Benefits and harm of strawberries for pregnant women

Carrying a child, a woman should eat for two. And only useful, the best, fresh, natural products. In the diet of the pregnant must include vegetables, berries and fruits. But not all successively. Some should be treated with caution and if not completely excluded from the diet, then limit use.

To such ambiguous products, which are both very useful, but also in some sense dangerous, is the strawberry you love. During pregnancy, not all women, this delicious berry is allowed. And those to whom doctors do not forbid to eat fresh, fragrant, juicy strawberries, should be careful not to harm either themselves or the child in any way.

The benefits of strawberries - in vitamins

Pregnant women need to eat as much as possible foods rich in vitamins. In this respect, strawberries are certainly useful.

Its composition includes a variety of vitamins, which are extremely necessary for the human body. Especially for a woman, when a new life arises and develops in her.

• There are a lot of vitamins in a sunny berry. The most valuable are: ascorbic acid, B vitamins, Vitamin A, PP, E, H, etc. Vitamin C, for example, only 100 grams of fresh strawberries contain just under half the daily norm. And it, as is known, is one of the most effective immunomodulating substances, promotes the assimilation of iron, protects tissues from damage, has an excellent antimutagenic effect. So, thiamin( vitamin B1) reduces the likelihood of developing toxicosis, increases the digestibility of carbohydrates, promotes the activation of peripheral blood circulation, often disturbed during the bearing of the child.
• Riboflavin( B2), which is often referred to as the "vitamin of growth", stabilizes metabolic processes, takes part in the synthesis of important enzymes and antibodies. Without it, normal formation of nerve cells, bone and muscle tissues of the fetus is impossible. Being a supplier of this important component, strawberry during pregnancy is very useful, as vitamin B2 deficiency leads to a delay in the growth and development of the fetus.
• Nicotinic acid( vitamin PP) is considered one of the main components of oxidative and biochemical reactions of fat conversion to cholesterol. It positively affects the functions of the cardiovascular system, activates capillary blood flow, normalizes the digestive system.
• Vitamin B6( pyridoxine) is needed for the synthesis of hemoglobin and amino acids. In addition, with a deficiency of pyridoxine during pregnancy, toxicosis increases.

Useful elements and minerals in the strawberry

In addition to the universal vitamin composition in strawberries, there are many natural minerals useful for the future mother. In this berry you can find potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfur, phosphorus, iodine, copper, zinc, fluorine, nickel and many other valuable substances.

• Calcium is extremely necessary for the body not only the most pregnant, but also the fetus. Without it, normal formation of the bone and nervous system of the child, muscle fibers, including the heart muscle, is impossible.
• Potassium regulates water-salt and intracellular metabolism, is responsible for maintaining the Ph-balance, the work of the myocardium, the transfer of nerve impulses to muscle tissue.
• Magnesium is involved in the regulation of blood pressure, heart rhythms, normalizes the functioning of the central nervous system, is involved in many physiological processes.
• Iodine is also important for the body. It is necessary for the production of thyroid hormone - thyroxine, which is involved in the process of formation of the fetal nervous system. With iodine deficiency in the mother's body, especially in the early stages of pregnancy, the risk of developing a child's congenital pathologies and anomalies is likely. Lack of phosphorus is also fraught with abnormalities in the development of the skeleton and leads to a violation of fetal growth.
• Very bad, when for some reason pregnant women can not eat strawberries, because in this berry a lot of iron. This component is of paramount importance for the synthesis of hemoglobin, the lack of which, as is known, causes anemia. In turn, anemia of a pregnant woman leads to a lack of fetal mass, premature birth.

Strawberry - supplier of essential amino acids

Despite the fact that strawberries consist of water by 86%, it contains a whole complex of essential amino acids. For example, leucine, valine, isoleucine account for 35% of the protein structures of muscle tissue. Lysine takes part in the synthesis of hormones, enzymes, antibodies. Tryptophan is necessary for the synthesis of the hormone serotonin, which is one of the most important neurotransmitters and regulates the work of the brain.

In less quantity, alanine, serine, arginine, tyrosine, histidine, glutamic and aspartic acid have been found in strawberries. They are also important for maintaining the health of a pregnant woman and take a direct part in the intrauterine development of the child. For example, serine improves the absorption of iron, and glutamic acid is one of the components of protein synthesis.

The composition of berries in addition to vitamins, minerals, trace elements and amino acids includes substances with pronounced antioxidant properties: catechins, ellaglutanins, anthocyanins, stilbenes, Omega-3 fatty acids, ellagic acid. They resist the destructive effect of free radicals and strengthen the defenses of the future mother's body.

The great advantages of

The useful properties of strawberries and the positive effects on the body of a pregnant woman are expressed in the following:

• Thanks to the large content of pectins and plant fiber, strawberry helps to normalize digestion, improves intestinal motility, prevents constipation.
• Reduces elevated blood pressure, typical for women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
• Creates diuretic effect, removes excess fluid from the body, is prevention of edema.
• Helps to eliminate one of the main symptoms of toxicosis - nausea.
• Stimulates appetite.
• Regulates the level of sugar in the blood.
• Stabilizes overall metabolism and other metabolic processes.
• Improves the functioning of the circulatory and hematopoietic systems, positively affects the work of the heart.
• Prevents the development of anemia, kidney disease.
• Strengthens the immune system.
• Improves mood, it has a beneficial effect on the nervous system.

Therefore, during pregnancy, this tasty berry to the body of a woman and a child who has not yet borne brings a lot of benefits. But only if you use her woman will be without fanaticism, in reasonable quantities.

On the question of how much strawberries can be eaten by pregnant women, there is no clear answer. In the absence of any contraindications and well-being, the future mother can afford to eat up to 0.5 kg of fragrant sweet berries a day. But it's better to limit 100-200 grams per day, paying close attention to the reaction of the body.

When is strawberry harmful?

Everyone knows that in the list of the most common food allergens, strawberry is one of the first places. The degree of allergenic activity in this berry is extremely high. Therefore, during pregnancy, strawberries should be used with extreme caution. Women who have previously experienced an allergic reaction to this product, strawberries are strictly prohibited.

Allergies to strawberries can occur not only in the pregnant woman, but also in the fetus, since some of the allergens fall into his body. In this case, the risk of developing a newborn diathesis is likely.

To prevent such a situation, the pregnant woman should, if possible, completely stop using strawberries or at least strictly limit the amount of berries consumed.

This recommendation is especially important in the second half of pregnancy, after 22 weeks, as it is at this time the immune system of the child reaches a peak point of sensitivity to the effects of various kinds of allergens.

Women who do not suffer from allergies are often asked whether it is possible to have early strawberries in pregnancy. Alas, they too should be careful with this berry. Strawberry stimulates muscular contractions of the uterus, which in the first half of pregnancy and without it often is in a tonus. If you provoke the intensification of this process, you may face a threat of miscarriage.

The strictest ban on the use of this berry is imposed in the following cases:

• Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in a history of pregnancy( gastritis, ulcers of the duodenum and stomach, gastroduodenitis, increased gastric acidity, appendicitis).
• Urolithiasis.
• Hepatic and renal colic.
• Caries.
• Joint diseases, osteoporosis.

Overeating strawberries is fraught with very unpleasant consequences in the form of allergies to the skin, indigestion and diarrhea. We should not forget that in the strawberry there is a lot of oxalic acid, which has the property of washing out calcium from the body.

Since the load on the musculoskeletal system increases several times during the gestation period, calcium is sorely needed for the woman's body. In addition, calcium is the building material of bone and cartilaginous tissues of the fetus, so the lack of this element has a very negative impact on the fetal development of the child.

Thus, whether it is possible during pregnancy to eat strawberries or have to give up a favorite treat, the doctor should decide on the basis of general data on the health and physiological state of a woman. If the prohibition is relative, the expert must give the patient recommendations when, how and with what you can eat strawberries.

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