Eating the right stuff in pregnancy matters a lot. It is not always about eating more, but it is more about eating nutritious food during pregnancy. Many women start eating more thinking that they have to eat for two. It is true that your growing baby relies on what you eat, but you need to think about adding more nutrients to your diet rather than adding empty calories. It is enough to consume 340 additional calories per day in your second trimester and 450 additional calories a day during your third trimester.

Is It Good to Eat Banana During Pregnancy?

Yes, it is generally safe and good to include bananas in your pregnancy diet. Bananas are a rich source of potassium, calcium, and other essential nutrients. You just need to eat in moderation because a medium banana provides you with about 105 calories. You should consume 3-4 servings of fruit daily and bananas really help you achieve that goal with ease.

Benefits of Banana for Pregnancy

As mentioned already, eating banana during pregnancy is a good idea because it provides you with essential nutrients.

1. It Improves Your Cardiovascular Health

Since bananas are a rich source of potassium, they are good for your heart. It dilates blood vessels and improves blood circulation. Moreover, increasing your potassium intake in pregnancy helps reduce swelling and make morning sickness more manageable.

2. It Promotes Nervous System Development

Eating banana is a great way of increasing your vitamin B6 intake. This water-soluble vitamin is essential for the developing of cells and central nervous system of your baby. It may also help reduce morning sickness. Be sure to get at least 1.9g of vitamin B6 daily – you get about 0.4mg from a medium banana.

3. It Improves Digestion

It is natural for pregnant women to experience indigestion and heartburn. This happens because of excess pressure on the stomach. You can treat these problems by including bananas in your diet. Bananas work as a natural antacid and suppress acid secretion that is the main cause of indigestion. Eating bananas also helps normalize bowel movements.

4. It Boosts Energy

Eating a banana helps regulate your blood sugar, which in turn keeps you from feeling tired. You are going to feel tired and fatigued when your blood sugar levels drop too low, and this can happen in pregnancy due to fluctuating hormones. Eating a banana can resolve this problem and keep you from overeating. Bananas work great because they contain natural sugars sucrose, glucose, and fructose.

5. It Strengthens Your Bones

You really need to increase your calcium intake to keep your bones healthy during pregnancy. Calcium is also an important mineral for the growth of your baby. You can get that calcium from bananas.

6. It Improves Immunity

Eating a banana during pregnancy is an effective way of improving your immunity. It has vitamin C that boosts your immune system and also prevents free radical damage. It protects you from common infections, which are quite common during pregnancy.

7. It Helps with Growth and Development

Bananas are a rich source of protein without which your baby cannot grow in a healthy way. You really need to include banana in your diet if you do not get protein from animal sources. You can also include pulses and chickpeas in your diet to get enough protein.

8. It Lowers Cholesterol Levels

When you are eating more during pregnancy, it is very important to take steps to control your blood cholesterol levels. You can eat bananas to maintain right levels of cholesterol as well as blood sugar during pregnancy.

9. It Relieves Stress

Eating a banana can help you deal with stress. This benefit comes from the fact that bananas are a rich source of potassium that lowers blood pressure and reduces anxiety. The next time you feel stressed, you should get a banana and relish its taste.

10. It Promotes Development of Brain

Bananas contain folic acid without which your baby cannot grow properly. You need to increase your intake of folic acid during pregnancy because it is essential for the development of brain, nerves, and spinal cord of your growing baby. Your baby may develop birth defects due to a lack of folic acid in your body.

11. It Reduces Anemia

Not having enough iron in your diet can lead to anemia during pregnancy. You can prevent this issue by including bananas in your diet. Banana is a rich source of iron and also increases iron absorption in the body. It produces hemoglobin that provides you with more energy as well.

How to Enjoy Bananas

Eating a banana during pregnancy has many benefits. And the good thing is that you can actually find many different ways to include bananas in your diet. Here are some ways to enjoy bananas:

• You can cook bananas on the barbecue. Simply throw them onto the hotplate and keep cooking them until their skin turns black. Ensure that the flesh inside is soft.
• You can eat bananas with berries or ice cream for a delicious treat.
• You can make a banana sandwich and enjoy it as a snack or have it for lunch. Bananas go perfectly well with sultanas, peanut butter or both.
• You can use bananas when making smoothies. They can adjust in all types of smoothies, especially when they are over-ripe. You can have them for breakfast by combining with strawberries and yoghurt.
• You can use frozen bananas to make ice cream. Peel some bananas, wrap them in cling film, and leave in the freezer overnight. Take them out and leave for 20 minutes at room temperature. Chop them up once they become a bit soft and then place in a blender. Enjoy when they become smooth and creamy.