Sour cranberries are familiar to everyone from childhood. It is called an incredibly healthy and, moreover, hypoallergenic berry, which is recommended for both adults and kids. Is it possible for pregnant women to eat the berry and how to do it in order to get the maximum benefit for the woman and baby?
Benefits for pregnant women
During pregnancy, it is difficult to find medicines that would not have a teratogenic effect on the fetus, this is especially true in the early stages of gestation. And the immunity of a woman expecting the birth of a child is weakened, and you can get sick at any time. And in light of this, women are advised to pay attention to affordable and healthy cranberries.
Red berries are rich in vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and many others vitamins and mineralsthat are considered important for women in "position". Along with their rich chemical composition, berries are low in calories, and 100 grams of the product contains only 28 kcal, and therefore the product is permissible for any initial weight of a woman, it does not in any way contribute to pathological weight gain.
Cranberries are rich in folic acid. This substance is widely used to prevent congenital malformations of the baby's central nervous system. Lack of folic acid can lead to the formation of defects in the neural tube of the fetus, which is fraught with hydrocephalus or microcephalus, as well as other defects of the spinal cord and brain, many of which are incompatible with life.
Unusual and characteristic sweet and sour taste of berries helps to cope with nausea with toxicosis in early pregnancy. Just a few red berries effectively relieve nausea and improve the well-being of the expectant mother. The use of cranberries helps to establish the normal functioning of the digestive system, intestines, and this property of the product by pregnant women can be used to prevent constipation and hemorrhoids.
The use of cranberries has a positive effect on the condition of the blood vessels. The chemical composition of the berries effectively strengthens the walls of blood vessels and improves their elasticity. The normal state of the vessels is a guarantee that a woman will not have problems with blood circulation in such a crucial period of life, and the baby will receive everything necessary through the uteroplacental blood flow.
It's believed that cranberry has a firming effect on the state of the immune system... From the first weeks it suppresses the effect of progesterone - this mechanism is provided to preserve the life of the developing fetus. But a weakened immune system cannot provide complete protection against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and the pregnant woman becomes more vulnerable to the threat of catching a cold and getting sick. If it was not possible to protect yourself from the disease, then again it is worth turning to cranberries - berries are suitable for preparing a drink from fever for colds and flu.
Cranberries are beneficial for those who suffer from bouts of hypertension. It helps to lower blood pressure levels and stabilize overall health. Cranberries have long been known as a natural diuretic that can be used for cystitis, pyelonephritis, and edema in the second half of pregnancy. For the body, such a mild diuretic effect will only be beneficial.
In general, the use of cranberries during pregnancy is welcomed by both doctors and specialists in the field of traditional medicine. Still, the berry has its own characteristics and even contraindications.
Therefore, before you stock up on cranberries for future use, you should consult with your doctor who monitors your pregnancy.
Contraindications and possible harm
It is unlikely that someone will dispute the numerous advantages of cranberries, but you should also be aware of the situations in which it is better to refuse its use. First of all, we are talking about quantity. The berry can harm absolutely any woman if consumed in large quantities.
It is not recommended to add sweet and sour berries to the diet of a pregnant woman if she has any diseases of the digestive system in an acute form. Especially dangerous is gastritis with increased acidity of gastric juice. A large amount of organic acids in the composition of berries can further disrupt the balance of acidity, which can lead to the development of ulcers and erosion. It is clear that you should not eat this berry if stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer, enterocolitis have already been diagnosed.
You should not use cranberries for pregnant women who suffer from hypotension - low blood pressure or bouts of its decrease. In these cases, a berry useful for hypertensive patients can significantly complicate and worsen the condition of the expectant mother and threaten the bearing of the baby. Cranberries further reduce blood pressure, and the consequences can be the most unpleasant.
Although cranberries are considered hypoallergenic, there are people who experience individual intolerance to this berry, and they, of course, should refrain from such a delicacy. If a woman has not tried cranberries before pregnancy, then the first intake during pregnancy should include only a few berries to check if there is any allergy to the product.
You should not get carried away with cranberries in their pure form and drinks from it for women who have weak tooth enamel, caries, since a large amount of ascorbic acid can additionally destroy it.
All other women can eat cranberries. But it is worth familiarizing yourself with the order of its application, since it also has its own nuances.
In what form is it better to consume?
Cranberries are useful in almost any form - fresh, dried, frozen. It is noteworthy that the berries almost do not lose their beneficial properties when frozen, and therefore you can make a supply of cranberries for the entire pregnancy. If you prefer to eat whole berries, fresh or thawed, then be careful with the amount - 10-15 berries a day will be enough, to relieve unpleasant symptoms of nausea, cheer up, improve the overall tone of the body. The same amount can be taken to prevent colds and viral ailments in the cold season, when the seasonal incidence increases.
Iyears can be added to tea, pre-kneading or whole. You can add into the compote. You will get a healthy and tasty drink for your daily diet. If you are sick, have a cold, or have cystitis, then you should think about making cranberry juice. Its recipe is simple and does not require deep culinary knowledge. It is the fruit drink that is the drink with the maximum amount of vitamins.
Homemade cranberry juice can be made from fresh or thawed berries. To do this, squeeze out the juice. The mass remaining after spinning must be filled with water and cooked for about 5 minutes. The broth obtained from the remnants of the berries is filtered, slightly cooled and combined with pre-squeezed juice.
It turns out a rather sour drink, and if drinking it is unpleasant, doctors allow the addition of a spoonful of honey, but only on the condition that the woman is not allergic to it and other beekeeping products.
The following proportions will help you to make the fruit drink correctly: a liter of water is put on a glass of berries, and, if necessary, a tablespoon of honey. Morse is best used for colds, flu, high fever. This is not to say that it is he who will lower the fever, but fruit drink will provide the body with vitamins, replenish the water balance, and recovery will go much faster.
If a woman suffers from hypertension, then it is better for her to brew cranberry infusion... It is he who is considered the optimal form, which cleans blood vessels in the best way and stabilizes pressure. For infusion, you need to take 3 tablespoons of fresh berries or half as much dried ones. Vegetable raw materials are poured with half a liter of boiling water. Better to keep the mixture in a thermos. The infusion time is from 7 to 9 hours. Then you should strain the resulting tincture and take in small portions before meals.
For edema, gestosis, prepare cranberry tea or light, not too concentrated cranberry infusion... If you have problems with the urinary system, it is better to make fruit drink. Also, experts believe that just 1 glass of homemade cranberry juice a day can be an excellent prevention of cystitis, and colds, and edema.
Recommendations for use
In early pregnancy, you need to be more careful with cranberries than in the 2nd and 3rd trimester. Remember that the berry is rich in ascorbic acid, and if you overdo it with the amount of berries, fruit drink or cranberry infusion, you can provoke hypertonicity of the uterine muscles. This is especially dangerous for women with a diagnosed threat of spontaneous abortion. Therefore, women who have previously suffered a miscarriage, have had the experience of premature birth, you should definitely consult a doctor. There are situations in which it is better to do without a certain product, but keep the pregnancy and not risk it.
If you consume the berry in moderation, then it will not affect the tone of the uterus either in the early or late stages. The berry itself does not predispose to overeating - you cannot eat too much acidic cranberries with all the desire. In the 1st trimester, with severe toxicosis, you can put several berries on a plate on the bedside table. Since nausea is more pronounced in the morning, it will be good to start the day after waking up by eating a few sour cranberries while lying in bed. And only then you need to get up and go do your usual things.
There are cranberries in the second trimester and almost until the very birth it is possible and necessary if you love this product and have no contraindications. However, 2-3 weeks before the upcoming birth, it would be correct to limit the use of cranberries, since they have a slight blood-thinning effect. In all pregnant women, shortly before giving birth, for natural reasons, there is a slight increase in platelets, this is how the body of the expectant mother prepares for the blood loss inevitable in the birth process. Thinning your blood with food or medication can cause bleeding during childbirth.
Often women complain of heartburn after eating this berry. If such a symptom occurs, it is better to refuse to use cranberries, it is possible that you have an individual food intolerance or the acidity of gastric juice is increased. Choosing a berry to feed a pregnant woman, give preference to fresh cranberries. If it is not possible to buy it, you can buy frozen in a package, but it is important that so that it is produced by reliable manufacturers who do not mix rotten and unusable product into the bag.
Remember that during pregnancy, allergies can appear even to those foods that, before conception, did not cause any negative consequences after consumption, and therefore use cranberries and drink drinks from them with caution, carefully observing your condition.
At any time, you should abandon jam, cranberry jam, as well as store-bought ready-made fruit drink, packaged in packs, as it contains sugar and preservatives that can seriously harm the health of mom and baby.
