For both the mother and the unborn child, a well-balanced pregnancy diet is crucial. During pregnancy, the mother’s diet takes on added importance, so she should eat well and abstain from unhealthy food habits. It is important to have fresh fruits and vegetables in their meals. Any new fruit or vegetable should be eaten only after consulting the doctor.
What about Rambutan during pregnancy? While many common fruits are consumed during pregnancy, there are a select few that have fewer people aware of their nutrient density and positive effects on the developing baby. Rambutan is one of those fruits that is incredibly energizing during pregnancy.
What Is Rambutan?
Tropical Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Indonesia are home to this delicious fruit. It shares a flavor profile with longan, lychee, guava, and other tropical fruits. This fruit is extremely fibrous and has a hairy texture. It has a high concentration of water, is red in color, is sweet, and is very juicy.
Related Reading: 11 Foods That Give You Energy While Pregnant
It’s a great source of energy and carbohydrates and also contains vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Rambutan fruits are high in Vitamin C, phosphorus, and calcium, making them an excellent choice for pregnant women to eat to boost their immunity, detoxify their bodies, and combat any skin allergies or diseases they may be experiencing.
Nutritional Value Of Rambutan
100 grams of rambutan carries1:
- Calories: 68 kcal
- Carbohydrate: 16 g
- Fiber: 2.8 g
- Sugar: 13.2 g
- Fat: 0.3 g
- Protein: 0.9 g
Moreover, coming to the mineral and vitamin content, 100 grams of rambutan account for 66% of the RDA for vitamin C. It also contains 10% manganese, 9% copper, 5% potassium, and 4% magnesium. Rambutan fruit contains a decent range of micronutrients.
Is It Safe To Eat Rambutan During Pregnancy
There are no such drawbacks to consuming rambutan, and it is perfectly safe to do so as long as you select it wisely and consume it in moderation. However, since the fruit has the propensity to cause an increase in body temperature, it is best to avoid eatingrambutan during pregnancy’s first trimester.
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Once past the first trimester of pregnancy, consumption of Rambutan during pregnancy in all other trimesters poses no risk to the pregnancy or developing baby. It has a high nutritional content, such as calories and fats, which contribute to the satisfaction of the calorific requirements. It ought to be consumed in moderation at all times, and this should only be done after consulting a medical professional.
Health Benefits Of Eating Rambutan During Pregnancy
The rambutan is an exotic fruit that has a very high caloric content, in addition to containing a wide variety of other nutrients. Not only the fruit itself but also the bark and the leaves have many beneficial properties for one’s health. It is an excellent choice for pregnant women, and when it comes to its advantages,rambutan’s benefits for hair and skin cannot be missed as well.
A few health benefits of consuming Rambutan during pregnancy are as given below:
1. A rich source of iron
Rambutan is a powerhouse of nutrients and rich in iron that helps in fighting fatigue, offering great energy, and even keeping the hemoglobin under control. Anemia is one of the issues faced by many pregnant women as the blood volume increases up to 50% during pregnancy. Rambutan helps to prevent anemia and even deals with existing one.
Rambutans have some quantity of copper and iron that help to produce red blood cells or RBCs2. The mineral copper assists your body in producing hemoglobin, which is essential for producing red and white blood cells and maintaining a healthy immune system3.
Related Reading: Eating Red Meat During Pregnancy – Benefits Risks And Precautions
2. It’s a great remedy for fatigue, dizziness, and nausea.
The rambutan fruit is full of healthy nutrients like vitamin B, which is an important part of how your body turns the food you eat into the energy you can use4.
Further, rambutan is a sweet and sour taste that helps to reduce nausea which is common for many pregnant women. The refreshing taste of the fruit helps in overcoming dizziness.
3. Contributes to pregnancy glow
Rambutan has vitamin E which helps to ease all types of skin ailments, rashes, etc. Vitamin E present in Rambutan helps in getting relief from itching. The skin can also benefit from the hydrating properties of the rambutan.
The vitamin C and manganese in the fruit work together to boost collagen production while also neutralizing harmful free radicals. This whole process helps maintain the health of your skin. It even helps prevent skin dullness and acne, which are common during pregnancy and therefore contribute to the pregnancy glow5.
4. Helps to fight digestive issues
Pregnancy is a time women experience episodes of constipation.
Pregnant women can strengthen their digestive system by eating rambutans. You can get both soluble and insoluble fiber from them. Rambutans’ high fiber content is useful for those suffering from constipation because it increases stool volume and lessens the risk of bowels getting impacted6.
5. It helps in fighting common diseases
There are a number of ways in which eating rambutan fruit may help your immune system. Vitamin C, which is abundant in this food, has been shown to stimulate the production of white blood cells, which help the body fight off infections7.
Related Reading: 9 Common Infections During Pregnancy You Should Be Aware Of
Rambutan may help to keep the fever at bay due to its antimicrobial properties. Eating rambutan may help to fight against headaches, flu, the common cold, and fever during pregnancy.
6. Controls blood pressure and cholesterol
The naturally high potassium content of rambutan contributes to the fruit’s ability to help keep blood pressure at a healthy level. In addition to this, it increases the amount of good HDL cholesterol in the blood while simultaneously lowering the levels of harmful LDL cholesterol8.
7. Helps with detoxification
Rambutan helps in detoxifying the body by getting rid of toxins that are a major cause of illness. It helps to clean the kidney due to the presence of phosphorus that detoxifies the toxins that are in the kidney. Not only does Rambutan help in removing harmful toxins, but it also even helps to remove heavy metals as well9. All these properties are highly beneficial during pregnancy.
8. Improves immunity
Rambutan is good for pregnant women’s immunity, which is weak and prone to infection. The nutrients in Rambutan protect pregnant women from bacteria and viruses. Copper in rambutan helps regenerate WBCs, boosting the immune system10.
Related Reading: 11 Simple Ways To Boost Immunity During Pregnancy
9. Improves blood flow and contributes to heart health
The blood flow is obstructed by the fat deposits in the artery walls, which reduce the oxygen supply to the heart. Having rambutan helps prevent it. Rambutan helps to strengthen and repair the blood vessel walls that are damaged.
Because of its ability to increase blood flow, rambutan is useful for alleviating the common swelling of the feet and legs during pregnancy. The rambutan’s high fiber and mineral content aids in blood pressure regulation and protects against heart disease. Vitamin C in rambutan also contributes to heart health11.
10. Improves vision
It is common for pregnant ladies to have vision issues during pregnancy. Consumption of rambutan during pregnancy can benefit eye health. Rambutans are one food that is rich in vitamin C, making them an excellent way to maintain eye health. Further, this fruit’s high vitamin A content can help with vision issues12.
11. Promotes good bone health
Manganese present in Rambutans helps in the formation of connective tissue and bones. Manganese helps to absorb calcium and even increases strength and bone mass.
Calcium in this fruit also contributes to bone health and maintains fetal weight. Rambutan has zinc, phosphorus, sodium, iron, potassium, and magnesium. Thus moderate and regular consumption of this fruit helps in improving bone density and thus helps to reduce the chances of developing osteoporosis in the future13.
12. Boost energy levels
Rambutans offer an ideal energy source due to the carbohydrates present in them. Fruits also have fats and proteins. It even has glucose and fructose which are healthy sugars that can easily be absorbed by the body and offer great energy. It has high water content which is good for sports and athletes and ideal for pregnancy as it keeps you well hydrated. All these help to provide instant energy.
Related Reading: Energy Drinks During Pregnancy – Are They Safe?
Risk Of Eating Rambutan During Pregnancy
According to research, eating rambutan in the first trimester of pregnancy can cause a miscarriage because it causes the body to overheat. It can also cause labor complications and block the birth canal14.
Possible Side Effects And Risks Of Rambutan When Pregnant
Rambutan even though is a great choice, must be consumed in moderation during pregnancy as eating too much rambutan during pregnancy or not remembering the given points can result in some side effects.
Here is a list of them:
- Gestational diabetes: It is important to pick up ripe Rambutan as an overripe can result in high cholesterol levels not suitable for the mother as well as the developing baby. Its sweet sugar content can also lead to a rise in blood sugar. This is one of the major disadvantages of rambutan during pregnancy
- High blood pressure: Overripe Rambutan is also not good for pregnant ladies who have hypertension
- Alcohol: In overripe fruits, soluble sugars are converted into alcohol by hydrolysis of starch15. This applies to overripe rambutan as well
- Toxic: The seeds of Rambutan are toxic when left uncooked, but if they are cooked, again and again, the toxicity of the fruit can be neutralized
Pointers While Buying And Storing Rambutan
It is not only important to consume Rambutan during pregnancy, but it is equally important to choose the best fruit.
A few points below will help to determine the correct way of buying and storing Rambutan:
- When buying a Rambutan for a pregnant lady, it is advisable to buy a ripe one and avoid overripe ones
- A good rambutan is red, the deeper the color, the better it is
- Avoid buying a brown dull color of Rambutan
- Rambutans with hairy spikes and a firm appearance are the good ones
- A rotten rambutan has shriveled hair spikes
- A good rambutan has adequate juice and firm flesh as well
- The pregnant woman should not be given a Rambutan which is mushy inside
- This fruit is fresh between June till December
- They should always be stored in cool places so that they stay fresh
- This fruit can be left at room temperature for a maximum of two days and should be wrapped in bags and refrigerated well if it needs to be stored for a long
According to our Nutritionist, Sushree, Rambutan can be a refreshing and hydrating fruit to include in your pregnancy diet. Its high water content helps with hydration, important for both you and your baby. Rambutan also provides some essential nutrients, including vitamin C and fiber. Vitamin C supports the immune system and iron absorption, while fiber aids digestion. However, it’s important to maintain moderation. Rambutan contains natural sugars, and excessive consumption could contribute to gestational diabetes risk. A moderate serving of 2-3 rambutans per day is generally considered safe. Always prioritize thorough washing before consuming any fruit to minimize the risk of foodborne illness.
But Rambutan should always be taken with a doctor’s consultation to check if it suits you. Some women may experience discomfort or can be allergic to it so before consumption do consult healthcare professional.