The best millet for pregnancy needs to be consumed by a pregnant woman to deliver a healthy baby. Little millet during pregnancy does no harm but good.
Millets are a rich source of magnesium, zinc, iron, phosphorus, and manganese, they improve muscle and bone health in a woman. It also boosts immunity power, enhancing the mood of a person as well.
Is it safe enough to eat millet during pregnancy? Yes certainly! Millet is indeed absolutely safe when consumed in proper amounts and under the guidance of one’s doctor. Pregnant women need to seek medical advice on the best millet for pregnancy.
Pregnancy is exciting, but stressful also for any woman. There are several concerns to face. Most women have increased appetite during their pregnancy and may also crave certain foods such as sweets or meat products. This occurs due to bodies requiring more energy to sustain themselves and the baby and also produce breast milk for feeding after birth. Nutrition must be kept in mind despite increased appetite!
Table of Contents
Health Benefits of Millet to Pregnant Women
1. Prevents Constipation
During pregnancy, the gastrointestinal tract is rather slower than normal. This can lead to constipation during pregnancy, where one’s stomach does become bloated and also uncomfortable. Brew millet in milk with cinnamon to prevent constipation during pregnancy, caused by the slow movement of food via the digestive tract. It also does reduce bloating due to its high fiber content.
2. Provides Vitamins and Minerals
A pregnant woman’s body requires more vitamins and minerals. Millets contain small amounts of every vitamin required including vitamin E and also several vitamins in the B-complex: thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine. It also happens to be rich in minerals such as magnesium, manganese, iron, and phosphorous.
3. Boosts Blood Production
During pregnancy, the demand for iron does increase, which is required to produce blood. Blood is required to carry oxygen and also nutrients from the mother’s body to the fetus. A millet-based diet can indeed be a rich source of iron, which does play an important role in boosting blood production during pregnancy. This does lead to increased production of red blood cells that tend to produce hemoglobin, a substance that carries oxygen.
4. Prevents Birth Defects
Millet is indeed a good source of folic acid, which does prevent birth defects in one’s fetus. Folate is no doubt important during pregnancy as it ensures the healthy formation as well as the development of nerve cells. It also does reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in babies.
Also Read, Top benefits of wood apple during pregnancy.
5. Prevents Premature Labor and the Risk of Chronic Hypertension
Millet-related foods are no doubt a good source of magnesium. Magnesium does help in relaxing the muscles and also prevents premature labor as well as chronic hypertension during pregnancy. These conditions can be harmful to both mother as well as the baby.
6. Prevents Anemia
This natural food is a rich source of iron and is important in the prevention of anemia during pregnancy. Iron does prevent fatigue and also weakness by producing red blood cells that do carry oxygen to all parts of one’s body. It also boosts energy levels during pregnancy when a person feels exhausted due to increased weight gain, morning sickness, or insomnia, among other factors.
7. Good for Your Heart and Blood Vessels
A millet-based diet is considered to be a good source of manganese, which helps in the formation of connective tissues such as bone cartilage. It also promotes heart health by ensuring the proper functioning of one’s blood vessels since it does prevent high cholesterol levels that lead to cardiovascular diseases. Millet’s magnesium content does reduce the risk of high blood pressure and heart-related problems.
Conclusion
These are a few of the top benefits of consuming millet-based foods during pregnancy. It does help to have little millet during pregnancy as part of one’s diet.