Yellow sun corn is a favorite treat for both adults and children. It cheers up, saturates. And it is not surprising that many pregnant women want to taste it. Is it possible to consume this cereal crop while waiting for a child and are there any restrictions, this article will tell.
What's the use?
It is a mistake to think of corn as a vegetable or fruit - it is a cereal that has a rich history. Even 10 thousand years ago, Indian tribes began to grow it on the territory of modern Mexico. Maize became widespread thanks to the traveler Columbus.
Corn cobs are edible immediately after harvest - raw corn is very healthy, but not very tasty, and therefore it is usually boiled in salted water. If you need to store the cereal on the cob for a long time, then you can freeze it - the culture will almost not lose its properties. Both boiled and canned corn are used for salads. Corn flour is widely used for baking. A wide variety of cornflakes are available on store shelves - breakfast cereals that only need to be added with milk or yogurt. Well, everyone's favorite popcorn is also corn grains.
Found application in medicine corn stubs with stigmas. They are rich in vitamins and traces of essential oil, saponins, resins. They are used as a diuretic and choleretic agent. Often, stigmas are recommended for patients with liver disease and gallstone disease.
Are all types of cereals equally good for pregnant women? Not all. On the cob, boiled, a young culture will only benefit, while doctors do not recommend eating canned food and popcorn for pregnant women.
The beneficial properties of the plant lie in its rich chemical composition. note that the uniqueness of corn lies in the fact that, firstly, it almost does not absorb fertilizer chemicals that are used to process the fields, and, secondly, it does not lose its beneficial properties during heat treatment: boiling or freezing.
Yellow sun seeds rich in B vitamins essential for well-being and metabolism, vitamin C, niacin... They contain enough mineral salts: calcium, magnesium, iron. The culture is rich iodine, which is important for maintaining the thyroid gland of a woman and the correct formation of the embryo.
For all the benefits that the ears of a cereal crop carry, it has one important drawback - the calorie content of the product is very high: 123 kilocalories per hundred grams.
On the one hand, this makes the product an excellent remedy for satisfying hunger, and on the other hand, corn is becoming an undesirable dish for obese women with pathological weight gain, as it contributes to the accumulation of extra pounds.
The culture is rich in starch. It is absorbed much easier than potato, and has a positive effect on the functioning of the nervous system and the condition of the muscle tissue of the mother and the fetus. Nutritionists strongly recommend include corn in the diet of women suffering from gout, epilepsy, liver ailments.
In the absence of contraindications, systematic moderate consumption of corn during pregnancy helps to cope with hunger, reduces nausea and a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen with toxicosis. For pregnant women in the early stages, it is enough to eat just a few yellow grains so that the attack of morning nausea recedes and the condition relieves.
It is believed that the use of the product has a positive effect on the metabolism, increases efficiency, reduces edema. Corn contains vegetable fiber and can be included in the diet of expectant mothers as a means of preventing constipation. However, overeating has the opposite effect - starch helps to hold the stools together.
Therefore, in order not to suffer from constipation and not to gain extra pounds due to the high calorie content, pregnant women are advised to eat no more than one cob per day.
Potential harm and contraindications
Even the most delicious and healthy dish can be harmful if the eater does not know the measures. This fully applies to corn. Even if a pregnant woman really wants sun seeds, you should adhere to the recommended amount - one ear or plate of corn porridge a day.
If you disregard this requirement, then the weight will begin to grow rapidly, and obesity contributes to the development of preeclampsia - a dangerous complication of pregnancy and childbirth.
It is not recommended to abuse the cereal crop for obese women and women with low body weight. The latter, oddly enough, especially. The fact is that culture discourages appetite, and a woman, after a nutritious snack, may not want to eat at the main meal. With a lack of body weight, this can harm not only the mother, but also the unborn child.
Doctors do not recommend eating corn for women who suffer from increased blood clotting during pregnancy and are at risk of thrombosis. The product, thanks to starch and mineral salts, contributes to its even greater thickening.
Contraindications to the use of the product are considered gastritis and gastric ulcer, pancreatitis, colitis and enterocolitis. Corn, although infrequently, causes severe allergies, and therefore the product is strongly discouraged for women with a history of allergies. The strongest allergen is considered to be corn silk. Therefore, allergy sufferers are advised to separately consult a doctor.
Canned corn is not strictly banned, But doctors do not advise all expectant mothers without exception to eat the product in this form, since preservatives are used in its preparation, and sometimes even flavors that can pose a danger to the developing fetus in the womb. If you really want to add just such a culture to the salad, then it is advised to choose it only in a glass container. It is desirable that the conservation took place in the summer, the date of manufacture will help to find out.
Corn flour is fine in moderation, as is butter. But doctors strongly warn against popcorn of pregnant women.
Tips for correct use and selection
In the first trimester, corn can be an excellent assistant in the fight against toxicosis, the main thing is not to overeat. It is during this period that the organs and systems of the child are laid, he has his own metabolism. An excess of high-calorie food in a mother's diet can cause excess fetal weight, heart and blood vessel pathologies.
In the 2nd trimester a woman can decide for herself how much cereal to eat, unless, of course, there is a tendency to constipation. In the 3rd trimester the amount of this product should be slightly reduced - this will help control weight and approach childbirth in good physical shape.
When choosing corn for feeding a pregnant woman, it should be remembered that it is extremely dangerous to take boiled ears from hands. No one will honestly say in what conditions they were cooked, whether the one who cooked them was healthy. Therefore, it is better to cook corn yourself.
You need to choose cobs with leaves. If the crop is grown using a large number of nitrogenous growth accelerators, then the leaves turn gray, and sellers have to remove them in order to maintain presentation.
Therefore, your choice is ears with leaves. But the leaves need to be examined more carefully: if they are completely dry, this means that the harvested crop was stored under the sun, so the grains inside are dry and will be tough. Only an ear of green and succulent leaves can guarantee that you will boil juicy and sweet corn.
A good ear is an ear with evenly spaced kernels without outward signs of fungal or parasite infestation. If mold is observed on the leaves, then be sure that the ear is also affected inside.
It should not smell harsh, be mixed with synthetic odors. The presence of such a "flavor" suggests that the ear was recently treated with pesticides - this is not the best option for a pregnant woman.
Purchased ears cannot be stored in leaves for more than two days: it dries quickly, becomes tough and starchy. Cook it right away and eat it to your health.
In the second half of pregnancy, corn oil can be used to prevent stretch marks on the skin, for this you can massage problem areas with it. And before childbirth, this product can be used for an intimate massage of the perineum: it increases tissue elasticity and makes childbirth easier.
