Good day, my readers! Today for some reason I wanted to talk to you about food again. Just recently I remembered one unique product - feijoa fruit. Have you ever heard of him before? I'm sure they even tasted it!
The preferences of women in their position change greatly, and it happens that the expectant mother unbearably desires a certain product. For example, feijoa. There’s just a problem: for fear of harming the baby’s health, women are afraid to use it. So can pregnant women eat feijoa? Let's find out!
General information about feijoa
Feijoa is a tropical fruit of the guava family that has an oblong shape and a dark green color. Grows on shrubs or spreading trees up to 4 meters high. The fruit tastes like a combination of persimmon, strawberry and pineapple with a subtle hint of iodine. The fruits fall from the trees while not yet ripe, so they are almost always transported green. Feijoa has a soft gelatinous pulp, and in the center of the fruit there are edible seeds.
You can buy exotic fruit during a certain period - from late autumn to mid-winter. Feijoa is native to South America, but it is also grown in countries such as Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, that is, in regions where a subtropical climate predominates. However, despite being thermophilic, this fruit is able to withstand fairly low temperatures (up to 14 degrees below zero) without losing its presentation and usefulness.
Selection and storage of fruits
What should you pay attention to when choosing feijoa fruits?
- Large fruits are considered more useful.
- Be sure to choose mature feijoas. They are picked green and the ripening process occurs during transportation. If the fruit is unripe, it has rather rough and not very tasty pulp. But if you do come across these, set them aside for a few days and they will gradually mature.
- When choosing, be sure to focus on the appearance of the fruit. Their skin should be dark green. Make sure that there is no damage or dark spots on them. Do not buy fruits whose appearance causes you any doubts.
- If you have any doubts, ask the seller to cut the feijoa in half. If the flesh is brown, then the fruit is spoiled.
After purchase, it is important to store feijoa properly. They can be kept at room temperature for several days. If longer storage is required, the fruits can be placed in the refrigerator. To do this, place them in a plastic container or cellophane bag. They can stay like this for about 1 week. Or place the feijoas in the freezer - they can stay there for about 3 months.
Feijoa: beneficial properties during pregnancy
Why is feijoa so beneficial for the body of a pregnant woman?
Firstly, this fruit contains a large amount of folic acid, which is very important during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester, when all the organs and systems of the child are formed. A lack of folic acid can cause pathology of the neural tube of the fetus. In addition, folate plays a critical role in the formation of blood cells. Their deficiency can become a trigger for the development of anemia.
Secondly, feijoa is a storehouse of substances necessary during pregnancy such as iodine and iron. In terms of iodine content, it can compete even with seafood.
Thirdly, dietary fiber, which is quite abundant in feijoa, prevents such an unpleasant and common phenomenon for pregnant women as constipation.
This is the main value of feijoa during pregnancy.
Benefits for everyone
The value of the fruit also lies in the fact that in addition to folic acid, it contains a number of other vitamins, namely vitamins B1, B2, B5, PP, C.
In addition, feijoa is a source of essential microelements. Among them are calcium, magnesium, zinc, phosphorus, sodium, manganese and copper. Fiber and pectin, which the overseas fruit is rich in, help remove harmful waste and toxins from the body.
Feijoa peel contains catechins and leucoanthocyanins, which are known for their antioxidant properties. The essential oil contained in the fruit helps in the prevention and treatment of viral diseases.
And this is not the entire list of useful substances that feijoa contains. There are about a hundred such elements in total.
Feijoa is useful because it helps strengthen the immune system and prevent the development of many diseases. Its use reduces the level of bad cholesterol, stimulates the digestive tract and prevents the development of vitamin deficiency, thyroid diseases, and depression. The juice and pulp of this tropical fruit have a beneficial effect on the skin and have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Harm of feijoa
Many pregnant women wonder whether it is possible to safely eat feijoa during pregnancy. According to nutritionists, there are practically no contraindications for this product. Therefore, eating exotic foods in reasonable quantities does not bring much harm. In rare cases, feijoa during pregnancy can cause individual intolerance in the form of allergic reactions.
One way or another, do not forget that this fruit is not native to the northern regions, so you should start consuming it with small portions.
Since ripe fruits contain sugar, it is not recommended to eat it if the level of this indicator in the blood of a pregnant woman is elevated.
It is also advisable to exclude feijoa from the diet if you have hyperthyroidism, that is, if there is an excess of iodine in the body. Since this fruit contains iodine in large quantities, an additional dose of this element can harm the thyroid gland.
In other cases, no contraindications to eating feijoa during pregnancy have been identified.
Contraindications
Even despite its rich composition, feijoa also has dangerous properties that need to be taken into account:
- The berry is contraindicated for women suffering from hyperthyroidism (hyperthyroidism). This is due to the high concentration of iodine in its composition.
- Due to its high sugar content, it should not be eaten by overweight pregnant women or diabetics.
- Feijoa should not be combined with cow's milk, as this will lead to intestinal upset.
It is advisable to try this exotic berry before pregnancy. This will allow you to track your individual reaction and possible intolerance to the product. In case of allergies, it is better to avoid eating feijoa. Children should be given the berry with caution, starting with a quarter teaspoon.
peaches during pregnancy
How to choose and eat the right fruit
When buying a feijoa, you should pay attention to its appearance - there should be no black spots or dents on it. Don't worry about the fruit being hard and green. Over time, it will ripen, and its pulp will become soft and transparent, and the fruit itself will be ready for consumption. Fresh feijoa can be stored for no more than a week. And if a pregnant woman likes the taste of an exotic fruit, it would be optimal to eat 1-2 pieces of it per day.
It is recommended to eat the fruit with the peel, as it contains various phenolic compounds and other beneficial substances. Sometimes the peel is dried and used as an additive to tea leaves, since not everyone will like it on its own.
Specific Features
Feijoa is an oblong green berry originally native to South America. Today it is widespread in many regions of the world with subtropical and tropical climates. Feijoa is especially popular in Sicily, Spain, Italy and Georgia. Outwardly, it vaguely resembles a green walnut.
The plant was first discovered in Brazil at the end of the 19th century by the Portuguese explorer Joao de Silva Feijo, after whom the fruits were named. Subsequently, feijoa was brought to France, and from there it migrated to the Caucasus. This is a heat-loving plant in autumn, and the maximum frost it can survive is up to -10°C.
The most delicious thing about feijoa fruits is the pulp. It is very juicy and nutritious and cannot be compared with any berry typical of a continental climate. The peel of the fruit is also edible, but has a slightly tart taste, so many people prefer to remove it. But it contains more vitamins and microelements than the pulp.
oranges during pregnancy
Feijoa in cooking
Everyone knows that vegetables and fruits are most useful if they are not subjected to heat treatment. Feijoa is no exception. Therefore, in order to preserve all the beneficial properties, it is better to eat the fruit fresh during pregnancy.
To prevent the fruit from spoiling, you can grind it with sugar or make juice from it. Many housewives prefer to prepare a variety of desserts and casseroles from the fruit, add it to compotes and use it as a filling for pies.
Storage at home
After collection, the shelf life of feijoa is about 10 days . Subtract the time spent on delivery, and you get a week of possible storage in the refrigerator. Therefore, it is better to buy the amount that you can eat during this period.
If you want to preserve the deliciousness for a longer use than a couple of months of its sales season, you can use the natural preservation method - grind feijoa with sugar.
The recipe is the same as for other berries. The fruits should be washed thoroughly, the petioles removed and minced in a meat grinder. Sugar, as a rule, goes one to one to the amount of fruit. Unfortunately, when preserved, feijoa will lose its characteristic sourness, but overall the taste will not change.
Sprinkle the fruit pulp with sugar, leave for about a day, stir occasionally. When the sugar is completely dissolved in the juice of the fruit, its crystals will not be felt - the jam can be packaged in sterilely clean jars and closed with lids. The shelf life of canned food in the cold is 3 months. For women who avoid eating sugar, you can replace it with honey, the proportions are the same - one to one.
Did you know? The beneficial properties of the fruit are successfully used in cosmetology: the essential oil of the plant has anti-inflammatory, tonic and softening properties - this makes it useful for compresses and massage. As an antioxidant, the berry is one of the components of skin cream, tonic, milk and other cosmetic products.
Precautionary measures
Despite the enormous value of feijoa, during pregnancy it should be consumed within reason. Eating fruits in large quantities can provoke various unpleasant reactions. You should especially not be overzealous with this fruit if you have never tried it before. It's better to start small. And after that, after observing how the body behaves and making sure that the product does not cause allergies, its quantity can be slightly increased. At the same time, do not forget to make sure the fruit is fresh and free of external defects. Do not rush and eat unripe fruits. It is better to wait a couple of days until the feijoa is fully ripe and ready to eat.
How much can you eat?
Despite the fact that many women enjoy eating exotic fruit, some pregnant women do not like the taste or smell of it. However, doctors believe that it is not worth giving up feijoa completely. It is recommended to eat 1-2 ripe fruits daily. This will be quite enough for the child to develop normally, and for the pregnant woman to be healthy, energetic and full of strength.
Women planning a pregnancy should also regularly treat themselves to delicious fruit to saturate their body with nutrients and vitamins.
On average, the number of berries should not exceed 2-3 pieces. Always monitor how your body reacts to exotic berries; if discomfort occurs, the amount should be reduced. You can always find other sources of vitamins, so try to focus on the needs of your body specifically. Eat berries for breakfast, because you can burn calories during the day, and also use the fruits as a healthy and tasty snack. Also, these berries are often recommended to girls and their men before conception in order to saturate the body with vitamins and prepare themselves for a safe pregnancy.
