Eating Green Apples During Pregnancy: Benefits and Side-effects

The idiom of apples and doctors has been around for a long time. In the same vein, many women talk about consuming green apples during pregnancy as a wonderfully healthy option.

During pregnancy, it becomes paramount for expecting mothers to monitor their diets closely. Certain everyday foods might not be nutrient-dense or harmful to the mother and child. So, it is vital to understand what foods are safe to consume and what aren’t.

Many pregnant mothers also opt for green apple juice during pregnancy, which shows how wonderful it is to have it during pregnancy. However, that should also come with some preventive measures.

Can You Eat Green Apples in Pregnancy?

Pregnant women require essential nutrients and vitamins found in green apples. These include vitamins C and A, iron, fibre, calcium, folic acid, and carbohydrates (1), making green apples suitable for pregnancy. Additionally, they aid digestion, regulate weight, ease nausea, and reduce the risk of gestational diabetes, among other benefits.

Nutritional Value of Green Apples

Green apples’ nutrition spans numerous vitamins, minerals, and other healthy constituents. Here is a list of its nutrient content:

Surprising Benefits of Having Green Apples in Pregnancy

So, is green apple good for pregnancy? Green apples contain several healthy substances, and their benefits are surprisingly widespread and affect various areas of the body.

1. Increase in Energy

A lot of nutrients are sucked from the woman’s body throughout pregnancy for the baby’s benefit as well as other activities. This also manifests in poor skin health, causing acne (2). Green apples help provide the necessary energy back to the body and restore it to normalcy.

2. Numerous Antioxidants

When toxic materials or chemicals are formed in the body due to free radicals or the breakdown of DNA, these need to be kept away from healthy body parts using antioxidants. Green apples substantially provide these antioxidants through flavonoids and polyphenols (3). All of these reduce the stress of oxidation experienced by the body.

3. Better Digestion

Pregnant women are often tired of experiencing constipation throughout their journey (4). Most of the time, this is primarily due to the absence of fibre in their diet. Recurrent constipation can be harmful to the developing baby, too. Consuming green apples is essential; it helps stimulate bowel movements and streamline digestion.

4. Reduced Swelling

The swelling of feet and legs is experienced by many women throughout pregnancy, which can get quite discomforting and painful at times (5). Green apples are rich in vitamin C, an antioxidant that can help ease the swelling and bring much-needed relief (6).

5. Appetite Increase

Although a lot of energy is lost, a pregnant woman’s appetite can sometimes take a hit. The absence of nourishment can harm the baby since it requires regular and healthy meals. Having some green apple juice has shown signs of restoring the appetite in women.

6. Treating Nausea

The stomach bears the highest brunt in pregnancy since the inner lining gets sensitive to acids. This primarily results in a vomiting sensation throughout. Green apples are sweet and sour to taste, which helps reduce the feeling of nausea when pregnant (7).

7. Diabetes Control

Many women experience pregnancy-induced diabetes, which can cause adverse effects on the baby as well as the mother. Green apples can help maintain the proper insulin levels (8). They contain fibre that provides a satiety value and hence helps lower sugar levels and control diabetes.

8. Reduced Premature Delivery Risks

At times, certain pregnant mothers do have conditions where their bodies secrete an unusually high level of bile. These can sometimes trigger labour pains, causing a premature delivery (9). Green apples help keep the bile secretion in check and reduce the risk of premature delivery.

9. Body Weight Regulation

Gaining weight during pregnancy is a sign of proper development, but that should be within healthy limits. Hypertension and high cholesterol can be a result of obesity and cause diabetes, too, making it difficult for the baby. Green apples not only help keep blood pressure in check, but their calorie count is low, which assists in weight control, too (10).

10. Protection for DNA

When free radicals are formed in the body, these begin attacking DNA molecules, many of which are responsible for the development of the foetus. Vitamin C and antioxidants in green apples boost the formation of new cells and combat free radicals, protecting the DNA from breaking down (11).

Side Effects of Consuming Excessive Amounts of Green Apples While Pregnant

The qualities that make green apples a great fruit to be consumed in certain circumstances can make them harmful to others.

1. A Propensity for Weight Loss

Being overweight is a problem, no doubt. The complications that obesity can bring to the pregnancy, as well as the health of the baby and the mother, are far more dangerous than anything else. However, a mother needs to maintain an optimal weight to carry the pregnancy full-term.

If green apple consumption is excessive, it can cause rapid weight loss (12), which can be harmful to the pregnancy and lead to an underdeveloped child. Pregnant women must eat green apples in small quantities, as excessive consumption will not lead to weight loss.

2. The Absence of Requisite Calories

Calories power various metabolic activities. Green apples contain many proteins beneficial for foetal growth, but their calorie count is low, at 95 calories per medium apple (13). This could make you feel full but not give you enough energy, leading to fatigue. Therefore, green apples must be complemented by food items rich in calories.

Are Green Apples Better Than Red Apples?

Women often wonder if they can opt for red apples instead of green apples during pregnancy in the first and third trimesters or if green apples have an advantage over red ones.

• When it comes to controlling diabetes, green apples are your best bet.
• When skin has lost its sheen and health, green apples can help restore it to a healthy state.
• Both red and green apples work towards protecting the DNA molecules from breaking down.
• Appetite reduction can be restored almost quickly by eating green apples.

FAQs

1. How to clean green apples for consumption during pregnancy?

Apples contain the most nutrients when eaten with the skin on. But you must wash your apples thoroughly before consuming them, as unwashed apples pose the risk of pregnancy complications. To remove any remnant pesticide residue, soak the green apple in a teaspoon of baking soda and two cups of water for 10-15 minutes, then rinse well (13).

2. Can I consume green apples in all trimesters of pregnancy?

Green apples can be consumed during all trimesters of pregnancy. However, to avoid potential health risks, they should be consumed only in small quantities. Consult a certified nutritionist and your doctor to determine how much you can consume.

No matter what trimester of pregnancy you are in, green apples can be highly beneficial to the baby’s growth. As always, keep things in moderation to reap the best benefits, so your baby grows fully, and you have an excellent natural delivery.

References/Resources:

1. Diet During Pregnancy; American Pregnancy Association; https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/diet-during-pregnancy/

2. Skin Conditions During Pregnancy; The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists; https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/skin-conditions-during-pregnancy

3. Selek Aksoy, I. and Otles, S.; Effects of Green Apple (Golden Delicious) and Its Three Major Flavonols Consumption on Obesity, Lipids, and Oxidative Stress in Obese Rats; Molecules; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8877779/; February 2022

4. Trottier, M., Erebara, A., and Bozzo, P.; Treating constipation during pregnancy; Can Fam Physician; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3418980/; August 2012

5. What causes ankle swelling during pregnancy — and what can I do about it?; Mayo Clinic; https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/expert-answers/swelling-during-pregnancy/faq-20058467

6. Rumbold, A., Ota, E., Nagata, C., Shahrook, S., and Crowther, C.A.; Vitamin C supplementation in pregnancy; Cochrane Database Syst Rev; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9039972/; September 2015

7. Morning Sickness? 12 Remedies That Really Work; Cleveland Clinic; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/morning-sickness-10-tips-to-tame-your-turbulent-tummy-day-or-night

8. Which Fruits Have the Most Sugar?; Cleveland Clinic; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fruits-high-in-sugar

9. Causes of Premature Birth; Tommy’s; https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/premature-birth/causes-of-premature-birth

10. Sandoval-Ramírez, B.A., Catalán, Ú., Calderón-Pérez, L., Companys, J., Pla-Pagà, L., Ludwig, I.A., Romero, M.P., and Solà, R.; The effects and associations of whole-apple intake on diverse cardiovascular risk factors. A narrative review; Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31928209/; 2020

11. George, V. C., & Rupasinghe, H. P. V.; Apple Flavonoids Suppress Carcinogen-Induced DNA Damage in Normal Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells; Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5494106/; 2017

12. Asgary, S., Rastqar, A., and Keshvari, M. Weight Loss Associated With Consumption of Apples: A Review; J Am Coll Nutr; https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29630462/; September-October 2018

13. Apples; Harvard; School of Public Health; https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/food-features/apples/

Also Read:

Eating Peaches in Pregnancy
Eating Grapefruit during Pregnancy
Consuming Watermelon when Pregnant
Custard Apple (Sitafal) while Pregnancy