Dragon fruits are bright and colorful and often stimulate the visual senses. Women often experience cravings for different, sometimes weird flavors and tastes. But did you know that visual appeal can drive your cravings too? For this reason, some women tend to crave dragon fruit during pregnancy. However, as a mom-to-be, you must be careful of what you are eating, since your intake will have a considerable influence on the health and wellness of your growing child.
When adding a new fruit to your diet, you must know its health benefits and also whether that fruit will be safe for you and your baby or not. Keeping this in mind, let’s see whether it will be safe for you to eat dragon fruit during pregnancy and satiate your cravings. We also discuss the benefits and any possible unwanted effects of eating this fruit when pregnant.
In This Article
- What is a Dragon Fruit?
- Nutritional Value of Dragon Fruit
- Is it Safe to Eat Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy?
- How Much Amount Can You Eat in a Day?
- Top 12 Health Benefits of Eating Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy
- What Are the Side Effects of Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy?
- Is the Dragon Fruit Good For Gestational Diabetes?
- How to Include Dragon Fruit in Your Pregnancy Diet?
- FAQ’s
What is a Dragon Fruit?
Dragon fruit, widely known as a pitaya, is a native fruit of North America and South America. With globalization, though, you can now find this fruit all over the world. Depending on the species, there are two varieties of Dragon fruit available in the market. One is sweet, and the other is sour. The texture of this fruit is quite similar to that of kiwi fruit, and it also contains black seeds.
Nutritional Value of Dragon Fruit
When you start consuming dragon fruit, you are providing yourself and your baby with some major nutrients. The fruit has excellent carbohydrate content, which means you are getting a fair amount of energy. The calcium present in the dragon fruit makes it beneficial for the bone development of your baby. The high levels of proteins, iron, and potassium present in the dragon fruit take care of your immunity system as well.
Is it Safe to Eat Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy?
Well, if you are still speculating whether it would be beneficial to include dragon fruit in your diet, you must know that consuming dragon fruit during pregnancy is absolutely safe and highly beneficial.
How Much Amount Can You Eat in a Day?
Average-sized dragon fruit has a weight of 350 to 400 grams. As per standard recommendations, pregnant women can eat about 200 grams of this fruit in a day. If you are unsure about the intake levels, consult your doctor.
Top 12 Health Benefits of Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy
There are numerous health benefits of consuming dragon fruit during pregnancy. The nutrients present in this are not only beneficial for sustaining the health of the mother, but it is also necessary for the growth of the baby.
1. Prevents Birth Defects
Neural development is very important for a child in order to live a healthy and normal life. The vitamin B-complex present in the dragon fruit plays a pivotal role in developing the child’s nervous system.
2. Boosts Hemoglobin
Many pregnant women get affected by anemia due to low hemoglobin levels. The iron present in the dragon fruit improves these levels and reduces the occurrence of anemia.
3. Good For Heart
The tiny seeds in dragon fruit are an excellent source of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. The fruit is, therefore, highly beneficial for your heart.
4. Helps With Bone Development
In the bone development of the fetus, apart from calcium, phosphorus also plays a vital role. Dragon fruit is excellent in phosphorus, along with calcium, making it highly beneficial for the dental health of the mother and bone development of the growing baby.
5. Alleviates Constipation
Many pregnant women face the problem of constipation. Dragon fruit is high in fiber. For this reason, consuming dragon fruit improves the functioning of your digestive system and reduces constipation.
6. Prevents Infections
Bacteria and microbes become a serious threat to the fetus when they find their way through the placenta. Dragon fruit helps in cellular regeneration and prevents any infections. It also provides the necessary antifungal and antibacterial bodies that tackle the present microbes and provide a safe and secure place for the fetus to grow.
7. Prevents Preeclampsia
The risk of preeclampsia increases in pregnant women, especially if they have hypertension. Dragon fruit helps in regulating blood pressure and blood sugar levels, which, in turn, reduces the complications related to pregnancy.
[Read : Tips To Deal High Blood Pressure During Pregnancy]
8. Prevents Cancer
It is a nightmare to develop any form of cancer during pregnancy. Dragon fruit contains beta-carotene, vitamin C, and lycopene, which, by working together, take care of the free radicals and repair internal damages. The anti-carcinogenic bodies present in dragon fruit prevent the growth of undiscovered tumors and cancers.
9. Provides Energy
Carbohydrates bring easily accessible energy to the table, which can be transferred to the fetus as well. There is a fair amount of carbohydrates present in the dragon fruit.
10. A Healthy Source of Fats
By providing the energy to keep up the metabolic activities in the body and also by helping the formation of the brain in the fetus, good fats play a key role during the pregnancy period of a woman. Dragon fruits are a wonderful source of good fats.
11. Good For Gestational Diabetes
Dragon fruit helps bring down the sugar levels in the blood. Therefore, the fruit is excellent for expecting mothers experiencing gestational diabetes.
12. Brings Down the Chances of Miscarriage
The folic acid levels present in the dragon fruit provide strength to the fetus, reducing the chances of miscarriage.
[Read : Pear During Pregnancy]
What Are the Side Effects of Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy?
Usually, dragon fruit is safe and poses no ill effects during pregnancy. However, overeating dragon fruit can pave the way to some unpleasant health issues during pregnancy.
- Overeating dragon fruit can cause diarrhea during pregnancy.
- Eating too much dragon fruit during pregnancy can bring about Skin Rashes.
Is the Dragon Fruit Good For Gestational Diabetes?
According to Some Diabetes Research Reports, the seeds in the dragon fruit can regulate blood glucose levels and also might have the potential to prevent and help to manage type-2 diabetes.
But due to a lack of scientific evidence, we can’t say if this fruit is good or harmful for gestational diabetes. Having said that, dragon fruit is safe during pregnancy, and you can have it in moderate amounts.
[Read : Is Eating Rambutan Fruit During Pregnancy Safe? ]
How to Include Dragon Fruit in Your Pregnancy Diet?
Dragon fruit can be consumed just like any other fruit. You can dice, slice, chill, and have it. You can even blend it to make a smoothie. If you want to consume it differently, you can extract its juice or prepare a salad with it. By including dragon fruit in your regular diet, you will make one of the wisest decisions to promote the health and overall well-being of yourself and your baby. With so many benefits and almost zero risk, dragon fruit is one of the healthiest and safest fruits to consume during pregnancy.
FAQ’s
1. Will Eating Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy Cause Rashes?
It might. Overeating this fruit can cause skin rashes. Pregnant women’s skin will be very sensitive, thus increasing the chances.
2. Can Eating Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy Aid Baby’s Development?
Yes, it can. It is rich B-complex. This can help in the neurological development of the baby.
3. Can Eating Dragon Fruit During Pregnancy Fight Infections?
Yes, it can. This fruit can build your immunity against infections. It can also help fight microbes present in your body.
4. Can I Have a Dragon Fruit as a Snack When Pregnant?
Yes, you can. It is rich in many essential nutrients for a pregnant woman. It can benefit the baby too.
Read Also: 10 Benefits Of Watermelon During Pregnancy
