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4 Benefits of Green Beans for Pregnant Women

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Green Beans for Pregnant Women: It can be one of the ingredients that can provide sufficient nutrition for pregnant women. What are the benefits of consuming green beans? Here’s the review.

Consuming green bean water during pregnancy is believed to be beneficial for thickening the baby’s hair. However, this assumption turns out to be unproven.

Presented by  Dr. Arindam Majumdar, “There is no scientific evidence that mentions the relationship between green beans can thicken baby’s hair. A baby’s hair can be thick, largely determined by genetic factors.

However, that doesn’t mean that eating green beans for pregnant women doesn’t provide any benefits at all. The following is a review of the benefits that pregnant women can get if they eat green beans diligently!

Nutritional Content of Green Beans

Food intake is very important for maintaining the health of pregnant women and their fetuses. Well, green beans for pregnant women can be included in their daily diet, considering that they contain a lot of nutrients.

In 100 grams of boiled green beans, there are various nutrients, including:

  • Energy: 109 Cal
  • Protein: 8.7 grams
  • Fat: 0.5 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 18.3 grams
  • Fiber: 7.6 grams
  • Potassium: 266 milligrams
  • Calcium: 95 milligrams
  • Iron: 1.5 milligrams
  • Magnesium 48 milligrams
  • Zinc: 2.8 milligrams
  • Total carotene: 120 micrograms
  • Vitamin B1: 0.12 milligrams
  • Vitamin B2: 0.04 milligrams
  • Vitamin C: 3 milligrams

Benefits of Green Beans for Pregnant Women

With the abundant nutritional content of green beans, there are various benefits that pregnant women can get if these foods are consumed regularly and properly, including:

1. Increase Hemoglobin Levels in the Blood

Anemia is a condition when the level of hemoglobin (Hb) in the blood is less than the normal limit, which is 11g/dl in pregnant women.

If this condition is not treated, it will have a negative impact on the health of both the mother and the baby, such as low birth weight (LBW), birth defects, and fetal death.

To help prevent this condition, pregnant women are usually advised to eat foods rich in iron during pregnancy, one of which is green beans.

Based on a study published in the Journal of Global Research in Public Health, consuming green bean extract is beneficial in increasing hemoglobin levels in 16 pregnant women.

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2. Helps meet the needs of folic acid

In the first trimester, pregnant women are often encouraged to meet their daily needs of folic acid as much as 400 micrograms (mcg). Consumption of folic acid during the first trimester is very important to prevent spina bifida or neural tube defects in babies.

Doctors will generally provide folic acid supplements for pregnant women. Apart from supplements, pregnant women can also get folic acid from food intake, one of which is green beans.

The reason is, in 100 grams of boiled green beans there is 159 mcg of folic acid, so it is good for consumption by pregnant women, especially in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

3. Smooth Digestion

Some pregnant women are more prone to constipation. This condition can cause discomfort because pregnant women have difficulty defecating and sometimes the stomach feels bloated.

Constipation can generally be prevented with lifestyle changes, such as adequate fluid intake, exercising, and consuming fiber, such as green beans.

The reason is, for every 100 grams of boiled green beans, there are 7.6 grams of fiber in it. This makes green beans can help the digestion of pregnant women

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4. Maintain Blood Pressure

High blood pressure or hypertension has the potential to interfere with pregnancy, such as low birth weight,  premature birth, organ injury, and increase risk of heart disease.

To treat hypertension, doctors will prescribe drugs that are safe for pregnant women. Apart from medication, lifestyle changes are also important for maintaining normal blood pressure, such as exercising and consuming foods rich in potassium, one of which is green beans.

However, only consuming green beans alone cannot meet the daily needs for potassium. The reason is, in 100 grams of boiled green beans, there is only 266 mg of potassium.

According to the Nutrition Adequacy Rate, the daily adequacy amount of potassium reaches 4,700 mg. Therefore, pregnant women also need to consume other types of food, such as kiwi, carrots, spinach, and bananas to meet daily potassium needs.

Tips on Consuming Green Beans for Pregnant Women

To get nutrition from green beans, pregnant women can do it in two ways, namely drinking and eating. However, before processing green beans, make sure the green beans have been washed thoroughly first.

Pregnant women can enjoy green beans by making them as juice. After the green beans are washed and boiled, mix the green beans with sugar or honey, salt, ginger, and water then blend until smooth. This green bean juice can be enjoyed by pregnant women in warm or cold conditions.

Apart from being made into juice, pregnant women can also consume green beans as porridge. The trick is to have green beans that have been washed and then boiled until tender.

Then add other ingredients, such as pandan leaves, coconut milk, and brown sugar to make the porridge taste more delicious. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the green bean porridge is ready to eat.

“The most important thing in processing green beans is to cook them thoroughly, can be mixed with milk or coconut milk according to the portion or not too much. Then, also complete it with other nutritious foods, “added Dr. Arindam Majumdar.

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