Have you heard a myth about how Hades tricked Persephone to live with him in the underworld? The myth stated after abducted Persephone, Hades gives Persephone a certain fruit that will bind her forever to Hades and underworld, the fruit here, according to the myth is pomegranate. Well, it is metaphorically saying, though Persephone doesn’t have child with Hades but pomegranate is always closely related to fertility since Persephone is the daughter of Demeter, the goddess of fertility. Even in modern world, pregnant mothers are highly recommended to consume pomegranate during their pregnancy.
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What is Pomegranate?
The botanical name of pomegranate is Punica granatum from family Lythraceae. Pomegranate could be found in all parts of the world with many varieties but this fruit has been cultivated since ancient time around Mediterranean and India.
There are some stories about the origin of the name but the most popular one comes from French word pomme-grenade which in old English means ‘apple of Grenada’. Some are mistaken the word Grenada from the name of city in Spain but the Grenada is derived from Latin word granatum which means ‘seeded’ while the Latin word for ‘apple is pomum. Indeed, here are health benefits of pomegranate juice during pregnancy.
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Nutritional Value of Pomegranate
| Pomegranate (Raw)
Serving Size: 100 g |
|
| Energy | 83 kcal – 4% |
| Carbohydrate | 18.7 g – 14% |
| Protein | 1.67 g – 3% |
| Total Fat | 1.17 g – 6% |
| Dietary Fiber | 4 g – 11% |
| Vitamins | |
| Folates | 38 µg – 9.5% |
| Niacin | 0.293 mg – 2% |
| Panthothenic Acid | 0.135 – 3% |
| Pyridoxine | 0.075 mg – 6% |
| Riboflavin | 0.053 mg – 4% |
| Thiamin | 0.067 mg – 5.5% |
| Vitamin C | 10.2 mg – 17% |
| Vitamin E | 0.6 mg – 4% |
| Vitamin K | 16.4 µg – 14% |
| Electrolytes | |
| Potassium | 236 mg – 5% |
| Sodium | 3 mg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium | 10 mg – 1% |
| Copper | 0.158 mg – 18% |
| Iron | 0.3 mg – 4% |
| Magnesium | 12 mg – 3% |
| Manganese | 0.119 mg – 5% |
| Phosphorus | 36 mg – 5% |
| Selenium | 0.5 µg – 1% |
| Zinc | 0.35 mg – 3% |
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Pregnancy is a gift. Mothers who are trusted with a baby inside their belly should do all the best to grow the baby with all the best care. Consuming foods which are packed with nutrients essentially required by the baby to grow is important and pomegranate is one of the fruits in the top of the list that should be consumed by pregnant mothers. Below are the reasons why pomegranate is highly recommended during pregnancy.
- Pomegranate is Rich of Dietary Fiber
Consuming foods rich of dietary fiber is essential for pregnant mother because due to some factors, during pregnancy, mothers are easy to suffer from constipation. That’s why consuming foods rich of fiber will make sure healthy digestive system and prevent constipation in the most natural and delicious way.
Also read:Â Health Benefits of Fiber
- Pomegranate is Great Source of Folat
It is a common knowledge that folate is essential for the development of baby brain and nerve system. Consuming folate during the first trimester is important but the problem is during that crucial moment, most mothers are suffering morning sickness, Pomegranate is not only able to reduce the symptoms of morning sickness but also make sure the optimal absorption of folate during that crucial moment.
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- Pomegranate is Natural Source of Minerals
Minerals like iron, zinc, magnesium, manganese, copper and calcium are essential during pregnancy. Iron, zinc and magnesium are responsible to the production of red blood cells which are essential for fetus development and prevent mother from anemia. Pomegranate is not only able to reduce the symptoms of morning sickness but also make sure the optimal absorption of folate during that crucial moment.
Also read: Side Effects of Taking Iron and Calcium Together
- Pomegranate Prevents Gestational Diabetes
One of the nightmares most mothers should face during pregnancy is gestational diabetes that could occur due to unhealthy diet. Pomegranate contains some properties that could prevent or reduce the risk of gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Though, still pregnant mothers should aware of the calories in pomegranate.
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- Pomegranate is Lowering the Risk of Injury to the Placenta
Some studies have proven that mothers who are drinking pomegranate juice regularly during pregnancy have lower risk of injury to the placenta.
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- Pomegranate is Excellent Source of Antioxidants
Antioxidants are essential compounds for mothers during pregnancy. Antioxidants are great to protect mothers and fetus from harmful effects of free radicals. Furthermore, antioxidants are playing important role in strengthening the immunity system because getting sick during pregnancy could be fatal to the baby, even high fever could be dangerous.
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- Pomegranate is Reducing the Risk of Damage in Baby Brain
Many studies have proven that pomegranate contains some compounds and organic properties that are great for baby brain. Those properties are not only promoting the healthy development of baby brain inside but also reducing the risk of damage to the brain. So, mothers could assure their babies are born healthy and with excellent brain.
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- Pomegranate is Rich of Vitamin C
During pregnancy, most doctors will prescribe mothers with vitamin C supplement because vitamin C is essential for mothers during pregnancy. However, you should know that supplement is produced with more chemical compounds that might have some side effects to the fetus. So, why don’t you consume pomegranate and enjoy the natural vitamin C from the fruit?
Also read: Vitamin C 1000 mg Benefits
- Pomegranate is Strengthening Immunity System
As mentioned above, the combinations of powerful antioxidant, vitamin C and vitamin K are some reasons why pomegranate is excellent fruit during pregnancy because it could strengthen your immunity system and protect both mother and the baby.
- Pomegranate is Great Source of Vitamin K
What do you know about vitamin K? Well, this kind of vitamin is essential to the development of strong bones besides calcium. During pregnancy, mothers should consume high nutrients foods to make sure optimal development of the fetus and vitamin K is one of the vitamins in the top of the list.
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- Pomegranate Contains High Amount of Potassium
Surely you have known that potassium is great to control blood pressure. During pregnancy, mothers are vulnerable to the spike of blood pressure and potassium in pomegranate will assist in controlling it to the safe level. Besides that, the sodium level in pomegranate is really low which will not affect your blood pressure at all.
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- Pomegranate is Safe Source of Calories
Though you should be careful with calories you consume during pregnancy to avoid obesity but still calories are one of the important compounds you should have during pregnancy because calories are the main source of energy. However, with the combination of high dietary fiber in pomegranate, you don’t need to worry about weight gain at all when consuming pomegranate as long as you know how to keep your appetite under control.
Also read: Foods and Drinks Calories Table
- Pomegranate Will Keep Body Hydrated
The water content found in pomegranate is relatively high and that’s why pomegranate is excellent and delicious fruit juice. The water will keep your body hydrated because dehydration during pregnancy could be dangerous for the fetus. Hydrated body means healthier metabolism, healthy metabolism means all parts of your body are working optimally so the baby inside your belly will grow optimally as well.
- Pomegranate is Great for Skin Health
Well, only mothers understand how bad their skin during pregnancy is. Acnes, oil skins, dull skins and black spots are like common problems they should face during pregnancy. Furthermore, for the sake of the baby, they should avoid all kinds of beauty products that contain chemicals that might be harmful for the baby development. However, now you don’t need to worry anymore because pomegranate is great for skin health and could be the natural solution most mothers have been looking for to keep their skin healthy during pregnancy.
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- Pomegranate is Reduce the Risk of Premature Child
Taking care premature child is not impossible but it is not easy either. That’s why is better to prevent your child born prematurely and pomegranate is one of the fruits that are highly recommended during pregnancy because it could reduce the risk of premature child. Drinking a glass of pomegranate juice in daily basis is highly recommended.
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Cautions of Pomegranate during Pregnancy
You must have been familiar that everything that is too much is never good. Though pomegranate is excellent for pregnancy and highly recommended to be consumed regularly during pregnancy, but still consuming them in excessive amount will never bring good thing. Below is some cautions of pomegranate you should aware of.
- The list above stated that pomegranate has a lot of benefits during pregnancy but the extract from the seeds could be dangerous for the fetus because it could cause uterine contraction. However, consuming the fruits and drinking the juice will not give you the same effect.
- Though calories are important for the development of the fetus but over eating it could lead to obesity to both fetus and the mother. Obesity during pregnancy could be really fatal.
- Pomegranate contains high potassium which is great to control blood pressure but if you are currently taking medication to prevent the spike, consuming pomegranate might affect and cause low blood pressure which is really dangerous during pregnancy.
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Not only for pregnant women, those who are currently not gifted yet with a baby could consume pomegranate because according to some studies, some properties in pomegranate could help boosting the fertility in women and boosting sex drive in men. Furthermore, this fruit is also one of the friendly foods for diabetic patients who keep craving sweet snacks and pomegranate could be the healthy snack they could consume even in daily basis. Pomegranate is not only delicious in taste or beautiful in appearance but also giving you a lot of health benefits of pomegranate juice during pregnancy, who eager to give birth to healthy babies.