Importance Of Bitter melon during pregnancy
Bitter melon-the name define itself. It is a bitter vegetable com fruit loaded with nutritional factors. Eating this eat can help to reduce bloods sugar level, fight off cancer, aid weight loss and decrease bad cholesterol levels and so on. However, can pregnant women its bitter melon during pregnancy?
Is It safe to do so?
And anyhow it is safe then what could be its potential benefits or risks?
Let’s find out right away!
CAN YOU EAT BITTER MELON DURING PREGNANCY?
Whether to eat Bitter melon during pregnancy ort not has always been a controversial topic. Although it holds an abundance of healthful properties still it can put risks on mother as well as on baby’s health.
Health issues such as diarrhea, vomiting, virginal bleeding, contraction even abortion can occur if you get overboard while consuming Bitter melon while expecting.
So, it’s totally up to you and on your doctor’s permission whether to add this in pregnancy diet or completely shun it.
Why you should not have bitter gourd during your pregnancy? Why it is not a good choice?
Photo Courtesy: pregarlybody.com
BITTER GOURD BENEFITS DURING PREGNANCY
The consumption of bitter gourds in a minimal amount is safe during pregnancy. This bitter yet versatile and delicious food contains various nutrients, minerals and vitamins in a sizeable amount.
Ergo, it can help aid gestational diabetes, assist weight loss and so on. The health benefits of water melon are thoroughly discussed below. Be certain to check them out!
CAN PROVIDE LOTS OF HEALTHFUL FACTORS
Bitter gourds contain important elements in them that can improve one’s overall health. They contain calories, carbs, fiber, zinc and iron that can keep your health on track.
In addition, folate, vitamin A can help with the development of the fetus.
Not-to-mention the high amount of vitamin C present in bitter gourd can play an important role in boosting immune levels, disease prevention, bone formation and wound healing as well.
CAN MANAGE GESTATIONAL DIABETES
Having bitter melon in pregnancy can vastly help in managing gestational diabetes. It has potent medicinal properties that can lower blood sugar levels, thus can treat diabetes related conditions.
In accordance with numerous studies bitter melons hold few active substances with anti-diabetic properties. For example- Charantin.
Charantin is an anti-diabetic substance that comprises blood glucose lowering effects. Bitter gourd also has insulin like compounds called P-insulin that can control gestational diabetes naturally.
CAN REGULATE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
Consuming bitter melon during pregnancy can dramatically lower high blood pressure or hypertension. This vegetable is really high in potassium content that aid hypertension.
As you know, the more potassium you intake, the more sodium you lose through urine. And sodium is the leading cause behind hypertension though.
Potassium, moreover, helps in reducing tension in the blood vessels. This in further lower blood pressure as well.
CAN AID WEIGHT LOSS
Bitter melon is a perfect vegetable that suits well in a weight loss diet. Along with the vast amounts of nutrients, bitter guard is ow in calories and high in fiber.
As about fiber, it moves slowly in your digestive tract and makes you feel full for longer period.
This factor, on the other hand, can hinder the unwanted calories you intake throughout the day by pregnancy cravings.
It also hampers constipation during pregnancy, lately promotes weight loss.
CAN FIGHT OFF CANCER
Eating bitter melon can reduce the possibilities of cancer. It has cancer-preventing agents that hold back this fatal danger by preventing the growth of cancer cells in the body.
CAN DECREASE CHOLESTEROL LEVELS
Being overweight during pregnancy can bring too many complications. It can bring misfortunes in neonatal period, at childbirth, in postpartum or even in child’s later life.
Thus, needs to be controlled by any means whatsoever.
Well thanks to healthful properties, because they help in eliminating excess cholesterol. The bitter melon extract has been reported to reduce bad LDL cholesterol form the liver.
CAN CARE FOR THE SKIN
Having bitter melon can purify the skin due to its antimicrobial and anti-oxidant properties. These factors can assist in removing toxins from the skin.
It also aids blood purifications, which in further, lessen the risks of skin problems, blood disorders and improve the blood circulation.
So, these are the benefits of eating this rich vegetable slash fruit called bitter gourd during pregnancy.
If we put all the above discussion in one simple list then the list will be like:
WHY BITTER MELON IS GOOD FOR PREGNANCY?
When eaten in moderate amount during pregnancy, bitter melons can do a lot of favors to you. Such as:
- Provide lots of healthful factors
- Manage gestational diabetes
- Can regulate high blood pressure
- Aid weight loss
- Decrease cholesterol levels
- Help in skin improvement
So, these are the potential benefits of bitter melon for pregnant ladies.
Now that you are aware about the advantages of this food, you must have decided that “bitter melon is good for pregnancy, and I am going to consume it no matter what!!”
If you are really thinking what I assume, then hold on! Because bitter melon can put mild to severe impacts on pregnancy that you should be conscious of.
WHY BITTER GOURD IS NOT GOOD FOR PREGNANCY?
With reference to safety measures, whether to eat bitter gourd by expectant mothers or not is still a confliction.
Although it puts some good impacts on health but it can also lead to diarrhea, intestinal issues, vomiting, vaginal bleeding or even contraction in a mother-to-be folk.
A review even suggests to not to eat bitter melon during pregnancy since it can result in dangerous issues like the ones discussed below.
DELIVERS TOXIC PROPERTIES TO BODY
Along with healthy factors, bitter melons also are the carrier of some toxic properties. These toxic substances include quinine, Momordica and glycosides.
These substances, however, when get entered into the body can cause intestinal pain, problem with vision, vomiting, muscle fatigue, nausea, poison of the body, tiredness and lastly production of saliva more than requirement.
CAN LEAD TO STOMACH ISSUES
The overconsumption of bitter gourd can possibly answer with stomach related troublesome.
Issues like onset diarrhea, cramps in the abdomen and abdominal pain can rise by dint of eating excess number of bitter melons.
CAUSES SENSITIVITY IN FEW
The seeds of bitter gourd are not safe to be eaten. They are supposed to contain vicine which can cause favism in some people.
Favism is a condition that causes the red blood cell to break down in response to certain medications, infection or other factors. This adverse heath factor can cause anemia.
Expanding on, the red arils found on bitter melons seed are sort of toxic for children. Thence, it is not advisable to be consumed by gestating mothers.
CAN CAUSE PRE-TERM LABOR
A preterm labor is the worst thing that bitter gourds can make happen. The excessive eating of it, can assist troublesome uterine activities.
These abnormal uterine contractions can actually lead to preterm labor in a major number of expectant women.
DRAMATICALLY LOWER THE BLOOD SUGAR LEVEL
Having bitter gourd juice or extracts are very effective against gestational diabetes.
A surprising fact also states that, when somebody does drink bitter juice, it can immediately lower the blood sugar within 30 minutes.
Such a helpful factor, is not it?
Well, the thing you are not aware is, it can harm you as well. This dramatic ups and downs of sugar levels in your body can affect you in adverse manner.
CAN CAUSE LIVER DAMAGE
Although bitter melon does not directly harm the liver, yet long term use of it can seriously damage it.
Regular and excessive eating of bitter gourd can elevate liver enzymes. This factor ultimately may result in a complication named atherosclerosis.
Atherosclerosis is known as the hardening of the arteries present in this vital organ.
CAN MIX UP WITH OTHER DRUGS
Having bitter melon during pregnancy along with certain medications can cause adverse reactions.
Oftentimes, this vegetable has been observed to cause reactions with medications for diabetes or antidiabetic drugs.
After reaction, it may lead your sugar level to face a massive drop down. So, it is important to monitor your sugar levels before you eat bitter melon in pregnancy.
So, these are the side effects of having bitter melon during pregnancy.
WHY IS BITTER GOURD BAD FOR PREGNANCY?
The above discussion clearly stated that pregnant women must avoid the misuse or overconsumption of bitter gourd.
If we put all the effects of it in a single list, then the list will go like
- Delivers toxic element to the body
- Cause stomach problems
- Lead to sensitivity
- Result in preterm labor
- Can lower blood sugar levels
- Case liver damage
- Can cause reaction with certain drugs
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SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is bitter gourd safe for baby?
Eating bitter gourd in pregnancy is always been a controversial topic. Although it can offer some delicate benefits still, it can cause some severe outcomes including preterm labor. So, it’s better to have a clinical advice regarding to this topic and keep the it’s usage as minimum as you can.
Is bitter gourd good for conceiving?
Bitter gourd is one of the healthiest foods that you can ever come across. It has an abundance of nutrients in it. moreover, eating this bitter vegetable can aid weight loss and reduce bad cholesterol levels. And both of these factors are advantageous for conceiving.
Does bitter gourd cause miscarriage?
No studies have clearly stated that bitter gourd can cause miscarriage. But the relationship between bitter gourd and pregnancy is weigh ill. This vegetable can cause preterm labor and some other unhealthy outcomes on mother’s heath. Thus, should be avoided during pregnancy.
IN SUMMERY
All is said and all is done. So, all in all this article ends here. I really appreciate that you’re still tuning in.
If we go straight into the conclusion, then my advice for you is you should avoid bitter melon during pregnancy or just keep the intake amount in a minimal manner.
Although it is a source of a host of benefits but the major effects of it can not be ignored. However, if you like the taste of it and want to have some then have it occasionally.
Most importantly, consult with your doctor or healthcare provider or midwife about whether you can eat this veggie or have to completely deny eating.
Seeking worthy advices is the first thing you should be doing in this period. Ergo, seek advice.
And, lastly, I genuinely hope that you came to know a lot about bitter melon during pregnancy. All at the end pregarlybody wishes you a healthy pregnancy ahead.CategoriesPREGNANCY FOODS, Recent
