Is It Safe to Eat Eggplant During Pregnancy?

Eggplant is a super-food which falls to the category of nutritious vegetables. The safety of eating eggplant during pregnancy, always has been the top search of ladies while they are pregnant. Eggplant has several health benefits, but is completley not safe and may have some negative effects.

This article on Hipregnancy helps moms-to-be to figure out more about consuming eggplant for pregnant, whether it is safe or not, and also benefits, side effects, ways to eat, etc. Keep reading to the end to find important information about eggplant and pregnancy.

Is it safe to eat eggplant during pregnancy?

Pregnant ladies should be aware of their consumption during pregnancy, and try to add healthy food options to their diet. Vegetables are nutritious food that all pregnant women should consume to get vitamins, fiber, minerals, etc. Eggplant, or brinjal, is one of the tasty vegetables that can be used in various foods, e.g., an easy pregnancy lunch, or dinner.

In general, it is safe to consume eggplant during pregnancy, if it is prepared and cooked completely. Remember that eating raw and improperly cooked foods like eggplant can cause food poisoning when pregnant.

In addition, those who are allergic to eggplant should avoid eating this vegetable while pregnant because this allergy can put both mom and baby at risk.

Eggplant key nutrients

The following table shows you how much consuming eggplant during pregnancy can help your body meet nutritional needs during pregnancy;

[1: theprenatalnutritionist]

Health benefits of eating eggplant during Pregnancy

Eggplant is a nutritious vegetable, and because of its high nutritional value, consuming it during pregnancy has the following health benefits;

• Regulating cholesterol levels

Researche indicated that consuming eggplant in pregnancy can decrease bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. In other words, it can reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels or boost high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels while pregnant. Therefore, if you have completely cooked eggplant in your diet during pregnancy, you can reduce the risk of heart disease.

• Reducing the risk of hypertension

Eggplant is a good source of bioflavonoids, thiamine, and riboflavin. These options can reduce the risk of hypertension, and other issues related to high blood pressure. A good heart rate and controlled blood pressure are the two important results of adding eggplant to your meal plan while pregnant.

• Treating digestive issues

Most pregnant ladies experience pregnancy related constipation, which can be annoying. Eggplant is a good source of dietary fiber; because of that, eggplant during pregnancy 3^rd trimester can can help treat digestive problems and constipation. In addition, consuming them make food processing and bowel movement easier.

• Enhancing immunity

Eggplant is a good source of vitamin C; therefore, it can be one of the best options that can help you in improving the immune system and fighting against disease during pregnancy. Consuming this super-food decreases the risk of health issues and keeps you and your unborn baby safe.

• Regulating electrolyte balance

Regulating the body’s electrolyte balance needs certain minerals. Fortunately, eggplant contains these key minerals: iron, copper, magnesium, zinc, potassium, manganese, and calcium. These minerals can help regulate the blood supply in both the mom and unborn baby.

• Boosting development of the baby

During pregnancy you need to consume foods with good nutrients for the baby’s development. In other words, the foods you eat while pregnant play a key role in the proper development of the baby. Eggplant is a rich source of vitamin E, A, and B complex, and niacin, which can help in growth of the fetus.

• Increasing RBC count

The fetus’s brain cells, muscles, and nerves need red blood cells for growth. Because eggplant is a good source of folate, consuming eggplant during pregnancy can help increase folic acid levels, followed by increasing red blood cells production and proper development of the fetus.

Also Read: Iron Rich Foods For Pregnancy

Ways to have eggplant during pregnancy in your diet

Always, remember that whenever you want to eat eggplant while pregnant, you should cook it properly to make it pregnancy-safe. There are millions of ways to have eggplant in the first trimester, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, but here are the top suggested ways to have brinjal in pregnancy;

• Adding eggplant to soups
• Making pickles with them
• As filling for sandwiches
• Baking and serving alongside other vegetables
• Roasting, peeling, and serving over bread or pasta
• Eating with rice

Also Read: Jackfruit During Pregnancy

Side effects of consuming eggplant during pregnancy

Although eggplant provides essential nutrients that your body needs during pregnancy, consuming it may lead to the following side effects;

• Allergies

Your body may show allergic reactions such as mild rashes or itching after eating large amounts of eggplant for pregnancy. If you are allergic to eggplant but craving eggplant during pregnancy, you should avoid consuming it.

• Premature delivery

Eggplant should be washed completely before cooking. Because it grows in soil and may transfer toxoplasmosis from the soil to your body, which can be the cause of premature delivery. Try to wash eggplant thoroughly to prevent premature delivery, and other complications as well.

• Acidity

Eggplant should be consumed in moderation because an excess amount of this vegetable can make acidity levels high in pregnant ladies, followed by discomfort and anxiety. Pregnant women should have eggplant in moderation to avoid high acidity levels and prevent problems related to that.

Also Read: garlic during pregnancy

4 Things to Consider While Selecting Eggplant

Proper cooking should be important for pregnant women, but choosing eggplant is also vital. So, keep in mind the tips listed below while buying eggplant during pregnancy, if you want to choose the best and safest eggplants on the market;

1- Choose the ones with shiny and smooth skin

2- Select small fresh eggplant

3- Avoid taking eggplant with holes, cuts, wrinkles, and uneven color

4- Buy the ones with firm and right green stem

Can you eat eggplant parmesan while pregnant?

Eggplant parmesan or Parmigiano is considered safe when pregnant if made with pregnancy-safe ingredients. This food is made with eggplant, tomato sauce, and cheese. If you want to eat this tasty dish during pregnancy, cook eggplant thoroughly and use pasteurized cheese to minimize the risk of food poisoning.

You might have heard that eggplant parmesan can induce labor, but is it true? No scientific evidence supports this common myth. So, to induce labor, you should talk to your health professional and ask about another scientifically proven way.

Would you like to learn more about parmesan cheese? If yes, do not miss parmesan cheese while pregnant article.

Conclusion

Vegetables such as eggplant should be one of the food options in pregnant ladies’ diet due to their high nutritional value.

Eating eggplant during pregnancy can help pregnant women meet their everyday nutritional needs and also help in the development of the baby. It is recommended to have eggplant in moderation during pregnancy, but those with eggplant allergies should avoid consuming it.

Hope you enjoyed this article. If there are still any questions need to be answered, share them with us via comment.

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