Pineapple and Pregnancy

It is vital to eat a healthy and well balanced diet when you are pregnant for the sake of both you and your developing child. The nutritional content of the food you consume should be of high priority, avoiding highly processed foods, raw meats as well as dairy products that are unpasteurized. Highly processed foods tend to be very low in nutritional value, while raw meats and unpasteurized dairy products tend to have microbes that could cause disease, affecting both mother and child negatively. 

Further, it is important to prepare your food properly before you eat it, especially with vegetables and fruit, a variety of which are eaten raw. Fruit and vegetables provide a very wide variety of nutrients, in particular vitamins and minerals. These are at the core of neurological and physical development of a fetus. Pineapple in particular has been found to have a variety of vitamins and minerals that are of benefit to both mother and child during pregnancy. Let us look into what these benefits are.

Nutritional Benefits of Pineapple

Fruit by nature is low in calories and pineapple is no exception. Nutritionally, pineapples have thiamin, niacin, folate, potassium, manganese, copper, magnesium, B6, and vitamin C. As you can see, this makes for quite the nutritional punch. In addition, pineapples contain a group of enzymes unique to the fruit called bromelain. Bromelain is powerful in alleviating symptoms associated with inflammation, blood clots and edema. 

Is Pineapple Safe During Pregnancy?

It is safe to eat pineapple during pregnancy as long as you have not had any reaction to the fruit in the past. When a person is pregnant, there is a genuine concern for the wellbeing of the unborn child. It often does not help that there are many myths that give a negative prognosis when it comes to consuming certain types of food.

It has been said that if one consumes pineapple when they are pregnant it could induce early labor. To get scientific proof, research was done on pregnant rats, giving them pineapple juice. The result was that consuming the juice did not have any effect on either the rats or their pregnancy. Demonstrating that pineapple is not harmful to pregnant people, either in fruit or juice format, when one is pregnant.

Is Pineapple Safe During IVF?

It is very safe to eat pineapple during IVF treatments. One of the factors that enables people to have successful outcomes during IVF treatments is the health of their womb and their eggs. Consequently a nutritious diet is vital to positive treatment results. It is vital to note that as part of a nutritious diet, eating pineapple is beneficial to the patient undergoing IVF treatment. However, contrary to the claims that the bromelain found in pineapples increases the treatment's success or helps in implantation, eating pineapples has no particular impact on the success of IVF treatments. Therefore eating pineapples should be based on enriching a person’s diet.

How to Include Pineapple in Your Diet

There are many ways to eat a pineapple, on its own or together with other foods. Once properly cleaned and peeled, it can be eaten in cubes, slices or chunks. It can also be added to cereal, yoghurt, or sides like salsa. 

When thinking of ways to cook pineapple, try grilling it or baking it in an oven, adding it to a sauce or gravy for sweetness, or preparing it as a jam or jelly. The internet is chock full of recipes from a variety of cultures, making for a diverse selection of ways to prepare it. 

Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy and IVF

Due to the fact that nutrition is very central to the development of the fetus and health of the mother, let us also talk about the foods one should avoid when they are pregnant or undergoing IVF treatment. 

Foods to Avoid While Pregnant

Raw or Undercooked Seafood

Raw seafood such as sushi and sashimi, as well as uncooked seafood should not be consumed when one is pregnant because they risk contracting foodborne illnesses.

Seafood That is High in Mercury

Larger and older fish often have unsafe levels of mercury that have a negative impact when one is pregnant. Therefore one must avoid eating:

• Orange Roughy
• Bigeye tuna
• Marlin
• King mackerel
• Shark
• Tilefish
• Swordfish

Undercooked Meat, Poultry, or Eggs

Rare steaks and poultry, and runny eggs may contain pathogens that would put a pregnant person at risk of contracting bacterial infections or illnesses. These must be avoided, and consumed well-done at all times. This also includes avoiding condiments that may contain raw egg such as home-made mayonnaise. 

Unpasteurized Foods

Milk based products and fermented products in general are good for the digestive tract. However, raw milk, soft cheeses, unpasteurized juices and ciders naturally contain bacteria that can have a negative impact when one is pregnant. It is vital that whatever dairy or fermented products you consume are pasteurized, therefore read labels on these products carefully. If you are not sure, it is best to avoid them altogether.  

Unwashed Fruits and Vegetables

Raw fruits and vegetables contain the best source of minerals and vitamins for the body. However it is important to wash them thoroughly before you eat them because sometimes, they may have bacteria or microbes on their surface which could make one sick. Although sprouts such as mung bean, alfalfa, and clover are nutrient rich, they are not recommended during pregnancy because of the aspect of cleaning. If they are not thoroughly cleaned out before being prepared, any amount of soil left on them could cause illness. 

Caffeine, Alcohol and Tobacco

Excessive consumption of alcohol and tobacco products is generally harmful, and especially so when one is pregnant. Even small quantities could put the unborn child at the risk of birth defects or death. While caffeine may not be recommended, some professional healthcare providers suggest that if you must drink coffee, do not exceed more than 200mg per day. This however must be doctor approved, so talk to your doctor about what amount of caffeine intake will be safe for you while you are pregnant.

Foods to Avoid During IVF

If you are undergoing fertility treatment such as IVF, your nutritional needs will be similar to those of a pregnant person in order for the treatments to be successful. As well, the foods to avoid will be similar. 

Alcohol and Tobacco 

When it comes to alcohol, even two drinks a day could result in negative fertility outcomes. The same applies to tobacco products, where a little intake can negatively impact the treatments immediately. If you are struggling with excessive consumption of alcohol or tobacco products and need help to quit, seek professional help in order to find strategies to help you quit.

Food and Drinks That Are High in Refined Sugar

When a person consumes foods or drinks that are high in refined sugar, they risk not just poor health, but negative effects on their fertility. It is best to seek out whole foods which are low in refined carbohydrates and sugar, and consider adapting their diet to the Mediterranean diet, which is highly recommended especially if one is undergoing fertility treatments. 

Foods High in Trans Fats and Highly Processed Foods

Fast food and junk food in general are not very ideal sources of nutrition as they contain extremely high levels of sugar and trans fats. When one is undergoing fertility treatment, these types of food can be detrimental to overall treatment success.

When to Consult a Doctor

If you suffer from or have symptoms of a disease associated with excessive alcohol or tobacco use, consult with a doctor right away. As well, if you have symptoms of a food borne illness, you should see a doctor immediately. Speak with a professional healthcare provider to come up with a meal-plan or food options to  sustain a diet that is rich in nutrients for the duration before, during, as well as after pregnancy. 

Contact Us

If you are pregnant, or want to begin building your family and would like more direction on nutrition for pregnancy, or nutrition for fertility treatments, contact Northern California Fertility Medical Center at any of our locations across the country. Our team of professionals is available to walk with you through all aspects of your family building journey.