Mediterranean Diet Benefits While Pregnant
The Mediterranean diet consists of fruits, veggies, nuts, beans, and whole
grains. The diet is said to reduce the risk of heart disease. Several
scientific organizations encourage adults to participate in the
Mediterranean diet to prevent chronic diseases.
The diet involves getting plenty of exercise, eating plenty of plant based
foods, and limiting read meat. It’s recommended to consume fish and
poultry twice a week. The diet limits the amount of bad cholesterol in the
body. Bread is an important part of the diet. However, the bread is dipped
in olive oil instead of coated with margarine or butter.
A recent study has shown that women who take part in the Mediterranean
diet while pregnant have children that are less likely to develop asthma
and allergy diseases. The Mediterranean diet can be beneficial for
expectant mothers. In the journal Thorax, research done by University of
Greece discovered that children born to mothers on the Mediterranean diet
were not as likely to develop an allergy or asthma.
The families involved in the study were from Menorca, Spain. In the study,
468 mothers were followed from conception until their children were 6
years old. Approximately one third of the mothers in the study were on a
minimal Mediterranean diet. Two thirds of them were following the diet
very closely.
Children whose mothers participated in the diet during pregnancy were
found to be 88% less likely to wheeze and 45% less likely to have any
allergy disease. The mothers were given questionnaires about their food
intake during their pregnancy. They reported their children’s eating
habits later, and whether or not their children were exhibiting allergy or
asthma symptoms.
Experts are not convinced by the test results. The U.S. government
guidelines suggest that pregnant women not consume more than 12 ounces of
fish per week. The main concern is that a diet rich in eggs and fish is
good for a pregnant woman. Other experts advise expectant mothers to
breastfeed for at least four months to reduce their child’s risk for
allergies .
It is hypothesized that fruits, beans, and veggies, which are high in
antioxidants, play a role in the prevention. Antioxidants are known to aid
against allergies and asthma. It is believed that the study must be
repeated in order to confirm it’s validity. It is not yet understood how
or why the diet is beneficial towards preventing allergy and asthma in
children.
E. Fortie writes for the Greek
Mediterranean diet blog to help people learn how to eat healthy and
follow a healthy
diet during pregnancy.
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