Mangosteen fruit benefits for pregnancy.
Mangosteen fruit is a superfruit packed with a lot of essential nutrients beneficial during pregnancy and for healthy development of the baby. Reason it is regarded as one of the healthiest fruits. This fruit grows majorly in tropical areas such as South-East Asia. It is typically juicy and fleshy and gives off an acidic and sour taste. Its exterior covering is purple in colour, wth a mix of peach and orange.
Mangosteen fruit is rich in nutrients- carbohydrates, manganese, folate/folic acid, fiber, and vitamin C. These nutrients are considered important during pregnancy. Folate, for instance can help protect your baby from abnormalities. It prevents or reduce the risk of neural tube defects in babies such as brain and spinal defects including cleft and palate lips.
Manganese, on the other hand helps in healthy formation of the skeletal system. It also contains antioxidant properties that protects both mother and child from cell damage. Consumption can increase body’s immunity and ward off infections. It also provides/strengthens mother’s immunity as protection covers the baby’s too. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps boost the immune system and reduce risk of contracting infections that may prove detrimental to the growing foetus.
Mangosteen fruit benefits for pregnancy
Improves skin health and elasticity:
Vitamin C in Mangosteen fruit enhances collagen production. This is important as collagen helps improve skin elasticity in accommodating a growing foetus.
During pregnancy, your skin may get prone to skin infections and diseases and again due to stress from skin elasticity. During this period, it is important you also take skin care seriously just as your diets. The application of mangosteen juice on your face and skin during pregnancy can help improve your skin and treat skin diseases such as eczema and acne.
Prevent Digestive issues:
A common digestive issue/complaint during pregnancy is constipation. Mangosteen contains fibre in adequate amounts that helps prevent constipation and other digestive issues like (diarrhea, acid reflux, nausea, stomach pain, irritable bowel movement) especially in the first trimester of the pregnancy.
Additionally, the high fibre content of Mangosteen can help reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia in pregnancy is most times as a result of raised blood pressure levels. Potassium in Mangosteen can help regulate the blood pressure levels by balancing sodium and fluid content in the body.
Regulate Cholesterol level:
Mangosteen fruit also helps regulate cholesterol level in the body; increasing good cholesterol levels and getting rid of bad cholesterol. This is so much beneficial for expectant mothers as high cholesterol levels during pregnancy can lead to a number of complications including atherosclerosis, stroke etc.
Control Blood sugar:
Pregnant women are at risk of developing diabetes known as “gestational diabetes”- meaning diabetes during pregnancy. This may be due to increased weight gain and blood sugar levels etc. However, with the consumption of this superfruit, blood sugar levels can be regulated and the risk of gestational diabetes reduced.
Other benefits of mangosteen fruit during pregnancy include prevention of anemia (the presence of iron, folic acid and other medicinal properties) can help in blood production. Thereby, preventing anemic conditions.
Conclusion
The mangosteen fruit contains every nutritional richness required during pregnancy. It is absolutely safe to consume during pregnancy, if consumed moderately. If you experience any negative effects (insomnia, dizziness, nausea and stomach pain) in the process of consuming this fruit, kindly discontinue use/consumption.
Stella-maris Achumba
