Is Eating Blackberries Safe During Pregnancy?

Fruits and vegetables are a great source of nutrition for a pregnant woman. Where some fruits are allowed and considered extremely beneficial for a mommy-to-be, other fruits may be a complete no-no during pregnancy. If you are thinking of adding blackberries to your pregnancy diet, but are not sure whether it falls in the category of safe or unsafe pregnancy foods, then you may like to read the following article. In this article, we shall be discussing all that you need to know about consuming blackberries during pregnancy.

Can Pregnant Women Eat Blackberries?

If you are wondering whether blackberries can be eaten during pregnancy, the answer is yes. You may safely consume blackberries and add them to your pregnancy diet because they fall under the safe food category during pregnancy. However, make sure you wash them thoroughly before consuming them to remove any traces of dirt, pesticides, bacteria, or other such substances. This is because all these may lead to food poisoning and may also cause congenital disabilities in the baby. Another critical thing to remember is, always consume fresh blackberries as the stale ones may cause stomach cramps and food poisoning.

Nutrients Present in Blackberries

Some of the nutrients that you can find in blackberries include:

Health Benefits of Eating Blackberries During Pregnancy

Blackberries are not actually berries; they are called aggregate fruits. These small berries comprise of tiny sections of drupelets. Blackberries have immense health benefits for pregnant women, some of which are explained below:

1. Helps in Improving Digestion

Pregnancy may take a toll on your digestion and make your digestive system sluggish. Blackberries have high fibre content, which helps in taking care of digestion troubles during pregnancy.

2. Good for Your Baby’s Bone Health

The substantial amounts of calcium and magnesium in blackberries is very beneficial for your baby’s bones, and thus, including them in your pregnancy diet helps in the formation of healthy bones of your baby.

3. Beneficial for the Heart’s Health

Consumption of blackberries not only helps in the proper functioning of the mother’s heart, but it is also good for the foetus’ heart’s health. If a pregnant woman has a congenital heart ailment, consuming blackberries may reduce the risk of passing that ailment to her baby.

4. Good for Eye-Sight

Regular intake of blackberries is not only beneficial for improving your eyesight, but it is also effective in improving the eye health of your unborn child.

5. Helps in Preventing Congenital Disabilities in Babies

Being rich in folate, blackberries are very helpful in keeping various kinds of birth-defects at bay. Also, it reduces the chances of miscarriage in pregnant women.

6. Helps in Preventing Excessive Bleeding

Blackberries contain a fair amount of vitamin K, which is highly beneficial in preventing excessive bleeding during pregnancy because of its blood clotting properties.

7. Aids the Blood Vessel Functioning

The daily intake of blackberries is extremely effective in enabling the proper functioning of blood vessels, and thus, aids the adequate blood flow from the mother to the baby.

8. Helps in Combating Cancer

The presence of micronutrients in blackberries are effective is battling with the cancerous cells, and they may protect you and your baby from the fatal consequences of the disease.

Can Blackberries Be Harmful?

Just like everything else has its own set pros and cons, the same can be applied for the consumption of blackberries during pregnancy. Here are some drawbacks of eating blackberries during pregnancy:

• It may cause an allergic reaction in a pregnant woman.
• It may lead to diarrhoea if consumed in large quantities.

Though blackberries are safe for consumption during pregnancy, however, if you are suffering from pancreatitis, dyskinesia, or if you are oxalic-intolerant, then it will be a good idea to stay away from blackberries during pregnancy.

Healthy Blackberry Recipes for Pregnant Women

You can eat blackberries in its fresh form, dried form, frozen form, in desserts, in puddings, in salads, or various other ways. Here are some healthy blackberry recipes that you may try during pregnancy:

• Take two tablespoons of dried blackberry leaves and infuse them in half a litre of hot water. Half a glass of this drink can be taken thrice a day to overcome diabetes during pregnancy.
• To overcome gastritis, 50 grams of blackberries can be had half an hour before meals.
• Two tablespoons of dried blackberries can be infused in a cup of hot water for 15 minutes. You may take one-third of this infusion three times a day to overcome the symptoms of stomatitis, sore throat, and catarrhal disease.

You may extract immense benefits from blackberries by adding them into your daily pregnancy diet. However, please consult your obstetrician before you do so, to avoid any health complications.

Also Read: Is It Safe to Eat Kiwi Fruit in Pregnancy?