Is it possible to eat tomatoes during pregnancy and in what form should they be included in the diet?
Staying in an interesting position, very often the young ladies experience a "craving" for a particular product.For example, it can be pickles, pickled apples or tomatoes. Since a pregnant woman is responsible not only for her own well-being, but also for the health of the unborn baby, she has many questions, for example, can she have tomatoes. Will it be useful for her and the child, or should she refrain from eating these fruits?
Benefit
During pregnancy it is very useful to eat tomatoes, especially when it comes to fresh fruits. Tomatoes can cope with pregnant women with constipation and increased gas formation. Representatives of the fair sex often face these problems, expecting a baby to appear, as their bodies are rebuilt, preparing to give a new life.
At an early stage of pregnancy in the female body, there is an increased production of the hormone progesterone, which affects the smooth muscles of the internal organs, including the intestines, relaxing it. As a result, there is no tone in the uterus. Thanks to this, a woman can safely take out a child, but she has problems with bowel movements and gas. Regular consumption of tomatoes helps to get rid of such problems, normalizing intestinal motility.
The tomatoes on the heart muscle and on the blood vessels are invaluable. These vegetables are rich in natural antioxidants, which allow you to saturate the circulatory system with nutrients and trace elements, while clearing the vessels. As a result, there is excretion of toxins, as well as harmful and toxic substances. In addition, the vessels are cleared of plaques that can be formed under the influence of harmful cholesterol.
Useful substances included in the structure of tomatoes have a positive effect on the state of the heart muscle, not only for the expectant mother, but also for the baby. They protect the woman in labor against the anemia that many women who are carrying a child face.
Regular consumption of tomatoes affects the appearance of an interesting woman. Everyone knows that the hormonal surge and restructuring of the body during pregnancy significantly worsens the skin condition. Acne or acne can appear on the face. The dermis is characterized by dryness and hypersensitivity, some experience very severe itching.
Eating tomatoes on a daily basis helps to restore the skin, as well as to intensify the process of regeneration of the dermis. Gradually the skin returns to normal, the skin looks healthy, rested, acquires its former radiance. Many women notice that the skin becomes elastic again, as it was before conceiving a baby.
Composition
Tomatoes - this is a real storehouse of nutrients and trace elements. Therefore, fresh fruit is very useful for pregnant women.
As part of the tomato contains many beneficial substances.
- Vitamin C promotes immunity. This is especially true during pregnancy, because women in an interesting position are not recommended to have colds or other infectious diseases.
- Vitamin E takes an active part in strengthening the walls of blood vessels, contributes to the improvement of regenerative processes in tissues and activates blood circulation. Due to this, the fetus will receive a larger amount of oxygen, which contributes to its normal growth and development.
- Vitamin PP acts as an energy source. Thanks to this, pregnant women feel and cope better with possible lethargy and fatigue. In addition, vitamins of this group contribute to the normalization of hormonal levels, reduce blood cholesterol levels.
- B vitamins very useful for establishing the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. They help to overcome constipation, which is often observed in pregnant women. Vitamins of this group also contribute to the development of the nervous system in the baby.Therefore, it is useful to eat these fruits not only during pregnancy, but also when planning it.
- Vitamin K takes part in the process of blood clotting and in creating the bone tissue of the future child.
- Potassium, magnesium and iron take an active part in the process of blood formation and contribute to the establishment of the functioning of the nervous system. The combination of calcium, potassium and magnesium activates muscle tissue, saving pregnant women from seizures.
- Calcium and phosphorus act as major components during the formation of the skeleton of the baby.
- Iodine It acts as a prophylactic component that minimizes the risk of thyroid gland diseases. Thanks to this element, the proper metabolism in the body of the future crumb is established.
- Sulfur responsible for the condition of the skin, curls, nail plate, allows you to strengthen the ligaments and muscle tissue like the expectant mother and her baby.
- Zinc takes part in laying the organs of the fetus: genitourinary system, brain, heart, lungs. In addition, this component allows a woman to carry the child within the prescribed period, minimizing the risk of premature birth.
In addition to these components, the composition of tomatoes also includes lycopene. This substance is a natural antioxidant and gives the tomatoes a natural red color.
The healing properties of this component are as follows:
- there is a decrease in the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, oncology and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
- helps to reduce feelings of hunger, dull appetite, and allows pregnant women not to gain extra pounds;
- helps to get rid of painful microflora in the intestines;
- normalizes acidity in the stomach, thus relieving heartburn or gastritis.
As you can see, fresh tomatoes are not only possible, but also should be eaten during pregnancy.
Harm
Despite all the above useful qualities, tomatoes can be harmful, especially if you eat them in unlimited quantities.
Since there are substances in the composition of tomatoes that are characterized by a diuretic effect, these fruits cannot be eaten by women suffering from kidney ailments.. For a similar reason, it is recommended to exclude from the diet tomatoes in women who were diagnosed with urolithiasis during pregnancy. Increased excretion of fluid from the body can trigger the movement of stones through the ureter, which will be accompanied not only by painful sensations, but may also require surgical surgery or medication. This is highly undesirable during pregnancy.
You should not eat large quantities of tomatoes that have been salted or were in vinegar marinade, because an excessive amount of salt adversely affects the work of the kidneys, causing them to overload. In addition, a large amount of salt provokes the development of puffiness and increases pressure.
Some doctors do not recommend eating tomatoes in early pregnancy. This is especially true for those women who are prone to miscarriages. Components contained in these fruits can tone the uterus and, as a result, cause rejection of the fetus.
Do not "lean" on tomatoes and in the last stages of pregnancy, especially before childbirth, because they can provoke the development of allergies in the crumbs.
As it is?
Some women recommend eating fresh tomatoes to cope with the nausea that accompanies many women during pregnancy. To do this, cut the tomato into two parts, lightly salt and drip just a little bit of vegetable or olive oil.
Ripe fruits of tomatoes become an excellent basis for a variety of vegetable salads, rich in vitamins. The easiest way to cook such a salad is to cut tomatoes, cucumbers, bell pepper and onions into small cubes. You can also add parsley or dill. Do not forget to thoroughly rinse all components under running water before use. With cucumbers and tomatoes, you can remove the skin, then the dish will turn out more tender. You can fill this salad with olive oil or sour cream with a small percentage of fat.
Tomato juice is also an excellent option. Ripe tomatoes need to thoroughly wash and squeeze the juice using a juicer. To vary the taste, you can make a multivitamin drink by adding carrot juice or bell pepper.
Tips
It is recommended to buy tomatoes when the season begins for these fruits and they appear in large numbers in the beds. Such tomatoes are characterized by a rich taste and aroma and are free of nitrates and other harmful substances.
Buying tomatoes in the winter, it should be borne in mind that they were grown in greenhouse conditions using a variety of fertilizers. Aggressive chemicals accumulate in the flesh of the fruit and become dangerous for humans, especially for the unborn baby. In addition, some manufacturers process their crops with special substances that provide a longer shelf life. Eating such foods can cause serious poisoning.
It is not recommended to use tomatoes that have been subject to the frying process, as they contain many harmful components that appear during the heat treatment of the fruit.
If you prefer tomato juice, then it is better to cook it yourself. Freshly squeezed drink contains a large amount of nutritional components that have a beneficial effect on the health of the future mother and her baby. You should not buy the finished drink in the store, because it does not have that abundance of useful components, as in the freshly squeezed counterpart.
Please note that there is a restriction on the use of tomato juice - no more than 2 glasses per day.
Despite the fact that tomato puree is included in ketchup, this product is also extremely undesirable to use during pregnancy, because besides it contains a huge amount of preservatives, flavor enhancers and other chemicals that may have a negative impact on the development of the fetus.
As you can see, if you consciously approach the consumption of tomatoes during pregnancy, then this fruit will provide invaluable benefits to the health of the mother and the development of her future baby.
In this video you will learn about the benefits of tomatoes.