Is Mango Safe to Eat During Pregnancy? Benefits & Side Effects

Pregnancy is a beautiful journey that is filled with a mixed bag of emotions. Anxiety and fear can often take over as much as you are filled with joy and excitement. Most of the stress stems from concerns about the unknown. As a mother-to-be, you would have started making specific lifestyle changes to ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy.

And one of the most crucial elements of these changes is eating the right food. The food that you eat nourishes your baby in the womb. So, you need to make the right food choices for your baby. Foods you have loved pre-pregnancy may leave you questioning whether they are suitable for you now. For instance, you did be wondering if eating mangoes during pregnancy is safe or not. Well, mangoes are a delicious fruit, but can you include them in your pregnancy diet? Let us find out in this article!

Can I Eat Mango During Pregnancy?

With each trimester of pregnancy, your baby is touching several developmental milestones. Your little one's nutritional needs throughout these stages depend on your food choices. Hence, making the right food choice is crucial for your and your baby's overall health. While mangoes during pregnancy are safe to eat, you should always consult your doctor before consuming them. Moreover, mangoes contain a host of beneficial nutrients and are a great source of folate, a critical prenatal vitamin.

Nutritional Facts About Mangoes

Can we eat mango during pregnancy? If this is the question that still bothers you, have a look at the nutritional facts about ¾ the cups of mangoes below:

Health Benefits of Eating Mangoes During Pregnancy

Packed with the goodness of nature, mangoes are a powerhouse of nutrients. During pregnancy, eating the right food is crucial to the baby's growth and development. Hence, before you eat mangoes during pregnancy, you must look at their benefits.

1. Prevents Anemia: Mangoes are a great Vitamin C and help absorb iron, which helps expecting mothers overcome pregnancy-related anemia.

2. Manages Digestive Health: Mangoes contain high fiber content, which helps you feel fuller for longer. Moreover, mangoes during pregnancy also help to aid digestion and prevent constipation, which most women experience in the first trimester of pregnancy.

3. Helps in Fetal Development: Mango is a good source of folic acid, which is crucial for developing the fetal's brain and spinal cord. Moreover, consuming mangoes during pregnancy helps prevent neural tube defects, which can likely occur in early pregnancy.

4. Rich in Antioxidants: Mangoes are rich in Vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that helps develop resistance against free radicals, which would otherwise disturb fetal development and lead to cancers. Vitamin C also helps to lower the risk of premature delivery (1).

5. Helps in Overall Development of Baby: Vitamin A in mangoes helps develop your baby's teeth and bones. Moreover, it is also essential for developing the eye and immune system along with the heart, lungs, and kidneys.

6. Suitable for Fetal Brain and Nervous System: Mangoes are a rich source of Vitamin B6, which plays a vital role in developing the fetal brain and nervous system.

7. Helps Prevent Preeclampsia: Magnesium in the mangoes is present in reasonable amounts and is indeed an excellent natural remedy for preeclampsia. Moreover, the Vitamin E in this fruit helps to build fetal muscles.

8. Helps Beat Morning Sickness: Morning sickness is a classic pregnancy symptom that most expecting mothers experience. However, the fresh taste of mangoes helps to prevent morning sickness and plays a crucial role in relieving nausea and morning sickness.

9. Helps Balance Body Fluids: During pregnancy, your blood volume increases, and thus your body needs extra minerals. Mangoes contain electrolytes such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium, which help maintain the body's fluid balance.

Potential Side Effects of Eating Mangoes During Pregnancy

While eating raw mangoes during pregnancy is considered safe, consuming this fruit has specific side effects. We have listed them below:

1. Diarrhoea: Anything in excess can be dangerous. Hence, the consumption of mangoes can lead to diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration.

2. Gestational Diabetes: Mango has a high sugar level and can put expecting mothers at a greater risk of diabetes mellitus.

3. Weight Gain: Mangoes are a rich source of carbohydrates that can add to your already increasing pregnancy weight.

4. Allergic Reactions: Some people may have an allergic reaction when they come in contact with a fruit skin. So, if you experience the "mango itch", avoid consuming mangoes during pregnancy.

Tips to Safely Eat Mangoes During Pregnancy

Here are some handy tips to safely eat mangoes during pregnancy:

1. Wash thoroughly: Washing mangoes before consumption helps eliminate any chemical residue and removes any contamination by any bacteria from the soil.

2. Peel and eat: It is best to avoid eating the skin of the mangoes to avoid any toxin exposure.

3. Maintain Hygiene: Make sure you clean the knives and board before getting them in contact with the mangoes.

4. Ripen mangoes at Home: To avoid toxins, buy raw mangoes and ripen them at home naturally.

Key Takeaways

Consuming ripe and raw mangoes during pregnancy is completely safe. However, you must be cautious of the quantity you consume, as anything in excess is never good. Moreover, if you have allergic reactions to this fruit, it is best to avoid consuming the same.

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