Grape berries are among the favorites of both adults and children. And it has always been believed that grapes are a guarantee of longevity and health. However, with the onset of pregnancy, a lot changes, including the approach to the diet of the expectant mother. And there is a place for grapes in it, alas, not always.
Beneficial features
Grapes are considered a dietary product, which gives it the full legal right to enter the therapeutic diet for certain ailments and conditions. Pregnancy is no exception. You can eat grapes while waiting for the baby, but with great care and adherence to certain rules for using the product.
The benefits of berries in this case will be great. Grapes contain many valuable substances that are necessary for both the expectant mother and her child during pregnancy. Berries are rich in organic acids, such as citric and malic acids, and are high in calcium, cobalt, potassium and iron. And also rich glucose and fructose, contain an almost complete set of vitamins necessary for bearing a baby and well-being of a mother.
B vitamins are useful for pregnant women already because they take an active part in metabolic processes. And also they protect the nervous system, and a woman with moderate but regular use of grapes becomes more stress-resistant, improves sleep and appetite.
Grapes are rich in vitamin PP, and nicotinic acid is an important participant in the formation of fruit tissues. Vitamin A it is necessary for the correct laying of the organs of vision of the crumbs, but its excess can lead to the formation of malformations, and therefore grapes must be consumed in moderation, especially if a woman is taking synthetic vitamin preparations.
Berries contain antioxidantsthat are necessary to remove toxins and toxins from the body. Dark grape varieties are more rich in antioxidants, and therefore they should be the priority choice for vomiting, toxicosis, after infections.
Vitamin C in the composition of the product helps to strengthen the immune defense, which is greatly weakened during the gestation period. Vegetable fiber is necessary for harmonious digestion, it reduces the likelihood of constipation and helps prevent such a common complication of pregnancy as hemorrhoids.
Beautiful and juicy berries are rich iron, and by its content they are only slightly inferior to apples. Therefore, grapes, if there are no contraindications to its use, can be used to prevent anemia and with diagnosed anemia.
An abundance of glucose - a guarantee of maintaining the energy system. If a woman is very tired, feels overwhelmed, a small amount of grapes will help to gain vigor and vitality.
A woman in anticipation of the birth of a child can eat fresh grapes and drink juice from it. The liquid form is most preferred for increasing the level of hemoglobin in the blood.
Grape seeds are high in vitamin E. Tocopherol helps to keep the skin in good shape, and therefore grapes with seeds, if eaten this way, can be a good remedy for the prevention of stretch marks.
But do not forget about the likelihood of appendicitis and intestinal obstruction, there are too many grape seeds.
Which variety should you choose?
Grapes are a pretty general concept. If you look more closely, you should understand that not all varieties of berries are equally useful for pregnant women. The species differ not only in the color of the skin, but also in the main characteristics and composition. And also there are dessert varieties and technical ones. The first ones are more intended for fresh food, and the technical ones are raw materials for winemaking, they are sweeter.
Pregnant women should not eat black grapes. This is a technical grade that contains a record amount of sugar. If you put it on a plate and put it on the table, then midges fly off very quickly, and if you hold it for a little even in the refrigerator, a pronounced smell of fermentation appears. In small portions, such grapes are allowed, but not in a state of pregnancy... This variety is best left for winemakers - it has no equal in wine production.
Green varieties are allowed for pregnant women - they are rich in potassium and have a diuretic effect, can help get rid of edema. Large green grapes with seeds are a great option for expectant mothers, as they contain moderate amounts of sugar with a high concentration of vitamins.
Kishmish has no seeds, but there is much more sugar in it than is needed for nutrition, especially if there are problems with weight. However, raisins are necessary for the prevention of anemia, and it also helps to lower blood pressure.
Red grapes are a storehouse of antioxidants. It is more suitable for those who suffer from toxicosis and experience intoxication. But it is better to refuse from the purple "Isabella", because it causes allergic reactions more often than other varieties.
Contraindications and potential harm
Since grapes contain a large amount of glucose, the berry is contraindicated for women with overweight problems. If obesity was diagnosed before pregnancy, or there is a pathological weight gain for the current gestational age, it is recommended to refuse the use of grapes, replacing the sweet juicy berry with a less sweet one, and for this reason it is more useful in this situation.
Diabetes mellitus is also a contraindication to the use of grapes during pregnancy. - both manifest and gestational. The glycemic index of the product is high, and therefore it is difficult to predict and keep under control the increase in blood sugar after such a treat. To a limited extent, the doctor can allow grapes for women who have a borderline state and already have metabolic disorders, but have not yet reached diabetes.
Often grapes increase the bloating of the intestines, increase gas production, especially varieties that are prone to rapid fermentation. And therefore it is not recommended to take these berries if a woman has previously been diagnosed with ailments such as colitis, enterocolitis, stomach ulcer.
The sweet berry is dangerous for the fair sex with dental health problems. The risk of developing and aggravating caries, stomatitis, gingivitis increases. Therefore, after a meal that contained grapes, it is recommended to rinse your mouth with clean drinking water so that microbes have no chance of reproducing rapidly in a sweet environment.
A woman "in position" can get harm from grapes even in the absence of contraindications, but when exceeding the permissible recommended amount of the product... The berries contain resveratrol, which in small quantities helps fight bacteria, and in large quantities it can disrupt the effect of medications taken. Some of the breakdown products of resveratrol can be toxic.
It is considered acceptable an amount not exceeding one average bunch per day, a couple of times a week. Juice, if it is fresh, squeezed on its own, for example, in an amount of no more than a glass per day.
Features of use
If there are no contraindications, then a woman at any time can eat grapes without fear. And knowledge of the rules for its use will help to do everything safely and with maximum benefit for the body.
First of all, it is important not to overeat, to adhere to the measure. If you want berries so much that a woman cannot sleep well, dreaming of an additional bunch, then it is better to choose unsweetened varieties. You can eat a little more of them.
It is advisable to choose seasonal grapes... The second half of summer and the beginning of autumn is the best time for this berry to ripen, and during this period the product is the most natural and healthy. In the cold season, grapes are brought to Russia from afar, and in order not to incur losses due to damage on the road, producers are forced to use chemicals to treat the bunches. Such grapes will not bring benefits for sure, but they can do harm.
In the 1st trimester of pregnancy, you should not eat too much sweet juicy berries. At this time, it is best to choose red and green varieties. If it is possible to make juice, make it yourself - there is a lot of sugar and preservatives in a purchased factory-made product, and there may also be flavors and stabilizers.
During embryogenesis, which occurs in the early stages, such substances can be extremely dangerous for the developing baby.
In the 2nd trimester, the choice is wider - if there are no contraindications, a woman can afford sweeter varieties, but with their introduction into the diet, the total amount of sweet should be reduced. If you suffer from swelling, or anemia appears, you can mix grapes with walnuts. It is only important to consider that the nut also has its own contraindications. Make sure you tolerate this product well.
In the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, a large amount of grapes can lead to an increase in fetal body weight. And therefore, women who, according to preliminary estimates of doctors, are carrying a large baby, should refrain from sweet varieties of berries, and even with more acidic ones, they should not go overboard. In the later stages of gestosis, grape juice from unsweetened varieties will help in getting rid of puffiness, to maintain the level of blood pressure in the norm.
At any time, you should not eat grapes with signs of rot, brown spots, too soft, cracked. In the sweet pulp, pathogenic bacteria multiply very quickly. And this can cause poisoning with serious consequences.
For dangerous foods during pregnancy, see the following video.
