Is it safe to Consume Avocado During Pregnancy?

For someone who is pregnant, it is a good idea to always find ways that are simple to enhance your nutrition. Presenting Avocados! The perfect choice for pregnant women! These fruits are not only tasty and filling but extremely nutritious. They are also perfectly safe for your pregnancy. They keep you energised throughout the day and help you maintain a healthy body weight during pregnancy.

Avocados can also be added to your meals and snacks for you to get those much needed nutrients like fibre, healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and beneficial plant compounds. If that’s not enough good news, check out the health benefits that avocados offer for both you and your baby.

Benefits of Avocado

• Packed with Fibre: Fibre is essential for you to be in top health during pregnancy. Fibre is a must for promoting healthy bowel movements and once you add fibre-rich food like avocados to your pregnancy diet, the risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsia is greatly reduced. The truth is that most pregnant women lack the fibre that is needed in their diets. Consider the fact that just half of an avocado, which is about 100 grams provides just under 7 grams of fibre. This is about 25 percent of the 28-gram minimum daily requirement that is recommended for pregnant women.

• Nutritious fat source- It is important for fat, even the saturated variety to be present in your pregnancy diet chart. Adding fats to your snacks and meals make them tasty. Avocados are packed with healthy fats, mostly monounsaturated fats that may enhance heart health, regulate blood sugar levels, and help keep you full in between meals. It also helps you get better sleep, fighting insomnia.

• Meets your nutrient needs- Avocados provide the nutrients that are needed in high amounts during pregnancy like vitamin C, folate, and magnesium. Folate is much needed by a pregnant woman because this nutrient plays a vital role in foetal development. Only half an avocado, which is about 100 grams can deliver 14 percent of your daily folate needs during pregnancy.

• Maintains Blood Pressure- Being rich in magnesium and potassium, avocados may help maintain healthy blood pressure levels when you are pregnant.

• Consumption of potassium-rich foods like avocados during pregnancy also keeps a check on gestational hypertension. Avocados are rich in potassium as 100 grams has about 485 mg of potassium.

• Presence of antioxidants- The antioxidants in avocados help protect the body against cellular damage and also have other health benefits. Avocados are rich in the carotenoid lutein which has powerful antioxidant properties and is essential for your baby’s eye development and brain function. The other carotenoid antioxidants present in avocados include zeaxathantin and beta carotene. Along with lutein, these are found in breast milk and their levels there depend on the intake by the mother. When you are breastfeeding, eating more avocados will only help to increase the carotenoid content in your breast milk, which is so very important for your baby’s overall growth and development.

• Helps maintain healthy lipid and blood sugar levels- A healthy and safe pregnancy is guaranteed by keeping your blood sugar and blood fats at optimal levels. Avocados help you do this thus reducing the risk of pregnancy complications.

Tips to add Avocados to your pregnancy diet

Avocados are blessed with a mild flavour and creamy texture, making them a perfect fit for both sweet and savoury recipes.

• Add sliced avocado to your egg and veggie omelette.
• Top a baked sweet potato with sliced avocado, beans, veggies, salsa, and grilled chicken for a wholesome meal.
• Use mashed avocado in chicken, tuna, and egg salads to increase the nutrient density of the dish.
• Top soups and chilli with sliced avocado for a filling and eye-catching garnish.

How much Avocado is safe to eat?

During pregnancy, normally a half to one avocado a day is reasonable to eat.

Can Avocados be given to new-borns?

Avocados are a super-food and great first food for babies. But remember to serve avocados to babies 4 months and up. Serve them pureed, smashed, or as a finger food.

Was this article helpful for you? Feel free to share your pregnancy experiences with us. We would love to hear from you mommies! Moms know best!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of eating avocado during pregnancy?

Avocado, the creamy green fruit is full of folate, along with vitamin B6, which promotes healthy tissue and brain growth for baby and could help ease morning sickness for you. It's also a yummy source of healthy monounsaturated fats, which help your body better absorb many of the vitamins found in fruits and veggies.

What are the side effects of avocado?

Here are a few possible side effects that you may encounter when eating avocado:

1. Not good for pregnant and breastfeeding women.
2. Possible weight gain.
3. Liver issues.
4. Medication interactions.
5. Stomach issues.
6. Allergies.
7. Latex intolerance.
8. Lowers HDL cholesterol.

What is the best time to eat avocado?

It's not a food you usually wake up and eat, but you might want to start adding avocado to your morning meal.

When can I start giving my baby avocado?

The advisable period to give avocados to your baby is when s/he is 4 to 6 months old. The nutritional value of avocados, along with their mild flavour and creamy texture, makes these fruits perfect. They are a great first food for babies. You can offer babies avocado as soon as they are 4 to 6 months old and ready to start solid food.

Disclaimer: Always consult your physician/paediatrician before beginning any program. This general information is not intended to diagnose any medical condition or to replace your healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare professional to design an appropriate program for you and your child.