Just discovered you are pregnant and feeling sick of the mundane diet that you have been having since the past few days? If you are looking out for some yummy but healthy additions to your pregnancy diet, plantains are a wonderful option to go for. They not only taste yummy, but are loaded with umpteen nutritional benefits that are perfect during your pregnancy period.

• What Are Plantains?
• Benefits Of Eating Plantains During Pregnancy

What Are Plantains?

Plantains are tropical fruits that are bigger than bananas and have a thick peel with flesh that is sweet and firm inside. If you buy them green, just leave them for a couple of days till the skin turn yellow in color making them ripe enough to eat. They are basically used as a vegetable and although they belong to the banana family, they need to be cooked before eating. They can be eaten mashed, boiled or fried and serve as a staple food loaded with vitamins, folates and other important nutrients. They are perfectly safe to consume during pregnancy and has immense benefits when included into your pregnancy diet.

Benefits Of Eating Plantains During Pregnancy

If you are planning to include plantains in your pregnancy diet, but not sure how it will benefit your pregnancy, then here are some benefits of eating plantains during pregnancy:

1. Rich in Vitamin A: Plantains are rich in Vitamin A as a single serving of cooked or mashed plantains comprise of 550mcg Vitamin A. This actually meets almost sixty percent of the required Vitamin A for your system. Vitamin A is an excellent anti oxidant and also aids to ensure the mucus membranes remain healthy. They also help to enhance your complexion too
2. Excellent remedy for nausea: Nausea is no doubt one of the most common ailments that most women who are pregnant suffer from. Plantains have been found to be an excellent remedy for the nausea that you experience during this period as they practically are devoid of any smell and also have been proven to be effective for heart burns that one experiences during pregnancy
3. Loaded with Vitamin C : Plantains are also found be loaded with Vitamin C or ascorbic acid that plays an important role in formation of gums, skin, blood vessels and various other tissues. One requires around 60 gm of vitamin C during pregnancy and consuming a single plantain provides you with half of this requirement
4. Loaded with energy and starch: Plantains are rich in starch as well as energy too which is extremely beneficial to have a healthy pregnancy
5. Rich in Folate: Plantains have also been found to be rich in folate which is absolutely imperative for healthy growth and development of the baby growing within you. There is good amount of thiamine and riboflavin in plantains that also help to ensure you have a baby and uneventful pregnancy
6. Loaded with Iron: Plantains also have sufficient traces of iron in them that helps to avert anemia during pregnancy state
7. Helps to ensure excellent skin and eye health: Vitamin A also is perfect for promoting excellent eye health during conception. It also helps to augment the skin tones that normally develop all kinds of issues during pregnancy
8. Plantains have traces of Magnesium too:
   Magnesium is something and also helps in averting any unwanted heart issues as well. Since plantains are rich in magnesium, they play an excellent role for in averting heaar problems
9. Makes bones stronger: Rich in iron, phosphorous and magnesium, plantains when had raw is found to be excellent in strengthening bones and also makes sure that your fetus is developing and growing well
10. Combats constipation: Plantains are also loaded with commendable quantities of fiber that is beneficial to enable smooth movements of the bowel and thus helps to combat constipation which is a very common issue while expecting. Having plantains on a regular basis, thus not only combats constipation problems, but also helps to aid proper digestion which is extremely important during pregnancy
11. Provides an excellent boost to immunity: With commendable traces of vitamin A and C, plantains act as a wonderful immunity booster against a variety of dangerous infections
12. Plantains are a wonderful diuretic: Plantains have been found to have excellent diuretic properties which aid to ensure that urinary functions are smooth. This property of plantains also helps to avert any issues of bladder and kidney during pregnancy
13. Loaded with Vitamin B complex: Rich in Vitamin B complex, having this fruit on a regular basis is found to be helpful in treating neuritis, anemia and homo-cysteine during this period
14. Rich in potassium: Rich in potassium, plantains ensure that your heart is functioning well as they help to keep your levels of blood sugar and heart rate in check and also battle the adverse effects caused by sodium

All the above mentioned positive benefits tell you how important including plantains into your pregnancy diet are. So do go ahead and purchase this wonderful fruit that has umpteen advantages during pregnancy. Look for different recipes that can make plantain interesting to eat during pregnancy as they are no doubt an excellent addition to your pregnancy diet.
How did you include plantains in your pregnancy diet? Do share your experience or any healthy recipes of plantain in the comments section below.