Should I eat mango during pregnancy?

If you have a sweet tooth, you probably find it impossible to avoid mangoes in the summertime. Pregnant women, however, are sometimes told not to eat mangoes.

Of course, this is just one of the many dietary recommendations made to women while they are pregnant. (Others include advice such as avoiding papaya during pregnancy and fish during pregnancy.)

The exact origins of this piece of advice are not known. One reason behind it could be that until a few years ago, unripe mangoes were sometimes picked from trees and packed in cartons with calcium carbide to artificially ripen and sweeten them. The Indian Food and Drug Administration, however, put a stop to this practice in 2016. Ingesting calcium carbide can cause sleepiness, mental confusion, memory loss, dizziness, headache, cerebral edema and seizures.

Mangoes are also heavy in sugar and calories. The risk of obesity and gestational diabetes is increased if you have too many mangoes during pregnancy. Both these diseases can make pregnancy more complicated and can affect the health of the mother and the foetus.

On the other hand, despite these problems, mangoes are exceptionally rich in vitamins and minerals - including folate, which is a supplement recommended to every pregnant woman. Weighing the benefits and side effects of mangoes next to each other is very important to decide if you should have this fruit during pregnancy or not.

Benefits of eating mango during pregnancy
Side effects of eating mango during pregnancy
Takeaway

Benefits of eating mango during pregnancy

Mangoes are full of vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and vitamin K. They are rich in carbohydrates, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, and they have substantial amounts of an antioxidant called lycopene. Mangoes are also exceptionally rich in folate (vitamin B9).

These nutrients make mangoes a must-have, especially during pregnancy. Fruits like mangoes should be an integral part of the pregnancy diet because they are packed with all the nutrients, including folate, the proper intake of which can prevent birth defects like spina bifida. What’s more, instead of having sugar-loaded desserts, pregnant women can have this naturally-sweet fruit when they get the craving for something meetha.

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Side effects of eating mango during pregnancy

Despite these health benefits, eating mangoes during pregnancy has been associated with a few health risks.

1) Mangoes are high in calories and have substantial fat content. Eating too many mangoes can make you gain weight, pregnant or not. If you are at risk of obesity or are worried about gaining too much weight during pregnancy, then it would be best to limit your mango consumption.

2) Mangoes also have a high concentration of sugars, including sucrose, glucose and fructose. Having too many mangoes can increase your blood sugar levels. If you already have diabetes, then eating mangoes during pregnancy can lead to complications. If you’re already at risk of getting gestational diabetes, then eating mangoes can make things worse.

Mangoes are seasonal. In the past, some orchard owners and fruitseller used calcium carbide to ripen unripe mangoes, to bring them to market early for greater profit. This practice is banned now, but it is a good idea to check if the mangoes in your local market smell or taste like they have been artificially ripened.

Takeaway

Mangoes are a delicious summer fruit, and like all fruits, it’s chock full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. These nutrients, especially folate, make mangoes beneficial during pregnancy. However, since mangoes are also full of sugar and calories, you should limit their intake in case you are at risk of obesity and gestational diabetes. Here are a few things you should keep in mind while eating mangoes during pregnancy:

Limit mango consumption.
Have them during breakfast or during the day so that the calories and sugars can be broken down through the day.
Wash the fruit thoroughly so that chemicals are removed from the skin.
Eat mangoes as they are. Avoid making sugary or creamy desserts with them during pregnancy.
Avoid mango pickles, since they are high in sodium, oil and spices, and can lead to indigestion during pregnancy.
Source the mangoes from organic orchards or farms you know to avoid exposure to too many pesticides or calcium carbide.
If you are already obese or diabetic, avoid eating mangoes altogether.