Eating dates in different stages of pregnancy
One of the common questions of pregnant women is the effect of consuming dates on the body in different stages of pregnancy, which we will examine below:
Eating dates in the first three months
Consuming dates in the first three months of pregnancy is important because it helps prevent and treat constipation, which is a common problem, especially in the first three months.
However, if you suffer from blood sugar problems or streptococcal group B infection, it is necessary to limit the consumption of this food in the first three months.
Eating dates in the second trimester
If you have high blood sugar or your blood sugar test is not normal, avoid eating dates in the second trimester because the possibility of developing gestational diabetes is high during this period.
Although it is recommended to consult a doctor in this case because eating a few dates usually does not have any particular harm.
Eating dates in the third trimester
Eat dates in the third trimester because this food item helps to contract the uterus due to its natural laxative properties and is useful for shortening and facilitating the entire delivery process.
For this purpose, it is recommended to start eating 6 dates a day from the beginning of the 36th week, which is about a month before the possible time of delivery.
Eating dates in summer and winter
Many pregnant women believe that consuming dates in the summer causes stomach upset and avoid consuming them, while this issue has not been scientifically proven.
However, since women’s bodies produce a lot of heat during pregnancy due to various physical and hormonal changes, eating a large amount of dates, especially in the summer season, increases body heat, which can cause complications in the last days of pregnancy. have
The opposite is also true, consuming dates in winter is beneficial due to its warm nature and reduces body cold, although excessive consumption is not recommended under any circumstances.
In general, pregnant women need 300 extra calories per day for the better growth of the fetus, it is recommended to get these extra calories from healthy food sources and avoid consuming foods that lack nutritional value and contain a lot of sugar.
How to use dates during pregnancy
There are different ways to consume dates during pregnancy, the first and easiest of which is to eat raw dates. Other ideas include:
Smoothie: To make a smoothie, put 6 dates with a cup of yogurt into a blender and mix.
Syrup: Mix dates and milk to make date syrup and add it to ice cream, toast, waffles or oatmeal.
Dessert: To prepare a simple date dessert, add a few dates to some steamed bulgur and pour some honey on it.
Sweetener: You can use dates instead of sugar to sweeten milk and other drinks because fructose is a healthier option than sucrose.
Cookies: To make cookies more delicious, add some dates to the dough.
Date type
There are different types of dates, but regardless of the type, you can use this food item as a snack as well as in food recipes.
Two types of nutritious dates for consumption during pregnancy are:
Jujube is rich in iron and eating it helps prevent anemia, this type of date is also known to improve the quality of breast milk and prevent postpartum bleeding.
Majul dates help to provide all the nutrients needed by pregnant women. This date is an excellent source of carbohydrates, protein and fiber and has a low fat content, it also contains several vitamins, folate, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, thiamin and vitamins A, C and K.
The high level of iron in Majoul dates reduces bad cholesterol and helps maintain heart health, its antioxidants also reduce the risk of cancer.