Is Passion Fruit Safe During Pregnancy?

By: Ambili S Kartha

Pregnancy is a roller coaster ride. One day you feel like gobbling up the whole menu while most of the days you just want to keep your gut in. During such a state most of the expectant moms have had success in keeping fruits down without much fuss. Fruits and vegetables are nutrient dense and when you add a variety of them to your diet, you can assure that your body will stock up on most of the vitamins, fibers, and nutrients required for your baby. Among the top list of beneficial fruits, the passion fruit has a strong footing with its powerhouse of nutrients.

What Is A Passion Fruit?

Passion fruit is a small, heart-shaped, tropical fruit gaining recognition among the health conscious youngsters. The fruit has its origin from Passiflora vine, a form of passion flower. It is often considered as a type of berry due to its tough outer skin and glutinous seedy center.  The fruit comes predominantly in two varieties; purple and yellow varieties.

Nutritional Value Of Passion Fruit

Though being small in size, the passion fruit is packed with calories, fiber, vitamin A, B2, B3, B6, and Vitamin C. Grown in a tropical atmosphere, the fruit is loaded with minerals like potassium, magnesium, copper, and iron. This calorie rich fruit is also dense in carotenoids and polyphenols. The small fruit is also a powerhouse of antioxidants beneficial for both the mother and the unborn child.

Is Passion Fruit Safe During Pregnancy?

It is hard to find a small fruit packed with innumerable nutrients like Passionfruit. It is considered one of the safest and healthiest fruits that ensure the growth of your unborn child.  Passion fruits can work wonders for your immune system and safeguard the fetus too.

10 Amazing Benefits Of Eating Passion Fruit During Pregnancy

The major benefit of passion fruit is that it is low in calories and high in nutrients. Other benefits of consuming passion fruit during pregnancy are:

1. Promotes Growth And Development Of The Fetus: Passion fruit is loaded with anti-oxidants, minerals, and vitamins, that are essential for the development of the fetus. Consuming passion fruit during pregnancy will ensure a good amount of nutrients to the mother and baby.
2. Relieves Insomnia: This super fruit is bursting with alkaloid namely Harman, which is known to relieve stress and anxiety, aid in treating insomnia often suffered by pregnant women.
3. Boosts Immunity: Vitamin C forms nearly 50% of the nutrient dense fruit.  It is a well-known fact that a diet rich in Vitamin C ensures a strong immune system during pregnancy.
4. Regulates Blood Pressure: Often during pregnancy, expectant mothers suffer from fluctuating blood pressure. The high amount of potassium in passion fruit cuts the risk by half and helps in regulating blood pressure.
5. It Is Good For Bone Health: Bone health is a big concern during pregnancy. The consumption of passion fruit helps to ward off brittle bones as the fruit is rich in minerals like iron, magnesium,  phosphorus, and copper. This in turn aids in protecting the bone density and prevents the early onset of osteoporosis during pregnancy.
6. Promotes Healthy And Smooth Digestion: It is a known fact that pregnant women face a number of digestive issues like heartburn and GERD caused by the growing fetus. The rich fibrous pulp of passion fruit aids in easy digestion and promotes a healthy gut.
7. Improves Blood Circulation: Expectant mothers require having a good production of hemoglobin to ensure the nutrients reach the fetus. The high iron content in passion fruit aids in increasing the production of red blood cells and keeps anemia at bay.
8. Enhances Skin And Eye Health: Vitamin A present in the fruit helps in improving the eyesight and reduces the risk of vision-related issues. Vitamin A also boosts the skin elasticity as an added bonus to a pregnancy glow.
9. Brings Down Respiratory Problems: Passion fruit is a natural expectorant which has proven to alleviate symptoms of wheezing and asthma in expectant mothers.
10. Brings Down  Joint Pains: Pregnant women run the risk of early onset of osteoporosis and joint pain due to the pressure borne by the joints during pregnancy. The mineral laden fruit also aids in the prevention of osteoporosis and eases joint pain.

Is It Safe To Consume The Seeds Of Passion Fruit?

The whole small fruit except the outer skin is edible, including the pulp, seeds, and juice of the fruit. Consuming the fruit during pregnancy has a lot of benefits and absolutely no side effects.  The awareness regarding the powerhouse fruit has garnered much interest among the new age mums. There are many ways to consume the fruit, and the yummiest way is in juice format.

Does Passion Fruit Cause Any Side Effects?

Usually, passion fruit is devoid of any side effects if consumed in moderation. However,

• Overconsumption of passion fruit can cause short-term distress like diarrhea and bloating during pregnancy. This is owing to the fact that passion fruit is loaded with fibers.
• Even though less reported, passion fruit can cause allergic reactions. The expecting mothers with a history of latex allergy should be on guard. This is because passion fruit contains chemical, which is of the same kind that found in latex.
• When you consume too much passion fruit, it can make you slightly nauseous.

 How To Select And Store Passion Fruit?

Selecting: Select passion fruit that is large and heavy. Choose ones which are not smooth-skinned, why because they will not be ripe. Choose the dimpled and shrunken skin ones (which shows the fruit is ripe). Never choose overly hard passion fruit, which is under ripe.

Storing:  You have to consume ripe passion fruit at room temperature within two days. You can freeze the whole passion fruit or its pulp and seeds (by scooping out to an airtight container) which can be stored for three months. However, we recommend eating fresh fruits to get all its nutritional benefits.

Tips To Consume Passion Fruit During Pregnancy:

Both the fruit and juice of the passion fruit will blend well with other fresh fruits, particularly the tropical fruits. You can enjoy the fresh fruit by slicing it in half. You can also add it to fruit salad and prepare juice.

Recipe For Passion Fruit Juice:

• Passionfruit: 5 or 6
• Sugar: according to taste
• Water: 1 cup

Method:

Cut the passion fruit in half and scoop out the pulp. Add them directly to the blender along with sugar and water. Run the blender until the ingredients are mixed well. Run through a sieve and serve chilled.  Cheers to a cup of good health.

Source: https://www.beingtheparent.com/is-passion-fruit-safe-during-pregnancy/

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