OH! Magazine - Australian Version January 2016 | Page 18

BANANAS: NATURE’S IDEAL
ENERGY SNACK FOR MUMS & TODDLERS
Accredited Practising Dietitian Glenn Cardwell explains the many
benefits of bananas for toddlers and mums alike.
rom the moment you realise you
are going to be a mum, until the
time your child is getting dressed all by
him or herself, Australian bananas are an
ideal addition to both your diets.

F

Pregnant and new mums
Pregnancy is the time to pamper your
body and understand the impact of your
eating – especially since you are dining
for two. One way to give your diet a pinch
of powerful production is to add nature’s
non-stop energy snack, bananas. Bananas
are excellent when you are expecting
because they not only contain essential
nutrients for the healthy growth of your
bundle of joy, but they are also good for
managing
morning
sickness
and
constipation that sometimes come with
having a baby on board.
1. Relieving your heaving: Thankfully,
morning sickness usually only lasts the
first trimester but that doesn’t make it
fun. Eating dry crackers, toast or a piece
of fruit like a banana in the morning
before you get out of bed, and having
small snacks frequently through the day
can help as it keeps the stomach from
being empty, which can make you feel
unwell. Avoiding spicy and fatty foods
can sometimes help ease nausea as well.
2. Reduce constipation: As the muscles in
the intestine lose some of their tone
during pregnancy, foods pass more slowly
through the gut. The pressure of the baby
on the mother’s intestines can also slow
down the passage of food and waste,
resulting in constipation. The solution is
copious amounts of fibre, which bananas
provide aplenty, fluids and physical
activity. Although the banana is an
obvious choice to boost your fibre intake,

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JANUARY 2016 ( OH! MAGAZINE )

other fruits, wholegrain breads and
cereals and legumes are good options.
3. Energy to burn: Bananas are an excellent
source of carbohydrate energy in the form
of natural sugars and starch. It’s no
wonder they call it nature’s non-stop
energy snack.
4. Protect against spinal cord defects:
Folate is vital in the development of a
baby’s spinal cord in the womb. It is so
critical that the vitamin is recommended
to women considering pregnancy. An
overwhelming body of evidence has
linked folate deficiency in early pregnancy
to increased risk of neural tube defects,
most commonly known as spina bifida, in
infants. One banana will provide about
10 per cent of your folate needs each
day.
5. Form strong gums: Extra Ascorbic acid
(vitamin C) is required for forming new
blood vessels, skin, gums, and other
tissues, and even bones. One or two
bananas each day will provide valuable
vitamin C, as will other fruit, fruit juice
and salad vegetables.
6. Absorb your iron: In order for a healthy
amount of oxygen to reach your baby via
the placenta, your body (and your blood)
needs about 50 per cent more iron than
usual. Although a ban [