Until recently, doctors did not recommend that pregnant women eat dried apricots. It was referred to the fact that dried apricot is too sweet, that it is difficult to digest and creates an increased burden on digestion and metabolism. However, over time, the attitude towards dried apricots has changed, and today this dried fruit may well be included in the menu of a future mother, if she has no contraindications to the use of the product.
What's the use?
Dried apricots are dried apricot. This is not the only dried fruit made from apricots. There is also apricot, kaisa and ashtak. Dried apricots differ from other "brothers" in the absence of bones. For dried fruit, mainly apricot varieties are used, which give large fruits. Most of the dried apricots sold in the world today are dried in Turkey and California.
The method of preparation is natural drying, which means that the fruit retains almost the full range of vitamins, minerals and organic acids inherent in fresh apricots. The real leader in terms of quantity in the composition is potassium, followed by phosphorus, calcium, iron. The calorie content of the product is high and amounts to 250 kcal per 100 grams of the product.
About a third of the finished dried apricots consists of water. Vegetable protein is about 3 grams, and there is almost no fat - no more than half a gram in 100 grams of dried apricots. Most of the composition is represented by carbohydrates, dried apricots are sweet. Fiber - about 10%.
If we talk about which dried apricot fruit is the most useful, then, alas, it will not be dried apricots at all, but apricots, in which the stone is preserved. Whole fruit is considered more nutritionally valuable than cut dried apricots.
Thanks to this composition, dried fruit has a pronounced tonic effect. The presence of organic acids is important for cleansing the body of the expectant mother from heavy metal salts, toxins and toxins. Fruit sugar, which is rich in dried apricots, is presented in such an amount that more than satisfies a pregnant woman's need for sweets, because it is no secret that confectionery sweets are not recommended for expectant mothers.
There is so much iron in the fruit that with the help of dried apricots, you can provide excellent prevention of anemia - For pregnant women, it is enough to eat a small amount of dried fruit every day to keep the hemoglobin level within the normal range.
Dried apricots taste good, and this should be taken into service in the first trimester of pregnancy, during morning sickness with toxicosis. Just a couple of dried fruits, eaten on an empty stomach upon waking, will help suppress the onset of nausea.
Dried fruit is very beneficial for constipation. Its laxative effect is not as strong as that of a plum, but with a short mild constipation, dried apricots can gently and delicately help the expectant mother.
Due to the large amount of potassium, dried apricots during pregnancy have properties that can normalize the water-salt balance, relieve swelling and reduce blood pressure. In addition, it can reduce the level of acidity in gastric juice, and therefore it is recommended for women suffering from severe heartburn.
The systematic use of dried apricots helps to strengthen the enamel of the teeth and gums. Magnesium in the composition improves mood and improves sleep and memory. A mild diuretic effect is useful in the later stages, as it allows you to remove excess fluid.
With all the visible benefits, a woman in an "interesting position" needs to be careful - in some cases dried apricots can cause serious harm.
Potential harm, risks and contraindications
The main danger that a woman should not forget about is the presence of a toxic inorganic compound, which is used in the industrial harvesting of dried apricots. To keep dried fruits bright, orange, E220 additive is often used - this is tetravalent sulfur oxide. In this way, the vast majority of dried apricots that you see on store shelves are prepared.
If you consume dried fruits with this preservative for a long time, sulfur dioxide accumulates in the body. If there is an increased sensitivity to this substance, then the lungs and bronchi may be affected, sometimes the additive causes the development of allergic bronchial asthma. According to statistics, about 2% of the world's population suffers from increased sensitivity to sulfur dioxide.
In the early stages of pregnancy, high concentrations of sulfur dioxide in a woman's body can lead to the formation of gross malformations of the fetus, as well as to its intrauterine death and subsequent spontaneous abortion.
Dried apricots as a product are not recommended by doctors for women who often suffer from digestive disorders, as well as for women with allergies.
If you have a history of bronchial asthma, the product is also considered prohibited.
Dried apricots need to be abandoned by women who are hypotensive, suffering from low blood pressure, as well as expectant mothers, whose pregnancy proceeds against the background of diabetes mellitus or gestational diabetes. Even if blood sugar levels are borderline, but still normal, dried apricots are not recommended, since the glycemic index of the product is high.
How to use it correctly?
If there are no contraindications, then you can safely introduce dried apricots into your diet, adhering to the principle of rationality - do not overeat and do not replace other important metabolic foods with dried apricots. remember, that Dried apricots are digested for a very long time in the digestive tract, and therefore the maximum recommended amount for pregnant women is not more than 100 grams of dried fruit per day.
You will get the maximum benefit if you use it raw, because with any heat treatment, dried apricots lose the lion's share of nutrients. Therefore, compote, decoction and infusion of dried apricots are more drinks, the purpose of which is to stimulate kidney function and restore water balance, than to get more vitamins and minerals for the body.
When choosing dried apricots for a pregnant woman's table, pay attention to the color. If the fruit is bright, orange, almost fantastic, do not take it, bearing in mind the method of harvesting using sulfur dioxide. It is better to take a less beautiful, darker, but always with a matte or grayish shade of dried apricots. It was dried naturally without the addition of a preservative.
You need to store dried fruit at home away from direct sunlight... Before eating, it is advisable not only to wash the dried fruit, but also to soak it in warm water for a quarter of an hour, and then drain and rinse again under running water. After such preliminary preparation, the fruits are quite suitable for adding to salads, yogurt, cottage cheese, dried fruit goes well with chicken, veal and beef. It can be incorporated into baked goods and desserts.
During pregnancy, when factory sweets are mostly prohibited, a woman can make healthy sweets by mixing dried apricots, prunes, raisins and walnuts in approximately equal amounts after grinding in a blender. Moistened with lemon juice and rolled into balls or sausages, such candies will not only be a delicious sweet treat, but will also bring real benefits in the early and late stages of pregnancy.
Adding dried fruit to tea or adding to compote is a great way to restore water balance. with a cold or viral illness, if a pregnant woman is sick, as well as after food poisoning, intestinal infection, accompanied by profuse vomiting and frequent diarrhea. To combat constipation, dried apricots in general are useful; it is advisable to use it on an empty stomach. For edema, an aqueous extract of dried apricots is more suitable. Dried fruits for him are insisted in hot, but not boiling water for at least 5-7 hours.
You should not end a hearty lunch or a hearty dinner with dried apricots. This dried fruit is worthy to be taken on its own as a snack between meals. No matter how pleasant the sour-sweet taste of dried apricots may seem, be careful about the amount eaten - exceeding the recommended amount can lead to a set of extra pounds, an increase in blood sugar, the development of gestational diabetes, and digestive disorders.
