Pregnancy is one of the most beautiful & important phases in a woman’s life. Not just the body that changes, but the way a woman thinks and feel about herself, her priorities, attitude, lifestyle, well, everything that is about to change. The most common health problems in pregnancy are Insomnia, Diarrhoea, Blood Pressure, Diabetes, Urinary Tract Infections, Healthy fetal developement, Food craving, Weakness, Weight gain, Aching or bleeding gums etc.
How Makhana (Fox Nut) helps during Pregnancy?
Makhana, also known as Phool Makhana, Popped lotus seeds, Popped water lily seeds, Prickly water lily seeds, Foxnut or Gorgon nut, are popularly used for medicinal purposes in Asia. Highly nutritious, it is a new superfood found principally in India.
They are high in magnesium, iron, potassium, and calcium that are essential during pregnancy. Low in calories, Water Lily Seeds are a choice of snack for the health-conscious crowd.
The high nutrients contained in Makhana are good for pregnant women at high risk of gestational diabetes and hypertension and the high calcium content is very good for fetal development.
Makhana Benefits in Pregnancy
1. Treats Insomnia
Pregnancy is a period during which you are likely to suffer from frequent insomnia. This mainly happens due to the changing patterns of your hormones, stress, and changing food habits. Makhana (Fox Nuts) could help you sleep because of their mild sedative properties. The vitamins and antioxidants in the seeds also regulate the functioning of the body, allowing you a regular sleep routine.
2. Prevents Diarrhoea
During the early stages of pregnancy, most women go through weird problems with regard to their excretory system. Diarrhoea is one of them. In case of diarrhoea during pregnancy, Makhana (Popped Lotus seeds) are an excellent natural remedy to diarrhoea. The alkaloids present in the fox nuts alleviate diarrhea. It increases the strength of the digestive system, hence prevent it from falling prey to hormonal and food related changes.
3. Controls Blood Pressure
Makhana (Water lily seeds) has low sodium content while being rich in potassium and magnesium. This helps one keep blood pressure under control, and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
4. Diabetes Control
Sugar levels in the blood could elevate during pregnancy. Makhana (Fox Nut) is very high in fibre but relatively low in fat content. This is good for diabetic patients with digestive problems because the low fat means lower sugar is released.
5. Prevents Urinary Tract Infections
During pregnancy, woman body’s constitution is rather fragile and needs constant nutrition. This is because the vital hormones are changing form. Apart from that, the vaginal secretion might lead to infections in the urinary tract. Makhana has Vitamin C which increases the acidity in the urine, thus limiting the growth of bladder infections causing bacteria. This can reduce the risk of the same by up to 20%.
6. Healthy Fetal Developement
Protein is essential for the overall development of your foetus. It helps in the growth of your baby’s brain and central nervous system. Popped Lotus seeds (Makhana) contain a good amount of proteins, fibre, and vitamins that help in healthy development of the baby inside the womb. The vitamins help the baby absorb the nutrients from the foods that you eat daily.
7. Relieves Aching or Bleeding Gums
Most pregnant women, in the middle stages of pregnancy, experience sore gums due to hormonal changes and expansion in different parts of the body as a result of excess water retention. The vitamin B-complexes and zinc present in Makhana can help reduce the swelling and bleeding, if eaten regularly.
8. Increase Energy
One of the most annoying feelings when you’re pregnant is that of fatigue. Having Makhana is a great way to fight this because they contain iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, protein and vitamins and can reduce tiredness or weakness.
9. Controls Weight Gain
The pregnancy weight gain is very common. It is important to eat well so that the baby grows well inside. Thus, a woman cannot reduce the amount of food she eats. Makhana contain a low glycaemic index and lots of minerals that make the pregnant woman feel full after eating only a little. Hence, it is a wonderful food to snack on for those constant hunger pangs and food cravings.
10. Prevent Dry Skin
During pregnancy, it is very common to have dry skin. This can be prevented by consuming Makhana as they have several hydration properties that keep your skin supple and moisturized.
Eating Makhana in Pregnancy
Consuming about two to three handfuls of Makhana to yield the benefits mentioned earlier. Many women are confused about how to incorporate makhana into their daily diet. Here’s how a pregnant can eat Makhana or Water lily seeds.
Plain Roasted: There are a great substitute for popcorn, when eaten plain. All you have to do is lightly roast them in a spoon of butter or ghee. You can also add some salt, chilli powder or any other seasoning for a nice flavour.
Desserts: Makhana is a very nutritive addition to kheer (Pudding). Simply roast some plain makhana, as mentioned above, crush them, and add to the kheer, five minutes before you finish cooking it.
There are a number of ways to eat makhana in a healthy way. Makhana contains a wide variety of nutrients that are vital in order to maintain optimal functioning of the immune system and it comes with many other major health benefits.
Is it Safe to eat Makhana during Pregnancy? - answer is YES!!
Makhana During Pregnancy : Nutritious & healthy
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