When to Start Eating Dates in Pregnancy
Dates are incredibly nutritious, which makes them a great natural sweetener for pregnancy. They can be a part of a healthy and balanced diet plan, as dates are a good source of fibre and vitamins.
However, there are some concerns about dates during pregnancy. This article will tell you when to start eating dates if you’re expecting.
But first, let’s talk a bit about the general benefits of the fruit.
Why you Should Eat Dates During Pregnancy
Eating dates when pregnant is not in vain. Here are the benefits you can get from eating dates.
1) Dates are Full of Fibre
Dates are packed with healthy fibre which means they can help you feel full for longer so you won’t overeat.
This can help prevent gestational diabetes risk factors such as high blood pressure or lack of exercise.
Fibre is essential for maintaining a healthy digestive system. It helps to move food through your body and supports muscle function, digestion, and absorption of nutrients.
2) Dates are Full of Vitamins and Minerals
Dates also contain a number of vitamins and minerals, including iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. These nutrients can help to keep your blood healthy during pregnancy.
The main benefit of dates is their high content of vitamin B. This vitamin plays an important role in fetal development and helps protect against pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy) and birth defects, such as spine bifida.
If you are having cravings for sweets or ice cream, dates can also help to satisfy your sweet tooth with its natural sugar content.
3) Dates are Vital During Labour
Labour is one of the most stressful times in a woman’s life.
Many women wonder if they will get through it.
It’s natural to be nervous, but the good news is that you can decrease your anxiety and increase your chances for safe delivery by taking dates.
Dates have been found to be essential during labour in a number of ways:
4) A Decreased Need for Medical Interventions
The best way to increase your chances of having a successful birth is by eating foods high in fibre, calcium, folic acid, and iron.
Dates are also rich in these nutrients. They are also high in potassium which helps regulate blood pressure during pregnancy and delivery.
Dates have all these characteristics which make them an effective addition to your diet during pregnancy. You can comfortably manage constipation and blood pressure by assimilating them into your snacks.
5) Easier and Shorter Labour and Delivery
Dates are not only sweet and delicious, but they can also help ease contractions during labour.
The fibre in dates helps to increase the movement of food through the digestive system.
This is known as the peristaltic reflex and can be used to induce contractions.
Dates are high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium which can help to relax muscles and reduce cramping during labour.
6) They Can Lower the Need for Cesarean Sections
So how exactly does date fruit consumption lower the need for a caesarian section? Well, the answer lies in their high calcium content.
Calcium is a critical mineral that helps to build strong bones and teeth, which reduces the risk of complications during pregnancy or delivery such as pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure), eclampsia (toxic shock syndrome), or postpartum haemorrhage (bleeding after birth).
Women who have had multiple births in their lifetime are at higher risk of developing preeclampsia later on in life.
This is because their bodies haven’t had sufficient time to build up a strong enough supply of calcium so when pregnant again they can run out of reserves quickly if they don’t eat enough food rich in this mineral like dates.
Researchers found that women who ate dates had decreased rates of blood pressure problems during pregnancy, which is a risk factor for C-section births.
The postpartum period was also shorter for those women who ate dates regularly before giving birth.
How Many Dates Should I Eat During Pregnancy?
The number of dates you eat is important.
A lot of people think that dates are bad for you because they contain carbohydrates, but that is not true. The only thing that is bad about dates is the sugar content, which is not very high.
So, how many dates should you eat during pregnancy?
If you are pregnant, it is better to eat six dates a day than one date a day. It will not harm your baby, and it will help with the development of the baby.
However, don’t overdo it with dates because they contain sugar and carbohydrates that can easily add up quickly when eaten regularly. If you’re craving something sweet while pregnant, limit them to six.
How Should Dates be Taken?
Dates are a great way to add sweetness and texture to your diet. They’re packed with fibre, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Dates can be eaten alone or as part of a healthy meal. Here are some easy ways to take dates:
1) Nibbling
For starters, nibbling on dried dates is a great way to get in some fruit. Dates can be soaked in water overnight to make them softer and easier to eat. You can eat them straight from the bowl.
2) Grinding
The easiest way to enjoy date-flavoured oatmeal is by grinding up some fresh dates along with your oats before cooking them in the morning. Be sure not to overdo it though! Too many dates will make the oatmeal taste like dirt! You can also add the ground dates to your smoothie.
When to Start Eating Dates during Pregnancy
Are you wondering “When to start eating dates in pregnancy”?.
Ideally, you can eat dates at any time during your pregnancy.
However, it’s critical to note that dates are high in calories so it’s best to eat them in moderation.
If you have gestational diabetes, you may need to avoid eating dates (and other foods) that contain sugars because they can raise blood glucose levels too much. This is one of the side effects of dates in pregnancy
You should wait until later in your pregnancy (the last four weeks) to start eating dates. The last four weeks before the due date is a good time to start eating them because they’re most nutritious at this stage of development and many pregnant women who consumed dates during this stage of late pregnancy benefitted greatly.
Bottom line
Eating a few fresh dates towards the end of pregnancy may help with postpartum blood sugar balance, and blood iron levels.
No matter when you start eating dates during pregnancy, they can help make the last trimester much more pleasant.
So start snacking if you haven’t already, and make sure to eat in moderation.
Now that you have finished this article, why not check out another one of our articles, “Foods to Avoid in First Month of Pregnancy“.
My name is Louise and I am the Digital Marketing and Administrative Assistant at MyBump2Baby. I have been writing in the parenting niche for over 2 years specialising in fertility, pregnancy, baby and baby name support articles.