Nutrients

 

The many nutrients contained in oranges will certainly provide benefits for pregnant women and their fetuses. The following are some of the benefits you can get from oranges:

-Helps prevent birth defects

For pregnant women or women who are trying to get pregnant, it is very important to get sufficient folic acid intake. This is because folic acid plays a role in helping prevent disorders of the formation of the brain and neural tube, such as anencephaly and spina bifida.

Oranges are known to contain quite high levels of folic acid. So, consuming oranges during pregnancy can help pregnant women meet their folic acid needs and reduce the risk of birth defects.

-Prevent constipation

Oranges are also a good source of fiber to maintain a healthy digestive system. By meeting adequate fiber intake, pregnant women will avoid the problem of constipation which is commonly experienced during pregnancy.

Apart from that, the high fiber content in oranges can also help pregnant women feel full for longer, thereby preventing overeating which can cause excess weight gain. This is also not good if it happens during pregnancy.

- Maintain healthy skin

The rarely known benefit of oranges for pregnant women is that they help maintain healthy skin. During pregnancy, pregnant women can experience skin that looks dull, dry and acne-prone.

To overcome this problem, external skin care alone is actually not enough. In fact, there are some skin treatments that are not allowed during pregnancy. So, consuming foods that are high in nutrition is also necessary to maintain healthy skin.

One food that is good for the skin is citrus fruit. Fruit which is rich in antioxidants and vitamin C can help prevent skin damage and help the body produce collagen, so the skin remains moist and firm.

-Helps lower blood pressure

High blood pressure during pregnancy or gestational hypertension can harm the mother and fetus if not treated properly. Therefore, this condition is better to prevent.

Simple methods such as regularly consuming whole oranges or in the form of orange juice can help pregnant women prevent blood pressure problems. This can happen thanks to the fairly high potassium levels in oranges. Potassium is useful for helping maintain body fluid balance and regulating blood pressure.

-Prevent anemia

During pregnancy, the pregnant woman's body needs to produce more blood to support the growth of the fetus. Therefore, pregnant women need more nutrition, especially iron, folic acid and vitamin B12, so that anemia does not occur during pregnancy.

-The folic acid in oranges can help increase red blood cell production, while the vitamin C content can increase iron absorption in the intestine. Therefore, oranges can help pregnant women's bodies produce red blood cells.

The benefits of oranges for pregnant women are too good to miss. So, pregnant women can start including this fruit as a snack between meals. However, keep in mind that the acidity of oranges can trigger a recurrence of acid reflux disease.

So, it's best to avoid consuming oranges on an empty stomach, especially if pregnant women have a previous history of stomach acid disease and have entered the final trimester of pregnancy, because at that time the risk of stomach acid rising is higher.

If necessary, pregnant women can consult a doctor regarding consuming citrus fruit during pregnancy. Also ask about what nutritious foods can support pregnant women's health and the growth and development of their little one in the womb