Jackfruit During Pregnancy (Eat or Avoid? Benefits & Side Effects)

The most seemingly difficult and profound lifestyle change every person experience during pregnancy is her diet. Among the daily routine foods, most couples seek out some superfoods packed with essential nutrients and jackfruit is one of them. But, is it safe to eat jackfruit during pregnancy?

If you are interested in the pros and cons of eating Jackfruit in pregnancy, then stay tuned. In this article on Hipregnancy, we’ll start with what jackfruit is and what is its nutritional value, then explore some health benefits and possible risks and considerations of consuming jackfruit for pregnant women.

What Is Jackfruit and Its Nutritional Value?

Jackfruit is originally found in Indian kitchen for its plethora of health benefits and nutritional value. It is a summer tropical fruit that has many benefits for both pregnant woman, and those who are trying to conceive in near future. This exotic fruit, especially in pickle and chips form has it all: a low-calorie, low-saturated fats, low-cholesterol and low-sodium, delicious, and sweet fruit.

Jackfruit has as little as 155 calories per cup, and only 5 calories come from its fat. The most important and healthy nutrients found in jackfruit are folate, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and also minerals like manganese copper, potassium, iron, and calcium. Recommend you read on article “best fruits for pregnancy“.

One other important ingredient of jackfruit is its fiber which helps pregnant woman solve digestive problems more easily. 100 grams of jackfruit has the following nutritional facts: [1: healthshots], [2: momjunction]

NUTRIENT	AMOUNT
Calories	95kcal
Water	73.46g
Carbohydrates	23.25g
Protein	1.72g
Fiber	1.5g
Fat	0.64g
VITAMINS
Folic acid	24mcg
Vitamin E	0.34mg
Niacin	0.920mg
Riboflavin	0.055mg
Pyridoxine	0.329mg
Thiamin	0.105mg
Vitamin A	110IU
Vitamin C	13.7mg
ELECTROLYTES
Potassium	448mg
Sodium	2mg
MINERALS
Calcium	24mg
Iron	0.23mg
Phosphorus	21mg
Magnesium	29mg
Zinc	0.13mg

Also Read: Good Pregnancy Snacks

Can Pregnant Woman Eat Jackfruit?

Overall, eating jackfruit during pregnancy is considered safe in all forms, except for its seeds that should not be consumed raw. The general conception about the safety of eating jackfruit during pregnancy is that you should only eat it if you don’t have any diabetic or blood-pressure problems and are not experiencing intestinal issues.

It is safe to eat jackfruit in moderate amounts. It is also recommended that it is better to avoid eating jackfruit seeds, and limit your consumption during the initial stages of pregnancy. [3: momnewsdaily]

Also Read: dates during pregnancy

Health Benefits of Jackfruit During Pregnancy

Although jackfruit can improve fertility in women before trying to get pregnant, but its health benefits are mostly known for during pregnancy.

1. Relief Stomach and Digestive Problems

Jackfruit is known for its fiber content and con alleviate problems such as ulcers on the stomach. It also provides a healthy natural laxative that can fight digestive issues like constipation. But as we’ll see, you should limit your consumption to avoid other problems such as diarrhea.

2. Rich Vitamins and Minerals

Jackfruit is packed with Vitamin A, Vitamin B, and Vitamin C that take together can boost the immune system of both parent and fetus and lower the risk of common infections. This fruit is also a rich source of potassium, folate and magnesium which are essentially great for lowering blood pressure, normalizing hemoglobin levels, and healthy development of bones. Other minerals include calcium, zinc, iron, beta-carotene.

3. Preventing Fatigue

Fatigue and exhaustion are other common issues for pregnant women. Consuming jackfruit, by regulating blood pressure levels and lowering stress levels, can prevent or alleviate fatigue in pregnant women.

4. Lower Stress levels

Pregnancy with all its details, precautions and worries, cause some mothers to be more stressful than others. Jackfruit, especially its seeds, provide protein and micronutrients that help managing mental stresses. [4: parenting.firstcry]

Also Read: can pregnant women eat dragon fruit

Jackfruit seeds benefits for pregnancy

Jackfruit seeds are packed with iron, vitamin C, protein, fiber, potassium, and protein. Listed below are some health benefits of consuming jackfruit seeds during pregnancy, including;

• Boosting energy
• Preventing anemia
• Improving bone, hair, and skin health
• Helping the development of the fetus
• Boosting immunity
• Treating cold and viral infections

If you want to include jackfruit seeds in your pregnancy diet, opt for cooked ones. Moreover, limit your intake of jackfruit seeds while pregnant since excessive amounts can trigger digestive issues, such as stomach ache, gas, and diarrhea.

Does jackfruit cause miscarriage?

Miscarriage is a nightmare for pregnant women, and the most frequently asked question about eating jackfruit during pregnancy is if it causes miscarriage.

Some consider pregnancy as a hot state for body and that jackfruit, as it is a ‘hot’ food, should be avoided. According to some studies, these misconceptions have been proven wrong but are still prevalent over the internet.

Jackfruit does not cause miscarriage and can be consumed at any stage of pregnancy, including the first, second, and third trimester. However, it should be taken in moderation, similar to other pregnancy-safe food options.

Consuming excessive amounts of jackfruit can cause some side effects, but miscarriage is not on the list. Keep reading to discover what happens if you eat too much jack fruit during pregnancy.

Also Read: Can Pregnant Women Eat Seaweed?

Health Risks and Side Effects of Eating jackfruit during pregnancy

As delicious and nutritional as it sounds, eating jackfruit during pregnancy has its own health risks that you should be aware of.

• Allergic Reactions

One of the first common health issue of eating jackfruit during pregnancy relates to its possible chance of developing allergic reactions. Therefore, if it’s the first time you are trying jackfruit during pregnancy, it may not be the right time.

• Stomach and Digestive Problems

As mentioned earlier, jackfruit has high amounts of fiber content. The most significant function of fiber in body, in its excessive consumption, is creating abnormal digestion and loose bowel movements. Therefore, as it is a natural laxative, excessive amounts of eating jackfruit during pregnancy can cause diarrhea.

• Blood Disorders and High Blood Pressure

Jackfruit accelerates the coagulation of blood, in other words, it can increase blood pressure. Therefore, if you have pre-existing blood disorders, or at risk of high blood pressure, it is advisable to avoid jackfruit and be considerate of its consumption amount.

Jackfruit curry during pregnancy

One of the popular jackfruit dishes is jackfruit curry. Here, we want to discuss the safety of jackfruit curry for pregnancy. Overall, it is considered safe to have jackfruit curry while pregnant as long as the curry is made with pregnancy-safe ingredients.

Jackfruit curry is thoroughly cooked and spicy. Although eating spicy food while pregnant is allowed, having too much jackfruit curry can cause indigestion, heartburn, and worsen signs of morning sickness. As a result, you should follow the moderation rules while having this spicy jackfruit dish.

Vital Instructions on Eating Jackfruit in Pregnancy

There are a variety of ways you can use jackfruit in your routine pregnancy diet. Some of them include:

• In raw fruit form
• Ripe jackfruit
• Cooking with especial recipes
• Eating jackfruit as chips
• Jackfruit seeds (only cooked)

Among the many sources, myths, and even professional advices, it is recommended to avoid consuming jackfruit during pregnancy, or at least minimize your consumption as much as possible. Both advices for ‘eat or not to eat’ are commonplace in many sources and surprisingly none of them have sufficient proof.

However, they all agree on one thing: only eat jackfruit in moderate servings and avoid if you have pre-existing intestinal, diabetic, or blood related issues. Other conditions in which it is better to avoid jackfruit include allergy to birch pollen and allergy to latex. [5: beingtheparent], [6: pregnancyfoodchecker], [7: NCBI], [8: kingdomofbaby]

Conclusion

Taking care of your diet and applying strict controls over what you should or shouldn’t eat can be a cumbersome activity. After all, your child’s health is at stake. Mane soon-to-be mothers tend to safeguard their healthy development by consuming superfoods and nutrient-packed foods and fruits like jackfruit.

However, as you can see, eating jackfruit during pregnancy belongs to the category of ‘taboo-foods’ and there are many misconceptions and myths about it. Besides health benefits and possible risks of jackfruit during pregnancy, you should always try to consult your health provider professional and minimize your consumption whenever you are not sure about it.

FAQs

1. Is it safe to eat ripe jackfruit during pregnancy?

Yes, of course. Consuming ripe jackfruit is completely safe while pregnant if you don’t have any blood pressure, diabetic, or intestinal issues.

2. Can I eat jackfruit chips during pregnancy?

Yes, you can have jackfruit in a variety of forms in pregnancy, including in the form of chips. To be on the safe side, have it in small amounts.

3. Can you eat jackfruit in the first trimester?

Consuming jackfruit in the first trimester of pregnancy does not harm you and your baby, but it should be consumed in limited quantities.

4. What about cooked jackfruit during pregnancy?

As mentioned in previous parts, jackfruit can be consumed in different forms during pregnancy. Cooked form of jackfruit is safe for pregnant women similar to other forms, but not in large amounts.

5. Can pregnant women have jackfruit during pregnancy 3rd trimester?

Yes, pregnant ladies can enjoy eating this fruit in the third trimester of pregnancy, as there is no scientific evidence to prove consuming jackfruit in small amounts will cause any problems.

6. Is eating jackfruit during the 2nd trimester safe?

Of course, similar to other stages of pregnancy.

7. Is it OK to eat jackfruit seeds during pregnancy?

Yes, jackfruit seeds are pregnancy-safe food options and consuming them provides some health benefits, including boosting immunity, improving hair and skin health, preventing anemia, etc. Consider jackfruit seeds should be consumed cooked.

8. Is it good to have unripe jackfruit during pregnancy?

No, you should skip eating unripe jackfruit when pregnant and go for ripe ones.

9. Can you eat raw jackfruit during pregnancy?

Jackfruit can be consumed in different forms while pregnant, and one of the most popular ones is to have raw and ripe jackfruit.