Its sweet and fresh taste makes longan often the choice of fruit lovers, including pregnant women. Although there is a myth that this fruit is not very good for the womb, in fact the benefits of longan for pregnant women are quite diverse.

Longan nutritional content is good for pregnant women

Longan is one type of fruit that is good for pregnant women. In addition to vitamins, this fruit which is also called longan contains minerals and carbohydrates. Here are a series of nutrients that can be obtained when eating longan fruit:

• Carbohydrate
• Protein
• Potassium or potassium
• Vitamin C
• Magnesium
• Phosphor
• B complex vitamins, including folic acid

Longan is also a fruit that contains lots of water and is low in calories.

The benefits of longan for pregnant women

The benefits of longan for pregnant women are obtained from its abundant nutritional content. What are the benefits?

Maintain fluid balance in pregnant women

The benefits of longan for pregnant women arise thanks to the high potassium content in it. During pregnancy, this mineral, also known as potassium, plays an important role in regulating fluid balance and maintaining healthy nerves and muscles. Potassium deficiency also often triggers leg cramps during pregnancy. Pregnant women need about 2900 mg of potassium per day and 100 grams of longan contains about 266 mg of potassium.

Keep blood pressure stable

Maintaining blood pressure during pregnancy is very important. The reason is, the condition of hypertension in pregnant women can be a sign of preeclampsia which can be dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. The potassium content in longan can also help stabilize blood pressure. In addition, to avoid high blood pressure during pregnancy, you need to reduce your daily sodium consumption.

Improve maternal and fetal health

The benefits of longan for the next pregnant woman are obtained from the vitamin C content in it. Vitamin C is very important for maintaining the health of pregnant women and prospective children because it can increase endurance. This vitamin will also help in the growth of fetal bones and teeth, the production of collagen in the body, to increase the ability to absorb iron. While vitamin C deficiency during pregnancy can increase the risk of preeclampsia.

Prevent birth defects

Longan fruit is a natural source of folic acid. This compound is very important for pregnant women to consume to prevent babies from being born with defects or from a disease called spina bifida. The daily requirement of folic acid certainly cannot be met only by eating longan. Pregnant women also need to get it from other healthy food sources, such as green vegetables or additional supplements from a doctor.

Prevent anemia

Although the amount is not much, longan contains iron which is important to prevent anemia. This condition of blood deficiency is indeed vulnerable to be experienced by pregnant women. According to the American Society of Hematology, blood volume increases by 20-30 percent during pregnancy. Therefore, the need for iron and vitamins also increases. Iron will increase the production of red blood cells and smooth blood circulation. If there is no additional intake of iron, anemia is prone to occur.

The risk of consuming longan for pregnant women

So far, there has been no calculation of the glycemic index of longan. However, because the carbohydrate content is quite high and the fiber is low, the consumption of this fruit needs to be limited for people with diabetes.

The same thing applies to pregnant women because they have to maintain stable sugar levels during pregnancy. You can still eat longan, but you shouldn’t overdo it. You are also advised to choose fresh longan rather than canned longan.

Some people also believe that longan can trigger some adverse effects, such as increasing the risk of pregnancy complications. However, until now, there has been no research that can confirm this.
In order for pregnancy to be maintained properly, consult your diet with your obstetrician, including about fruits that can be consumed or which should be avoided.