Are Oats Good for Pregnancy?

Health Benefits of Oats for Pregnant Women

Are you wondering whether to include oats in your pregnancy diet? Planning your meals during or before pregnancy helps you stay informed. Oats are one of the healthiest additions to anyone's diet, especially pregnant women. Let us explore the benefits this superfood provides for you and your baby.

What are the Advantages of Oats During Pregnancy?

Oats provide an excellent source of nutrition and minerals for your body. It makes it a superfood, with low calories and high fullness. Let us discuss how it benefits you and your growing foetus:

1. Oats Help to Lower Blood Pressure : This superfood is rich in antioxidants known as avenanthramides. These increase nitric oxide production in the body, which in turn works to lower your blood pressure levels. This is especially beneficial during pregnancy as your body contains 50% more blood.
2. Providing a Great Source of Energy : 100g of dry oats contains about 66g of carbohydrates, of which 85% is starch. It proves to be an excellent energy source since pregnant women require high amounts of energy for themselves and the baby. A small serving of oats can boost you up for the day.
3. Extremely Nutrient Dense : Half a cup of dry oats contains 10.7 grams of protein and 8.1 grams of fibre. Moreover, it amounts to 20% of your daily iron intake and 39% of your vitamin B1 intake. This makes oats highly nutritious and good during pregnancy.
4. Normalises Skin PH  : Itching and rashes are common problems during pregnancy, which can slowly destroy your skin’s PH. However, you can use oatmeal as a scrubber. It soothes itching and moisturises your skin. You can also mix it with coconut oil and get yourself that pregnancy glow.
5. Boost Your Heart Health : Pregnancy can call for various ailments, including heart ailments. Moreover, your heart works twice as hard during pregnancy. Oats contain beta-glucan, which can help you manage your cardiovascular health. It also reduces cholesterol levels in your heart.

What are the Potential Risks of Oats in Pregnancy?

This north-eastern grain is well-tolerated by everyone, regardless of whether they are pregnant. However, if you heavily rely on it for nutrition, you may face some adverse effects, such as:

• Diarrhoea: The high fibre content in oats may cause diarrhoea and indigestion in pregnant women. This is especially true for women entering their third trimester.
• Clogged Bowels: Too much oat consumption may cause a blocked bowel, which could quickly turn into a serious condition during pregnancy.
• Gluten Allergy: If you have a gluten allergy, you should avoid oats altogether.

Which Oat to Choose?

With so many oat options to choose from, it may get confusing as to which one is the right one. During pregnancy, steel-cut oats are one of the best choices. Additionally, you can have rolled oats. These are low in glycemic index and high in protein and minerals.

Avoid eating instant oats during pregnancy as they are heavily processed and may not contain as many nutrients.

Best Ways to Incorporate Oats in Your Diet

You can incorporate oats in breakfast smoothies, laddoos, idlis and porridge. You can also make delicious pancakes with oats for breakfast.

Oats are a versatile and highly nutritious grain. It is one of the top foods doctors recommend during pregnancy. However, make sure not to overeat, as it may cause adverse effects.