Being pregnant is one of the most crucial stages of a woman’s life and she is extra cautious about trying anything new, especially concerning her diet habits. Pregnancy is a very delicate phase, and foods that are rich in nutrients don’t need to be safe to consume. It is therefore always advisable to be properly informed about what you are eating and what cautions you should exercise. One such controversial food item, which is a topic of a dilemma for many pregnant women is – lemon water in pregnancy.
Lemon is a wonderful fruit with many health benefits; however, before consuming it, you must be aware of the pros and cons to make a balanced choice. Here is a quick guide that can help you decide the pros and cons of consuming lemon water during pregnancy.
Drinking Lemon Water In Pregnancy
To avoid consuming harmful bacteria, buy fresh lemons and wash them cleanly first. Then, cut the lemon in half and squeeze the half into a glass by hand or using a lemon juice extractor. Add warm, cold or hot water into it. After making it drink your lemon water in pregnancy immediately. You can squeeze the other half of the lemon into the same glass for a stronger flavour or store it in the fridge for a drink after. The water gets from lemon half contains nearly eight calories and gives you 20% of your daily vitamin C needs to you.
Benefits Of Lemon Water During Pregnancy:
- Good source of Nutrition: Lemons are an almost complete source of all essential vitamins, minerals that are needed during pregnancy. Apart from being a rich source of vitamin C, lemon is also a rich in flavonoids, B-complex vitamin, vitamin A, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, pantothenic acid, vitamin B-6, niacin, vitamin E and riboflavin, all of which are vital nutrients for the growth and development of your unborn baby. Eating lemons during pregnancy may be an effective way of ensuring that you are getting these nutrients
- Relieves Morning Sickness: During the first trimester if you are suffering from nausea, then lemon can work wonders for you. It checks the excessive flow of bile and also act as a freshener for the mouth and thus helps in reducing the nauseating feeling in expecting mothers. However, if you have severe nausea, you must not just rely on lemons, but seek medical advice
- Lowers hypertension: Consuming lemons can also help you in reducing your blood pressure. Basically, lemons help in keeping blood vessels soft and pliable; it removes any rigidity present there and thus reduces the condition of high blood pressure in many pregnant women. It is also thought to help in reducing cholesterol
- Aids Digestion and relieves constipation: Lemon water aids in digestion and helps in relieving constipation which is most common problems as lemon water in pregnancy increases the peristalsis movements in bowels and thus helps in eliminating the waste from your body
- Boosts immunity: It’s important to stay fit and healthy during pregnancy, and lemon water prevents you from most common diseases like fever, common cold and flu. Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C and thus is loaded with health benefiting nutrient that improves the body’s natural defence mechanism and helps it to fight against virus and bacteria. Lemon also helps in thinning mucus, reducing phlegm and clearing the chocked respiratory system
- Good for bones: Lemon water is a great source of calcium and magnesium, thus helping in building bones and improving bone health. The potassium in lemon water nourishes the nerves and the brain cells
- Prevents urinal- genital infections: Lemon water is rich in diuretic properties and is very beneficial for maintaining healthy kidney functions and thus prevents urinogenital infections in expecting mothers
Caution For Drinking Lemon Water In Pregnancy:
- Can cause heartburn: In the later stages of pregnancy, many women suffer from heartburn. The high acidity content present in lemons can sometimes trigger or aggravate these symptoms. It’s better to avoid eating lemons and other citrus foods if you are having any above said symptoms
- Dental problems: During pregnancy, de-calcification is quite common, and your bones and teeth are more prone to it. The high amount of citric acid present inside lemons are capable of damaging your teeth enamel and may lead to serious dental problems. So it’s advisable to avoid consuming lemon water on a regular basis, or best will be to use it in much-diluted form
- Never drink ice-cold lemon water: Drinking ice-cold water with lemon in the morning can make you susceptible to colds. It is suggested to have lemon water at room temperature only. If you like, you can have the water slightly warm, especially in colder areas and months
- Check with doctor: Though considered largely safe, it is strongly advised to check with your doctor about any undesirable effects that lemon water can cause. It will also rule out any unpleasant drug interaction
- Gargle and rinse: Own to its acidic nature, and lemon water can cause the tooth enamel to weaken off. Hence after consuming lemon water, gargling and rinsing should be done so as to minimize the risk of dental problems
How to do Lemon Water:
Drinking lemon juice can be refreshing in pregnancy time, especially if you have a pregnancy during summer. But don’t drink lemon juice available in cans with preserve and loads of sugar added into it. It would be best if you drink fresh lemon water in pregnancy. So here are two recipes of it –
1. Lemon Juice
How you can make lemon juice are given below.
- Take the fresh lemon and Cut it into half. Squeeze or use lemon extractor and take the half lemon and collect the juice in a bowl.
- Take a glass of clear water and add the lemon juice and mix it well.
- If you want, you can add some natural sweeteners like honey and drink it.
2. Ginger and Lemon Tea
Ginger and lemon tea can help with nausea and morning sickness also. It is one of the good health drink to have in pregnancy time.
- Take a glass of drinking water and boil the water.
- Take an inch of ginger and grate it and cut the lemon into slices.
- Now, Add ginger and two slices of lemon into the boiled water.
- Let it keep for ten minutes. Strain the mixture, and now you can consume the tea.
Tips to follow after consuming lemon water:
- The lemon acidic nature can affect your teeth enamel. So, after drinking lemon water, you should gargle and rinse your oral cavity to avoid some dental problems.
- When you start taking lemon water in the pregnancy diet, you should begin with little amounts of lemon to check if you are facing any discomforts like heartburn or gastrointestinal.
- You use fresh lemon and freshly exact lemon juice only.
- It is better to add lemon water to warm water and add honey for flavour in it.
It is better to ask your doctor before taking lemon water in your regular diet.
Lemons are known for their wide range of nutritional benefits, but while drinking it during pregnancy, it is very important to start with small or moderate amounts of lemon water. This will help you determine after the effects of lemon on your body. All in all, lemon water is a great drink to have during pregnancy which can keep you hydrated while providing you with all the essential nutrients. Just make sure to use fresh lemons and always prepare fresh lemon water before consuming it.
FAQ’s
1. Can Lemon Water Help With Morning Sickness?
Yes, it can. it is refreshing in taste and very nutritious too. Perfect to sip on when suffering from morning sickness.
2. Can Lemon Water Create Acidity When Pregnant?
Yes, lemon is acidic. Ensure you do not over consume. If you have reactions to lemon water, it is best to avoid for a while.
3. Can I Have Lemon Water to get Relief From Constipation, During Pregnancy?
Yes, you can. It can improve bowel movements. Thus providing relief from constipation, which is common during pregnancy.
4. Can Lemon Water Provide Relief From UTIs?
Yes, it can. it has diuretic properties. This can improve kidney function, thus preventing UTIs.
