, the intake of guava helps prevent diarrhoea by flushing out the waste from the body.
2. Helps Prevent High Blood Pressure
During pregnancy, women are highly likely to develop conditions of high blood pressure or low platelet level after around 20 weeks of pregnancy. The condition is called preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is also possible after childbirth and causes troubles such as headaches, upper abdominal pain, weight gain, and other such symptoms.
As per studies conducted, if guavas are eaten before meals, they are known to reduce blood pressure conditions significantly. Further, the presence of potassium helps to prevent spikes in blood pressure levels. It also keeps your stomach’s PH levels in check.
3. Beneficial for Fertility
Guava is renowned for its nutrient content. Each serving has an immense amount of vitamins, minerals and acids to help during pregnancy. One of the benefits of guava is that it promotes fertility among women. However, there are no significant studies conducted on humans for establishing this fact completely and clearly.
4. Builds Immunity
A vital benefit of guava is that it builds immunity. Given a large amount of nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, acids, the guava fruit is known to act on the body and develop the immune system.
5. Maintains Blood Sugar Levels
During pregnancy, women may encounter the condition of gestational diabetes, which causes insulin resistance. Premature birth and preeclampsia are some of the effects that could follow this.
To avoid these conditions and manage the blood sugar levels, guava consumption in proper doses is beneficial. The high fibre content and presence of complex carbohydrates eradicates any spikes in the blood sugar levels.
6. Prevents Pregnancy-related Haemorrhoids and Constipation
Pregnant women have high chances of suffering from haemorrhoids and constipation due to hormonal issues. It may cause many troubles and follow-on effects on the overall health. However, if guava fruit is consumed in the proper amount, it may resolve the issue of irregular bowel movements and prevent constipation.
7. Reduces the Risk of Cancer
As mentioned earlier, guava is rich in antioxidants found in guavas are of great importance for pregnant women. Although cancer occurs at a probable affect rate of 1 in 1000 among pregnant women, yet preventing it is the best choice. Apart from antioxidants, guava consists of lycopene and Vitamin C. These nutrients help remove the toxins from the body.
8. Improves eyesight
During pregnancy, the human body needs a good intake of nutrients that help sustain the body for childbirth. The phase demands a consistent supply of nutrients that are present in fruits like guava, especially Vitamin A, which is good for eyesight. In fact, this is not just for the mother but also necessary for the good eyesight of the newborn.
9. Helps Calm Mind
Stress and mental fatigue are some of the common issues faced among pregnant mothers. During stress, the hormone cortisol is released. This could be harmful to the entire body of a mother as well as her unborn child.
To avoid this, the proper intake of guava helps avoid stress by acting on the hormone release glands. The magnesium nutrient present in guava fruit acts upon the nervous system and muscles of the pregnant mother and eases out any stress or tense zones.
10. Controls the Blood Cholesterol Levels
During Pregnancy, the body functions twice its usual capacity. Due to this, the hormonal changes could trigger many complications, of which blood cholesterol level imbalance is one. This could lead to heart diseases that may be fatal.
To avoid these conditions, the intake of guava could help prevent such conditions as it consists of high fibre content and potassium levels. The soluble fibre content found in guava fruit is known to lower the content of bad cholesterol, which is mainly responsible for heart conditions.
11. Helps Treat Anaemia
Pregnant women are often victims of anaemia, a condition caused due to the deficiency of iron. To prevent this, foods rich in iron must be consumed. The guava fruit, which consists of ascorbic acid, is rich in iron nutrients.
As per studies, the daily consumption of guava in measured quantities could help cure the condition of anaemia.
12. Excellent source of Vitamins B3 and B6
Quite often, pregnant women find themselves easily disturbed and lacking focus. An important reason for this is the need for Vitamins B3 and B6. The guava fruit is an excellent source of B3 and B6 Vitamins. They help pregnant women improve their concentration levels and hence build on their cognitive health.
13. Curbs Morning Sickness
Morning sickness is one of the routine issues faced during pregnancy. Nausea, vomiting, and anxiety are some of the common symptoms encountered. At such times, having guava could remove feelings of nausea and anxiousness. Also, consuming seedless guava extract with buttermilk could help avoid vomiting and anxiousness.
14. Prevents Infections
During pregnancy, the stress conditions could give rise to fungal and bacterial infections. It is a common occurrence. However, the guava fruit contains carotenoids, polyphenols, Vitamins E, A, and C. These nutrients are well known for fighting off any possibilities of infections.
Tips to Eat Guavas During Pregnancy
From the benefits listed above, it is clear that guava is good for pregnancy. However, what should be the method of guava consumption? Here are some tips for consuming guavas during pregnancy:
- Before you eat guava, check the colour of the pulp. The white pulp of the guava fruit is more beneficial than the red pulp.
- Guavas can be consumed at breakfast time or as evening snacks.
- Always eat ripe guava as it has the most benefits with the least side effects.
Also Read: 12 Foods That Can Cause Miscarriage
Side Effects of Guava During Pregnancy
Although the consumption of guava has immense benefits, there are also some side effects that come alongside the benefits. An improper consumption or wrong way of consumption could lead to serious complications for pregnant women. Although, as per studies, there are no significant side effects of the fruit, here are some precautions to keep in mind before guava consumption.
- Wash and peel the guava skin to avoid ingesting bacteria alongside the fruit.
- Excess consumption of guavas may cause diarrhoea. This can occur due to the excess amount of fibre content.
- Consult your doctor before consumption of the guava fruit on a regular basis.
Summing Up on Guava in Pregnancy
The consumption of guava during pregnancy has an immense number of benefits. During the consumption of guava fruit, one must be sure of any allergies, if any, from the fruit contents. Pregnant women could prevent a number of health conditions and body issues by a regular intake of guava during pregnancy.
Numerous studies have been conducted to find some proof of complete reliability. However, to be completely sure of its benefits on an individual basis, consulting the health professional is a good practice. Ensuring healthy eating habits during pregnancy is one of the keys to a smooth pregnancy.
References -
- Pooja Gupta and Tannaz Birdi, March 2015; Psidium guajava leaf extract prevents intestinal colonization of Citrobacter rodentium in the mouse model - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4395930/
- R B Singh, S S Rastogi, N K Singh, S Ghosh, S Gupta, M A Niaz, February 1993; Can guava fruit intake decrease blood pressure and blood lipids?- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8383769/
- Evi Wahyuntari, Sri Wahtini, January 2020 -The effect of guava juice toward haemoglobin levels in pregnant women - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338846647_The_effect_of_guava_juice_toward_haemoglobin_levels_in_pregnant_women
- Elixabet Díaz-de-Cerio, Vito Verardo,Ana María Gómez-Caravaca, Alberto Fernández-Gutiérrez,and Antonio Segura-Carretero, April 2017; Health Effects of Psidium guajava L. Leaves: An Overview of the Last Decade - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5412476/
