Guava is a popular fruit found across Central America and Asia. They are available in different variants – some red on the inside and some white. Appearance aside, guavas are also a storehouse of fibers and Vitamin C that can be a good addition to one’s pregnancy diet.
The best thing about eating guava is that every part of the fruit is edible. You can eat the skin and even the seeds inside the fruit. It is loaded with antioxidants, which can prevent oxidative stress during pregnancy.
This article will explore the guava benefits during pregnancy and its safety during such a delicate period.
Also Read: Maggi During Pregnancy: Is It Safe for Pregnant Women to Eat, Nutritional Facts
In this Article
Guava – Nutrition Facts
Guavas are enriched with fibers, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. Also, they have a very low glycemic index, making them a good fruit for consumption during pregnancy.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the nutritional facts of a guava per 100 grams:
| Nutritional Component | Amount (per 100 grams) |
| Calories | 68 kCal |
| Total fats | 1 gm |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
| Potassium | 417 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 14 gm |
| Dietary fiber | 5 gm |
| Sugar | 9 gm |
| Protein | 2.6 gm |
| Vitamin C | 380% |
| Calcium | 1% |
| Iron | 1% |
| Vitamin B6 | 5% |
| Magnesium | 5% |
What are the Benefits of Guava During Pregnancy?
Pregnancy can bring along a lot of dietary restrictions for the mother to ensure optimal delivery of the baby. However, guava is a fruit every doctor encourages to eat during pregnancy.
Guavas are rich in essential plant compounds that can support the optimal physical well-being of the mother during their pregnancy.
Following are some of the science-backed facts that answer, “Is guava good for pregnancy?”
1. Enriched with Vital Nutrients
As you can read in the previous section of the article, guavas are rich in vital nutrients. This includes the staple vitamins and minerals and a host of antioxidants.
The high percentage of Vitamin C in guavas helps reduce the incidence of free radical damage in the body during pregnancy. Vitamin C also facilitates iron absorption from the consumed food, thereby supporting fetal growth and development.
Surprisingly enough, guava contains around 20% daily folate requirement for a pregnant woman. This supports their well-being throughout the pregnancy and supports fetal health too.
2. Manage Risks of Hypertension
High blood pressure during pregnancy leads to fatal complications, including preeclampsia. Studies suggest that guavas have certain enzyme-inhibitory actions that generally contribute to high blood pressure in the mother.
No potent clinical trials support this claim, but the pre-clinical trials show promising results. So, if you are pregnant and at risk of high blood pressure, your doctors might recommend snacking on guavas to combat that risk.
3. Support Digestion
Heartburn, acid reflux, poor bowel movements, etc., are common complications pregnant women experience throughout their term.
Guavas are a rich source of dietary fiber, which supports smoother bowel movement and reduces heartburn risks in pregnant women.
Also, studies suggest that consuming guava leaf extract during pregnancy might relieve acid reflux and prevent the risks of diarrhea in the mother. However, there aren’t many conclusive studies on this subject. So, we’d recommend discussing the subject with your OBGYN before you consume it.
4. Manage Blood Glucose Level
Gestational diabetes is a very common risk during pregnancy. The condition can happen in either of the two situations:
- The body doesn’t produce enough insulin
- Body has become insulin resistant.
If left untreated, gestational diabetes can contribute to stunted fetal growth and low birth weight for the baby, among other complications.
Although there aren’t many studies about the actual guava fruit and its benefits on the blood glucose levels, certain studies highlight that drinking guava leaf extract can regulate the blood glucose levels and reduce risks of insulin resistance in the body.
The conclusions from these studies are preliminary and require further research to ascertain the results.
Besides the leaf extracts, guava fruit has a very low glycemic index, which manages the blood glucose levels during pregnancy.
5. Boost and Optimize Immunity
Pregnant women have to be in the best physical health during their term. This includes having a strong immune system that can ward off infections and common diseases that could be fatal for the developing baby.
Guava, which is rich in antioxidants like Vitamin C, has amazing immunity-boosting benefits during pregnancy. Besides supporting the immune system, the antioxidants also reduce oxidative stress in the body and keep the cells functional throughout the pregnancy term.
6. Boost Skin Health
Several pregnant women often complain about poor skin health throughout their pregnancy. This involves hyperpigmentation, redness, and even skin rashes.
Guavas are packed with antioxidants that support your skin health and make it glowing and rejuvenated. Also, since guava has antimicrobial properties, you can consume guava fruit to ward off bacteria-induced acne that often pop up during pregnancy.
There are not many side effects of guava during pregnancy that you need to worry about, unless you are allergic to the fruit (which is very rare).
How Does Guava Support Fertility?
Not just during pregnancy, eating guavas can also improve a person’s fertility, especially in women. The diversity of nutrients in guavas, including folate, Vitamin C, and Vitamin B6, and the abundance of fiber make it perfect for a woman’s reproductive health.
If you are trying to get pregnant, eating fruits with folate sources is ideal. Guava contains around 20% of our daily folate requirement.
Studies also indicate that individuals with a high Vitamin C intake have heightened chances of getting pregnant instead of those who don’t consume the same.
More conclusive studies involving human trials are needed to solidify the preliminary evidence. So, if you are facing issues with fertility, consult a specialist who can find the cause and then administer the treatment needed.
Conclusion
Guava is a safe and nutritious fruit that supports fertility and pregnancy. Due to their high antioxidant and folate percentage, they are a good addition to a pregnant woman’s daily diet. Besides optimizing the immune system and supporting fetal health, guavas can also relieve many pregnancy side effects that most would-be mothers struggle with.
