As you embark on your pregnancy journey, you would always think about the health and happiness of the life you are nurturing inside. Not just that! You would always want to give your developing baby the best. Well! While ensuring the health of your baby within, you might just have to change your daily lifestyle by adding some activities as well as by changing your diet slightly. So, besides including the other things in your regular diet chart, you can even have various types of dry fruits and walnuts during pregnancy to keep yourself full during snack time and reduce your cravings.
Studies have revealed that higher nut consumption in pregnancy would mean lower nut allergies in babies. But, since we are harping on walnuts only, you might be wondering whether eating walnuts during pregnancy is safe or not.
Understand the Benefits of Walnuts During Pregnancy
Doesn’t the Walnut or akhrot look like a brain? 😊 Well! The walnut doesn’t just look like a brain, but it also adds to the functioning of the brain during pregnancy. The nutritional goodness of walnuts can also contribute to the health and development of your little one inside you. The benefits include:
Rich Source of Omega – 3
The foetal brain starts developing during the 3rd week of your pregnancy. Your unborn baby’s brain cells are stimulated by omega – 3 fatty acids. Along with this eating walnuts during your pregnancy can help in developing foetal vision.
Full of Antioxidants
Since walnuts are full of antioxidants like juglone, copper, vitamin E, etc. consuming them while you’re expecting your baby can keep you as well as the life inside safe from various infections and diseases.
A Good Source of Folate
Folate during pregnancy is an essential nutrient. Having folate in sufficient amounts can save your unborn baby from some major birth defects like spina bifida (a spinal cord defect) and anencephaly (a brain defect).
Has Copper, Zinc and Magnesium in the Right Quantum
Copper content helps in red blood cell production in the foetus besides helping in the proper foetal health and brain development. Magnesium is appropriate for strengthening the cartilage and bones of your baby. Zinc keeps infections away and reduces the chances of preterm labour.
A Good Source of Arginine
Arginine is a type of amino acid that stimulates the flow of blood. This component also helps in reducing the risk of high blood pressure or hypertension during pregnancy and keeps the cholesterol levels in your body under control by easing the flow of the blood.
Full of Fibre and Protein
Having strange cravings while you are looking after the life growing inside you is common. Since walnuts are loaded with fibre and protein, having walnuts during pregnancy, you would feel full throughout the day and prevent you from gaining additional weight.
A Valuable Source of Alpha-linolenic Acid
Pregnancy is the time to be happy. However, studies show that around 7% of you during pregnancy may feel stressed out and depressed thus snatching away your slumber. Walnuts or walnut oil contain alpha-linolenic acid that can keep your stress at bay and induce proper sleep, naturally.
Manganese is a Crucial Nutrient in Walnuts
With the presence of manganese, intake of walnuts in pregnancy can help in developing the cartilage and bones of your developing foetus.
A Rich Source of Phosphorous and Vitamin E
Pregnancy can leave your skin dry and with stretch marks. Eating Walnuts can be good for your skin. It can help in treating scars, and patches and further helps in lightening spots and dark circles. Adding on to this it can keep your skin soft, supple, moist as well as glowing.
How To Eat Walnuts During Pregnancy?
Too much of anything is bad. If you eat more than 30 grams or 10 walnuts during pregnancy, you might feel constipated, anaemic, and dizzy. Additionally, consuming more than the required amounts may give rise to weight gain. Therefore, consider these tips while you include walnuts in your pregnancy diet:
- Consider purchasing walnut from reliable brands.
- Avoid eating sugar-coated or salty walnuts.
- Avoid kernels which have dark spots in them.
- Have them fresh.
- Chop them and add them to your smoothies or salads to get a crunchy taste in your mouth.
Now that you are aware of the immense health benefits of eating walnuts during pregnancy, don’t think twice. Consult your healthcare practitioner for safe inclusion. For more information on pregnancy, postpartum, baby care, and the benefits of cord blood banking, follow our blog page.