Feijoa during pregnancy - the benefits and harm

The main requirement for the diet of a pregnant woman is balance and safety. And when it comes to vitamins and minerals, doctors recommend focusing on fresh fruits and vegetables. Optimally, if they grow in the same climate in which the woman lives. But even if they are not characteristic of a particular climatic zone, this is not a reason to abandon their use. And a bright example is feijoa. What are the differences of this berry, can it be eaten pregnant and what should I pay attention to during the purchase?

Specific features

Feijoa is an oblong green berry, originally grown in South America. Today it is widespread in many regions of the world with a subtropical and tropical climate. Feijoa is especially popular in Sicily, Spain, Italy and Georgia.Externally, it vaguely resembles a green walnut.

The plant was first discovered in Brazil at the end of the 19th century by Portuguese explorer João de Silva Feujo, after whom the fruits were named. Later feijoa was brought to France, and from there migrated to the Caucasus. This autumn is a heat-loving plant, and the maximum frosts it can survive are down to -10 ° C.

The most delicious thing in feijoa fruits is pulp. It is very juicy and nutritious and not comparable with any berry, typical for continental climate. The rind of the fruit is also edible, but slightly tart to the taste, so many prefer to remove it. But it contains more vitamins and microelements than pulp.

The composition and unique properties of feijoa

Feijoa, like many other berries, is replete with vitamins and useful ingredients. It contains malic and folic acid. The pulp is dominated by easily digestible fats and protein, due to which the berry is considered dietary. Doctors recommend that pregnant women use feijoa as a snack, replacing high-calorie meals with it.This will not only enrich the body with nutrients, but also elementary to satisfy hunger.

The first thing that feijoa is famous for is the highest concentration of iodine that can only be found in a vegetable product - from 8 to 30 mg per 100 g of fruit. This is many times higher than its performance in seafood. Due to the fact that iodine is in a water-soluble form, it is absorbed almost 100%. According to statistics, more than 80% of pregnant women suffer from iodine deficiency, therefore, the addition of feijoa to the diet will prevent the development of thyroid pathology. The berry is especially useful at 12 weeks of pregnancy, because at this time the fetus's thyroid gland is being laid. But no less dangerous and an overdose of iodine, so when carrying a child should not eat feijoa in uncontrolled quantities. Optimally - 1-2 pcs. in a day.

What else feijoa is rich in:

1. Contained in the skin of leukoanthotsinom and kakhetin, considered powerful antioxidants. It is responsible for inhibiting the development of oncological diseases, but for pregnant women they are necessary to strengthen the immune system.
2. Vegetable fibers that improve the natural intestinal peristalsis.They prevent constipation, which affects most women in the position.
3. Vitamin C, which is also necessary for the body’s resistance to bacterial and viral infections.
4. Calcium, responsible for the normal development of pregnancy. The growing fetus is needed for the growth of teeth and bones, for the formation of a healthy nervous and cardiovascular system.
5. Vitamin B1, which plays a key role in metabolic processes. Thiamine takes part in the work of the nervous system, improves blood circulation, normalizes the brain.

Contraindications

Even despite the richest composition, feijoa has dangerous properties that need to be considered:

1. Berry is contraindicated in women suffering from hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (hypertension). This is due to the high concentration of iodine in its composition.
2. Due to its high sugar content, it is not necessary to eat pregnant women with excess weight and diabetes.
3. Feijoa can not be combined with cow's milk, because it will lead to intestinal upset.

It is advisable to try this exotic berry before pregnancy. This will allow to track the individual reaction and possible intolerance of the product. If you are allergic to feijoa, it is better to refuse.Children need to give the berry with caution, starting with a quarter of a teaspoon.

Feijoa in cooking

Of the bizarre berries are often prepared jams, jams, compotes and used as one of the ingredients of the salad. One of the easiest recipes is a combination of feijoa and honey. To do this, you need to wash the fruit, remove the peel from it, and mix the remaining pulp with one spoon of honey. The resulting dish can be eaten immediately, or can be folded in a jar and combined with dried fruit. For a pregnant woman, this is an excellent alternative to purchase sweets, in which a very large percentage of refined sugar.

In feijoa salads, it goes well with apples, citrus fruits, avocados, as well as boiled carrots and beets. It is better to fill the salad with natural homemade yogurt.

The skin of the berries can be carefully cleaned and dried, later adding to tea brewing. It will enrich the taste of the drink, make it rich.

Use of feijoa in cosmetology

With the help of feijoa, you can refuse to buy expensive care products because it has a nourishing and rejuvenating effect. The easiest way to make a mask out of it.This will require half of the fruit, one tablespoon of natural coconut or any vegetable oil, the yolk of one egg and 2 tablespoons of ground coffee to a paste. We clean the berries and grind the pulp into a puree. We add all the other ingredients to it and distribute the mixture evenly over the skin of the face. Leave the mask on the skin for 15-20 minutes, then gently wash it with water or wet cotton pads.

Selection and storage of feijoa

Make sure that feijoa is ripe, you can only cut it. If the pulp has a sandy color, it means that it has ripened or even rotted. If it is white, then the fruit is still green, respectively, it is not necessary to eat it.In ripe berries, it should be transparent and delicate.

It is best to store feijoa in the refrigerator in the departments for vegetables and fruits. The maximum period that she can lie - 14 days. It all depends on the degree of ripening berries. Ideally, the berry should be stored no more than 7 days, especially if it was ripe at the time of purchase. As feijoa loses moisture, it becomes sweeter.

Tasty and ripe feijoa is a great product for any pregnant woman. It is considered an excellent substitute for high-calorie desserts, the use of which affects the figure. Just a few fruits a day will provide the necessary amount of iodine and simply enrich the diet.

Video: the benefits and harm of feijoa