Is it normal craving lemonade during pregnancy, and is it safe to drink it while pregnant? This is a question a lot of women ask especially pregnant women. Having unusual cravings during pregnancy is normal. Sometimes, your craving might be common things like ice cream or cake and sometimes, it may be some food or fruit you’ve never tasted. It can also be some inedible stuff, like sand or wood. Whatever it is you have craving for during pregnancy, know that it isn’t abnormal.
But you should understand that you must be careful of what you consume. Not all food and fruit are good for you at this point, even if you crave it, you should be disciplined enough to say no for the sake of your health and that of your baby.
If you have a great craving for drinks like lemonade during this period, then you will be super interested in what I’ve got for you. Keep reading to get all that you need to know about craving lemonade during pregnancy, and also know if it is safe to drink it while pregnant.
Craving Lemonade During Pregnancy? Is It Safe to Drink Lemonade While Pregnant
Why Do Pregnant Women Crave Lemonade?
During pregnancy, the body has so much development and transformation to go through. One of which is craving food or things that you don’t like taking normally. Craving for a particular nutrient may be a result of that nutrient lacking in your body. The body now passes the information across to you by craving for that particular thing.
Some pregnant women crave lemonade because it has a great refreshing ability during hot days. It is better not to consume it in excess due to the high quantity of sugar that lemonade contain. Craving for lemonade during pregnancy can also be a result of lacking vitamin C in your diet. Lemonade is one of the citrus fruit that is very rich in vitamin C.
Another reason may be a great appetite for something with a sour taste. Lemonade has a sour taste, which is why it is preferable for pregnant women that crave sour things. Some do squeeze the lemon juice into the water they drink.
It is equally believed that lemonade help in reducing morning sickness which includes nausea and vomiting in some pregnant women. While it reduces this symptom in some pregnant women, it seems to increase it in others as well.
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Is It Safe TO Drink Lemonade During Pregnancy?
Yes, lemonade is very safe for pregnant women. Research shows that lemonade contains a lot of vitamins and minerals which is very helpful for the pregnant woman and the fetus as well. Lemonade contains folate which is an essential nutrient that aids in the neural development of the fetus in the womb.
There is no doubt that lemonade together with other citrus juice is safe for pregnant women. While taking it, it is very necessary to know that moderation is the key. Consuming this drink in moderation is very important to be on the safer side.
How Much Lemon Is Safe During Pregnancy?
If you crave lemon juice a lot during pregnancy, you are free to take it if you don’t have health issues that do not avoid highly acidic juices such as ulcers. Even if you don’t, you should still consume lemon juice in moderate quantities.
1-2 lemons per day are okay but it’s also advisable that you consult your doctor before taking it. He/she is in the best position to tell you whether to include it in your diet or not.
Can I Drink Strawberry Lemonade While Pregnant?
Of course, Yes!
You are allowed to drink strawberry lemonade while pregnant. No study proves that strawberry lemonade is harmful to pregnant women. But informing your doctor before taking not just strawberry lemonade but other kinds of drink is a wise decision.
Your doctor may not give you the go-ahead permission as you wish due to some medical reasons. If this happens, don’t let it affect your mood, just find a way to eliminate the craving or better still, substitute it with something similar.
Is It Safe to Drink Lemon Water During Pregnancy?
It is believed that lemon water help to relieve the morning sickness that almost all pregnant women experience in their first trimester. Not just that, lemon water also helps with indigestion predominant among pregnant women. Also, it helps to protect their susceptible immune system from infection.
Hence, taking lemon water during pregnancy is absolutely safe. It isn’t associated with any kind of complication. You can only abstain from taking it if your doctor says so and it is often due to your medical history.
Read Also: Can You Drink Pasteurized Juice When Pregnant?
Benefits Of Lemon Water During Pregnancy
When it comes to what lemonade offers to pregnant women, the list is endless. Lemon as a fruit benefits everyone but it helps pregnant women in specials ways which include:
1. It aids in digestion
At a point during pregnancy, most women experience chronic constipation and some suffer from indigestion, especially in their second trimester. They find it very discomforting and super annoying. Drinks like lemonade help resolve this challenge. With a few gulps, the indigestion issue gets resolved and they get relieved.
2. It provides both the mother and child with vitamins
According to research, a half cup of lemon without the peel yield about 56.2mg of vitamin C and which is a very essential vitamin required for the good development of the fetus’s nervous system.
3. It helps to keep the heart healthy
Lemonade help in improving and maintaining a healthy heart by bringing down the possibility of suffering from heart disease and stroke. This is not just because of the Vitamin C but also the fiber and other plant compounds found to be present in lemonade.
4. Helps with Immunity increment
Folate is a major ingredient in lemon and it is highly needed during pregnancy because it reduces the chances of brain and spinal cord defects such as spin a bifida and anencephaly from occurring. These brain issues often show up mostly during the first trimester, the intake of lemon in an adequate quantity may prevent these health issues.
Another good side of lemon is its ability to get rid of bacterial, fungus, or viral infections. Most pregnant women suffer from pregnancy-induced diabetics, lemon helps to prevent such occurrence, and it also possesses anticancer properties.
5. It reduces nausea
If you are suffering from chronic nausea during your first trimester, lemon could help save your day but you must know that there’s no tangible research that proves this. On the contrary, research has proven that inhaling lemon essential oil can help to reduce nausea and even vomiting during pregnancy.
But then, you are only advised to try this if your body accepts lemon. Some women hate the smell of lemon during pregnancy, if you are one of them, don’t force it. Kindly look for other possible remedies.
6. For hydration
One of the things you should make sure of while carrying your baby is that you are never dehydrated. This is because you need water now more than ever. Based on research, you will be needing about 14 cups of water each day.
It will get boring on the way; that’s where lemon comes in. Lemon contains 88-89% of water. So, instead of drinking plain water all day, making juice out of lemon will help save your day.
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Craving Lemonade During Pregnancy – Is Lemonade Juice Good for Pregnancy?
Yes, it is. But as you know, too much of everything is bad and that includes over intake of lemonade. It might cause several health challenges for you and even for your child. Below are several health issues you might be exposing yourself to if you consume too much lemonade:
1. Tooth erosion
Lemon contains citric acid capable of making your mouth’s PH drop to an acid range. If that happens, the minerals that help to boost the enamel of your teeth will get washed away leading to teeth damage.
At a point in your pregnancy, you will experience painful gum, and sometimes, your gums might bleed. Hence, you are advised to reduce lemon intake during pregnancy.
2. Heartburn during pregnancy
Some pregnant women experience heartburn during their second trimester, and taking lemon might worsen the situation. If you are an ulcer patient and decide to consume lemonade, it is equal to embarking on a suicide mission. Instead of consuming it raw, it’s advised that you reduce the acid level by mixing it with water. That way, you won’t suffer from heartburn.
In conclusion, consuming lemonade during pregnancy isn’t bad at all. No research has proven that lemon is bad for pregnant women. What is bad and unacceptable is taking it too much. Moderation is key!
No matter how badly you crave lemonade, go ahead yourself but remember to apply caution. Also, consult your gynecologist. He/she is in the right position to tell you what you should consume and what not to consume.
Also, you are advised to either purchase pasteurized lemonade with a label that tells the content or the number of lemons used. That way you know the exact amount of lemon you are about to consume. Unpasteurized lemonade, not just lemonade, but all other kinds of unpasteurized juices aren’t safe for you during pregnancy but it’s still okay to consult your doctor on which to take.
