The reasons why Pregnant Women should take Orange Juice

Orange is known to be a rich source of vitamin C that supports the immune system. When one is pregnant there are a lot of dos and don’ts in terms of what one can consume and can’t consume. Orange juice is generally good for pregnant women. These are the reasons why pregnant women should take orange juice:

• Orange is very rich in vitamin C which boosts the immune system. When one is pregnant the immune system becomes weak, but orange juice can help in strengthening it. Orange juice also contains zinc and iron that further boost the immune system. It is for this reason that doctors often say that the daily consumption of orange is good for pregnant women.
• Another good thing about orange juice is it doesn’t make the pregnant woman prone to allergies. The consumption of orange juice daily reduces allergic conditions and colds in pregnant women.
• Folate is an important vitamin that pregnant women need and this is found in abundance in orange. What folate does is it creates blood cells which are very important for the growth of new tissues. It also provides birth weight to the unborn baby or fetus. Pregnant women need more folate than women who are not pregnant. This is why orange juice is good for the average pregnant woman.
• Orange fights hypertension. Orange is high in potassium which helps in battling high blood pressure. When you are pregnant your pressure may slightly rise up because of changes in the body, but the potassium that is contained in orange will help mitigate that.
• It helps give some relief from constipation. Oranges are rich in fiber. Fiber plays an important role in dealing with constipation. And since pregnant women often suffer from constipation, they need to take in a lot of fiber to battle constipation.
• Oranges, apart from strengthening the pregnant woman’s immune systems also has the ability to strengthen the immune system of her unborn baby.
• Oranges have the ability to release iron and zinc from other foods. This also helps in further boosting the immune system of pregnant women who take in orange juice or eat oranges.
• Oranges help in the proper development of the brain of the unborn child.
• Oranges contain folate, which is another vital vitamin for pregnant women. It has the ability to create blood cells and also aids in the development of tissues.
• Oranges have anti-inflammatory properties; which aid in treating conditions such as joint problems. Joint problems are very common in most pregnant women.

Despite the good that orange juice does to pregnant women there are one or two adverse effects associated with it.

For example, chilled or freshly squeezed orange juice may contain bacteria which can lead to all sorts of diseases. This is why pregnant women are advised to take only pasteurized orange juice.

Pasteurization helps to kill germs that might be in the juice. Pregnant women should always make sure that they consume orange juice that is pasteurized.

The bottom line is orange juice is good for pregnant women and the above reasons justify the reasons why pregnant women should take orange juice.

The only time orange juice becomes bad for pregnant women is when they take it in an unpasteurized form.

Summary

Oranges are very beneficial to pregnant women. The above say a lot about oranges and pregnancy. However, it is always advisable that pregnant women consult their doctor when it comes to diet issues.