Videos you might be interested in
Videos you might be interested in
Videos you might be interested in
Suggested for you
Consuming Pumpkin during Pregnancy
Pumpkins are one of the most nutritious fruits out there. Yes, pumpkin is a fruit, at least scientifically, as it contains seeds. However, the nutritional profile of pumpkins is more similar to veggies than fruit. Pumpkins are loaded with antioxidants and vitamins and are truly a superfood! But if you are pregnant, you might wonder whether or not should you devour these tasty gourds! Well, find out! In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about including pumpkins in your pregnancy diet! Plus, you will get some tasty pumpkin recipes too!
Nutritional Value of Pumpkins
Pumpkins are highly nutritious and a great source of essential Vitamins, like Vitamin A, Vitamin B-6, Vitamin C and minerals like iron and zinc. They are packed with antioxidants too! Pumpkin seeds also offer immense health benefits to a pregnant woman. Pumpkin seeds too are packed with vitamins, minerals, proteins, and omega-3 fatty acids. 100 grams of pumpkin has approximately 26 calories and contains no cholesterol or saturated fats. It's a wonderous fruit for pregnant women!
Health Benefits of Eating Pumpkins During Pregnancy
As mentioned above, pumpkin offers various nutrients, so you can incorporate this fruit in your pregnancy diet. A storehouse of various vital nutrients, pumpkin provides ample nutrition not only to you but also to your baby. It is loaded with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Some of the benefits are mentioned below:
1. Helps Keep Blood Sugar Levels in Check
Pumpkins are very effective in keeping your blood sugar levels during pregnancy. But in order to reap maximum benefit from pumpkins, you should eat them plain, i.e., without adding extra sugar.
2. Helps Prevent Diarrhoea
Eczema and diarrhoea are some of the common pregnancy ailments. Consuming pumpkins is helpful may help remove worms from your spleen and intestine, thus lowering your chances of catching any stomach infections during pregnancy, which cause diarrhoea and skin problems.
3. Keeps Constipation at Bay
Many women complain of constipation during pregnancy. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may hamper with your digestive system and you may experience constipation. To treat this problem, eat pumpkins. As pumpkins are an excellent source of protein and fibre, eating this fruit will ensure that your digestive system works fine and thus you won't feel constipated.
4. Helps With Abdominal Cramps
Pumpkins work really well in keeping pregnancy cramps in check. You may consume pumpkins in any form to get relief from pregnancy cramps.
Benefits of Eating Pumpkin Seeds During Pregnancy
Just like pumpkin, pumpkin seeds too offer various health benefits. Read on to know what health benefits you may derive by consuming pumpkins seeds in pregnancy.
1. Helps Keep Mood Swings in Check
Zinc is very beneficial for a pregnant woman, and pumpkin seeds are a good source of zinc. Eating pumpkin seeds will help keep your mood swings in check and even help strengthen your immune system.
2. May Keep Your Heart Healthy
Eating pumpkin seeds can be very good for your heart. Including them in your pregnancy diet will help your heart to pump blood properly. Apart from this, they will also help in the formation of your baby’s bones and teeth.
3. May Help You Sleep Better
If you have trouble sleeping during pregnancy, eat pumpkin seeds. Eating a few pumpkin seeds before bedtime may help you sleep better. Tryptophan, an amino acid in pumpkin seeds gets converted into melatonin, a sleep hormone, and thus helps a person sleep better. So try this trick if you have trouble falling asleep at night.
4. Helps Prevent Diabetes
Pumpkin seeds are great for keeping insulin levels of the body in control and thus preventing diabetes in pregnancy. If you have diabetes or you are at high risk of having diabetes, consuming pumpkins may help.
5. Helps in the Brain Development of the Foetus
Pumpkin seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and unsaturated fats. These help in foetal brain development. So eat away pumpkin seeds!
Side Effects of Eating Pumpkins While Pregnant
Eating pumpkins while pregnancy can benefit your health greatly, no doubt, but as with any other fruit or vegetable, consuming it in large quantities may lead to some complications. Pumpkins, when consumed in large amounts may lead to stomach ache because of the high fibre content in them. Sometimes, pumpkins may also cause an allergic reaction which may lead to shortness of breath, wheezing, vomiting or abdominal cramps, though there is not enough scientific proof supporting such reactions in pregnant women. Therefore, it is suggested to include this fruit in your diet in moderate amounts and avoid probable health complications in pregnancy.
Pumpkin Recipes You Can Try During Pregnancy
Here are some easy and sumptuous pumpkin recipes that you can try and enjoy during pregnancy.
1. Pumpkin and Lentil Soup
If you want an appetizer, there is nothing like pumpkin soup! Plus when it is a combination of pumpkin with lentils, it will be all the more healthy! Here is how you can make pumpkin and lentil soup!
Ingredients
1 tablespoon of oil
2-3 chopped garlic cloves
2 chopped, medium-sized onions
1 small pumpkin (approximately 700-800 grams), without the skin and seeds
1 cup or 100 grams split red lentils
1 litre of vegetable stock
Salt to taste and a pinch of sugar
Half a cup of fresh cream
How to Make
Heat some oil in a pan. Add the onions and fry till golden brown.
Next, add the chopped garlic, pumpkin flesh and lentils, and stir well.
Add in the vegetable stock, give it a nice stir, and cover the pan with a lid. Let it cook for about 20-25 minutes. Keep stirring in between!
After some time the pumpkin pieces will be tender. Turn off the flame and let it cool.
Once cool, blend the pumpkin mix, then add in some cream and blend again, then strain.
Take the soup in a bowl and garnish with some fresh cream.
2. Pumpkin and Sage Spaghetti
If you crave for an Italian cuisine during pregnancy, try out this recipe!
Ingredients
700-800 grams of pumpkin flesh
15-20 chopped sage leaves
100 grams of butter
300-400 grams dried spaghetti
1 tsp of lemon juice
1 tsp of castor sugar (golden)
50 grams of grated parmesan
Salt and pepper as per taste
How to Make
Heat a pan and take the pumpkin flesh in it. Add in the sugar and salt and mix well.
Add in a few spoons of water, stir the mixture and cover the pan with a lid. Cook until the pumpkin is soft but holds its shape.
Heat some butter in another pan. Then add in the sage.
Add in the pumpkin mixture to this pan, followed by parmesan cheese and lemon juice.
Next, add in the spaghetti and mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Your pumpkin and sage spaghetti will be ready!
3. Spicy Pumpkin Seeds
If you love to eat the very healthy pumpkin seeds, we are sure you will love to eat when they a bit spicy too. Here's how you can make spicy pumpkin seeds!
Ingredients
1 ½ cups of raw pumpkin seeds
2-3 tsp of Worcestershire sauce
A pinch of garlic salt
1 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 140° C.
Mix all the ingredients well and place them well in a baking tray.
Bake for an hour or till done.
FAQs
1. When Should You Not Eat Pumpkins?
If you are allergic to pumpkins, it is best that you avoid eating them during pregnancy.
2. What Pumpkin-Based Foods Should You Avoid During Pregnancy?
Pumpkins are very healthy but if you eat pumpkin chips or pumpkin pie, it may not be very good for your health, especially during pregnancy. So avoid eating pumpkin-based junk food like pumpkin pies, pumpkin candies, or a pumpkin cake.
Including pumpkins in your pregnancy diet can help meet your nutrient requirements. That said, you should eat pumpkins in moderate amounts and eating too much of pumpkins can lead to stomach issues. Have a balanced diet - eat everything that is safe to consume during pregnancy and will benefit you and your baby. And do consult your doctor or nutritionist before including this fruit in your pregnancy diet!
Also Read: 15 Foods To Eat During Pregnancy For Healthy Baby Read more
Check out this new Memory
Deepa
Mom of a 5 yr 7 m old girl
2 mins ago
😍
1 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Pratima Kanhere
Mom of a 1 yr 7 m old boy and 1 yr 7 m old boy
7 mins ago
#babyphotochallenge
1 Likes
0 Comment
Suggested for you
Suggested for you
Black-Eyed Bean Salad
The cow-peas or black-eyed bean is packed with potassium, fiber and iron. These are easy to digest and make a filling meal too. Just remember to retain the water you boil the peas in. You could simply drink the water or use it later while cooking.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
4 People
5-10 Minutes
5-7 Minutes
Ingredients
1 tomato
1 onion
1 capsicum
1 cucumber
1 green chilli (slit)
1 tbsp lemon juice
Salt as per taste
Method
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and serve.
Nutritional Information
Calories
125 K cal
Proteins
8.7 g
Fat
0.6 g
Carbohydrates
23.7 g
Read more
Suggested for you
#BlendItUp Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney With Garlic
The Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney Recipe is a hot, tangy chutney flavoured with garlic. The chutney acts as a perfect accompaniment with papads and can also be served with parathas and breads. It's a no oil recipe and can be preserved in a refrigerated for at least a week.
Serves
Preparation Time
Cooking Time
2 People
10 Minutes
10 Minutes
Ingredients
6 large tomatoes, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp (tablespoon) black peppercorns
1 inch piece of cinnamon
2 green chillies, finely chopped
1/4 cup cashewnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup jaggery
1 tsp (teaspoon) red chilli powder
Juice from one lemon
Salt to taste
Method
Step 1
Prepare the ingredients according to instructions.
Step 2
In a heavy bottom pan add all the ingredients except sugar, lemon and red chilli powder.
Step 3
Cook it at the medium flame by stirring it continuously until the tomatoes have softened.
Step 4
When the tomatoes soften, add sugar and red chilli powder and cook further on medium flame until the tomato chutney thickens.
Step 5
When it thickens turn off the heat, add the lemon and stir. Check the salt, sweetness and spice and adjust to suit your taste.
Step 6
The Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney With Garlic is ready to be served.
Read more
Suggested for you
Suggested for you
Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set Sports Theme for Infants Review
Significance of the product in my life was to make a comfortable place for him so while sleeping, playing and having happy time while using it. I wanted his own bed like ours so that he will be able to adapt the comfort of a bed like his own and this bedding set fulfilled that need as my baby found a cosy place that he loves to spend almost every time of his daily routine. He used to make himself comfortable every place using his mini bed. This made family, friends and relatives visits easy as we used to travel more often.
Overall take on Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set is that it is secure and gives comfortable sleep. Using this my son never gets irritated or cranky while sleeping as he loves to sleep and cuddle the cute mini bolsters, which makes his sleep more comfortable and cozy. Also after sleep these bolsters make sure that he is not falling off or moving away from the Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set hence it’s a safe place with less worries in mind when baby is sleeping in case he is sleeping alone. Also the pillow keeps his head intact and stable while sleeping.
I liked most about the on Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set was the fabric that is used making the set as it is very comfortable to a sensitive skins like of a new born. Also the internal material is good one that does not cause any allergic issues while using the same. With time and wash the fabric even becomes more soft and easy to handle. Also the add-on was that it was very east to carry to each and every pace we used to visit with our child. My son loves the print on the Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set and he learns new words daily with his curious mind.

Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set is soft, cozy and non-allergic Kids friendly convenient product that can be used regularly without a doubt. Every mother would love to use Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set as a cute support system for baby’s daily routine. Its print makes kids learn new words and things with time that is beneficial. Additional pillows are very good and made in such a way that baby gets his own space to sleep with the comfort of holding it while sleeping so he never feels that he is sleeping on his own, reduces the fear of sleeping all alone which is very common in kids.
Rating
Features-5
Product Design-5
Performance (basis features)-5
Value for Money-5
I would highly recommend Babyhug Premium Cotton Bedding Set for every kid of this age. Read more
Dr Priyanka Kalra has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
10 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
At which day should I take pregnancy test
Dr Priyanka Kalra
Obstetrician and Gynaecologist
8 hours ago
A. after 2 weeks. do ultrasound n necessary tests after consulting a specialist. without proper check up we can't advise or help you.. Avoid shirt cuts when it comes to health if mother n baby. ok.
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
10 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
when should I take pregnancy test?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
9 hours ago
A. after missed your periods you can wait for one week more ,then you can do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
10 hours ago
Q. I am having pcod problem.
but having regular cycles below 35 days. some time it will extended upto 40 days.
so when should I take pregnancy test at home?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
9 hours ago
A. If you have missed your periods you can wait for one week more or else you can do a urine pregnancy test to know about the pregnancy result and consult with your doctor according to the result for medication.
The best treatment to have Regular periods is by having a healthy lifestyle with regular daily walking or jogging along with mild exercise and meditation whenever possible. as medications will only act till you are taking them
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due this month
7 hours ago
Q. Done my first routine blood test ..it shows thyroid border line.its my 6 week running as per USG.
but prior to that my thyroid level was always normal I did check up every year and got it normal .this time it shows borderline high in 6 week pregnancy.
is it something to worry.plz guide
Read moreDr Ghouse
Paediatrician
6 hours ago
A. it is better to follow your doctors advice for treating the thyroid deficiency. if there is no relief it is better you see your doctor for proper examination particularly physical examination if there is need for doing investigations to find out the problem and treatment ok
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. #asktheexperts
Best activity toys for 15 month old baby
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. Toys which have light and also sounds so that is going to be a good option for you to use apart from the different kids have different interest some kids like to play with cars some like to play with something else so just have to try to figure out what your child likes to eat just check what your child is more inclined towards
Rashmi has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
2 hours ago
Q. how to gain weight 32weeks
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
2 hours ago
A. You need to have a lot of good proteins and that is what is going to be helpful have a balanced diet and good have good amount of proteins as well which is what is going to be beneficial and good weight gain for your child as well
Check out this new Memory
dibya agarwal
Mom of a 3 yr 1 m old boy and 3 yr 1 m old boy
3 mins ago
#stylishbaby
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
Ruksana Us
Mom of a 11 m old boy
11 mins ago
0 Likes
0 Comment
Check out this new Memory
SWATHY SOMAN P
Guardian of a 3 m old girl
15 mins ago
#stylishbaby
0 Likes
0 Comment
Tell us more about yourself get More Personalised
- Infant0 to 6 Months
- Baby6 Months to 2 Yrs
- Toddler2 to 4 yrs
- Kids4-6 yrs
- Big Kids6+ yrs
- Expecting
- Trying to Conceive