Note! These are 6 benefits of dragon fruit for pregnant women that need to be understood

The benefits of dragon fruit for pregnant women are pretty diverse. Dragon fruit is widely liked because it has a sweet and refreshing taste. Not only can it be processed into drinks or juice, but dragon fruit can also be processed into snacks such as chips. In fact, this identical purplish-red fruit is also suitable as a healthy snack for pregnant women.

The mineral and vitamin content in dragon fruit plays a vital role in the health of pregnant women and their fetuses. One of them is that it is able to support the growth and development of the fetus. It doesn't stop there; dragon fruit is also able to help overcome various complaints that are often experienced by pregnant women, such as anemia and constipation.

This is, of course, inseparable from the content of various vital nutrients stored in dragon fruit, such as vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin C, vitamin B2 (riboflavin), antioxidants, protein, carbohydrates, iron, and fiber. Therefore, it is not surprising that dragon fruit has various benefits for pregnant women, so it is recommended that it be consumed during pregnancy.

Benefits of Dragon Fruit for Pregnant Women

The various nutritional contents stored in dragon fruit are known to help pregnant women go through their pregnancy solid and healthy. Summarized from different sources, here are some of the benefits of dragon fruit for pregnant women.

Helps Growth and Development of the Fetal Brain

One of the benefits of dragon fruit for pregnant women is that it can help the development of the fetus's brain. This is achieved thanks to the content of several types of antioxidants and also thiamine, which is needed in the process of fetal brain development. Not only that, dragon fruit also contains riboflavin, which is helpful in helping the body to produce energy, supporting the growth of the baby's muscles, bones, and nerves.

Maintain and protect cell health.

The abundant vitamin C content in dragon fruit is essential for the fetus to maintain and protect cell health. Apart from that, it can also help form collagen in bones, skin, muscles, and blood vessels. Vitamin C can also help the body absorb iron. However, as a pregnant woman, you still need to be wise in consuming vitamin C. The reason is consuming too much vitamin C during pregnancy can also increase the risk of premature birth.

Maintaining Blood Pressure Balance

As is known, dragon fruit has a reasonably high potassium content. Meanwhile, potassium itself is a type of mineral needed by pregnant women. Therefore, the potassium content in dragon fruit can help maintain the balance of body cell fluids in pregnant women.

Apart from that, potassium also has a vital role in maintaining balanced blood pressure. This is useful in preventing hypotension and hypertension in pregnant women. However, you need to avoid high blood pressure conditions when you are pregnant because this is a sign of preeclampsia (pregnancy poisoning/severe blood pressure disorder that can disrupt the body's organ system).

Increase the Fiber Intake that the Body Needs

The next benefit of dragon fruit for pregnant women is that it can increase the fiber intake needed by the body. Fiber is an ingredient that can help the food consumed move efficiently. Apart from that, fiber is also helpful in sending nutrients to other body organs. And a pregnant mother needs this.

Even though it is not very high, the fiber content stored in dragon fruit can be helpful in maintaining the health of the digestive tract of pregnant women. As a result, pregnant women will avoid constipation. Meanwhile, consuming foods that contain fiber during pregnancy is also helpful in helping maintain heart health, preventing constipation, and can reduce the risk of diabetes.

Prevent Pregnancy Complications

A pregnant woman needs magnesium intake during her pregnancy. This is because the magnesium content will work together with minerals to help relax and tighten muscles. Meanwhile, dragon fruit is one of the fruits that contains this content. The magnesium content in dragon fruit will help strengthen the baby's bones and teeth, regulate insulin, stimulate enzyme function, and also control blood sugar levels in pregnant women. Apart from that, dragon fruit can also help prevent pregnancy complications, such as premature birth or stunted fetal development.

Prevent Anemia

Some pregnant women are at risk of experiencing iron deficiency, which can affect sleep patterns. In other words, a pregnant woman may experience anemia in the second or third trimester of her pregnancy. Apart from taking supplements, pregnant women can also take advantage of dragon fruit because this fresh fruit contains quite an abundance of iron. It is known that the iron contained in dragon fruit can help red blood cells increase hemoglobin levels so they can carry oxygen throughout the body.

Those are the six benefits of dragon fruit for pregnant women that may not be given enough attention. After finding out, are you interested in making dragon fruit a healthy snack?

Illustration: Pexels/Any Lane