Health Benefits Of Cashew Nuts During Pregnancy

Pregnancy forces many women to change their eating habits as not all the foods are safe for the developing fetus. As nuts are considered to be rather “heavy”, some ladies doubt that eating them during this period is a wise choice.

In this post you’ll find the answers to the most popular questions asked by expecting moms.

Are cashews good for a pregnant woman? The answer to this question is really simple. Of course, they are good for you unless you are allergic to this particular kind of nut. In all other cases, they are a great addition to a healthy diet.

* Eating nuts reduces the risk of your child being allergic to them

In essence, you help your unborn baby to build up resistance to the allergen. This should reduce the risk of the child developing such an extreme reaction, especially considering the fact that your kid won’t have a genetic predisposition to this kind of allergy.

* Cashews are a great source of macro nutrients

In order to grow your baby needs a lot of proteins and healthy fats. They are the best source of both among nuts in general. They also give you carbohydrates and fiber, which are essential for reducing the level of bad cholesterol in your body and preventing heart disease. Pregnancy can be hard on your body, especially if you are predisposed to heart problems. As you won’t be able to take any pharmaceutical medications to reduce the risks, you should take an opportunity to do this in a healthy way.

* 1 oz. of roasted cashew nuts contains 1.7 mg of iron

This level of iron is very high as far as food sources of this mineral are concerned. This makes these nuts a mandatory food for pregnant women, who require 27 mg of iron every day. People today are highly susceptible to anemia, which is caused by iron deficiency, and the situation is worse for women as their bodies must produce more blood while carrying a child. This mineral plays an essential part in the production of hemoglobin, so you need to take it if you want your blood to be healthy.

* Cashews are an excellent source of vitamin K

This is another way in which this superfood help your blood, as vitamin K ensures that blood coagulates properly. Note that consuming 90 mcg of this vitamin daily during pregnancy reduces the risk of fetal bleeding during delivery.

* Cashews are rich in copper

It’s vitally important for the fetus as copper is essential for the development of blood vessels, nervous system, and the heart. The required daily amount for copper is 1mg, and 1oz of these nuts contains 0.6mg of this mineral. However, you should be careful as an excessive amount of it can provoke diarrhea, heart problems, and headaches.

* One more important mineral that is found in cashews is magnesium

It cooperates with calcium and promotes health of muscles and bones in pregnant women, as well as protects them against high blood pressure, tension, fatigue, and migraine.