Can you eat guacamole when pregnant?
Hannah Weiss
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Find out if it's safe to eat guacamole during pregnancy, plus precautions to take to keep you and your baby healthy.
The official advice on eating guacamole in pregnancy
Good news! It's safe to eat guacamole during pregnancy.
Guacamole is a classic Mexican dip. It's usually made with avocado, tomatoes, onion, fresh coriander, garlic and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. These ingredients are all pregnancy-safe, and contain lots of important nutrients, making guacamole and tortilla chips the perfect pregnancy snack!
The NHS recommends having plenty of fruit and vegetables while you're pregnant. Eating lots of fruit and veg will give you and your growing baby the vitamins, minerals and fibre you both need to stay well and healthy.
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Is guacamole good for you in pregnancy?
Avocados are one of the key ingredients in guacamole and give it that rich green colour. Avocados are a highly nutritious food and contain lots of fibre, antioxidants and healthy fats.
According to Healthline, avocado is a great source of folate – an essential nutrient for your growing baby.
The NHS says that folate helps reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects like spina bifida, which can affect your baby's brain and spinal cord. A folate deficiency may also increase the risk of low birthweight and premature birth. This is why it's best to take a folic acid supplement, even if you eat plenty of guacamole and avocados.
Tomatoes are another ingredient used to make guacamole. They're an excellent source of folate, vitamin C and fibre.
Vitamin C is an important nutrient in pregnancy because it helps boost your immune system. It's also an antioxidant that can help to defend your body against cancer and degenerative diseases.
Guacamole is often made with onions, which contain powerful antioxidants. According to Healthline, these can help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.
Delicious Mexican recipes
Love guacamole? Why not try one of these great pregnancy-safe recipes?
The Day-by-Day Pregnancy Book: Count Down Your Pregnancy Day by Day by Dr Maggie Blott is packed full of advice from a team of experts to help guide you through your pregnancy from conception to birth. See more details here at Amazon.
Looking for more pregnancy diet info? Check out our articles below, or swap tips with other mums-to-be in our forum.
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