Many expectant mothers are forced to exclude certain foods from their diet, fearing that their consumption may harm the unborn baby. Moreover, quite often such a refusal does not have any logical justification. In today's article we will try to figure out whether it is possible to eat tomatoes during pregnancy.

Why do you crave tomatoes when you're pregnant?

Immediately after conception, certain changes begin to occur in the female body. Moreover, very often these changes affect taste preferences. For example, some expectant mothers constantly eat salty foods, others eat spicy foods, and still others eat sweet foods. Therefore, it is not surprising that during pregnancy you crave tomatoes. This juicy vegetable, distinguished by its delicate rich taste, contains a lot of nutrients. Therefore, a craving for tomatoes may indicate that the expectant mother’s body lacks some vitamins found in tomatoes.

In addition, there is a popular belief associated with tomatoes. According to this sign, women who constantly feel the desire to eat a red ripe tomato during pregnancy will definitely give birth to a boy. However, modern medicine has refuted this theory, since it has no scientific basis.

Chemical composition

To understand whether tomatoes are ok during pregnancy, you need to understand what these vegetables are rich in. They are considered an excellent source of many valuable vitamins and microelements. They contain large reserves of organic acids, serotonin and lycopene.

Plus, tomatoes are rich in vitamins A, E, PP, C and B. They contain a fairly high concentration of iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium. It is also important that tomatoes are low-calorie foods. Therefore, their use does not contribute to excess weight gain. And this is of great importance for the health of the woman herself and her unborn baby.

What are the benefits of tomatoes during pregnancy?

All the positive properties of tomatoes are directly related to their mineral and vitamin composition. Due to the fact that they contain folic acid, they contribute to the proper formation of the central nervous system of the unborn baby. The presence of vitamin A has a positive effect on the condition of the placenta.

Potassium, present in tomatoes, helps remove excess fluid, strengthens the heart and blood vessels. Lycopene, contained in red fruits, is considered a powerful natural antioxidant necessary for the prevention of cancer.

Plus, tomatoes have a mild laxative effect. Therefore, they are indicated for those who suffer from constipation. The vitamin C they contain promotes better absorption of iron, strengthens the immune system and correct formation of connective tissue.

Which tomatoes are considered the most valuable?

In order for tomatoes to bring nothing but benefits during pregnancy, you need to know how to choose the right fruits. It's no secret that vegetables grown in natural conditions have the highest taste qualities. They contain almost a complete set of vital vitamins. In addition, such tomatoes do not contain nitrates or other harmful substances.

Those vegetables that can be seen on supermarket shelves in winter are grown in greenhouse conditions using various fertilizers and artificial fertilizers. Most of these chemical compounds accumulate in the pulp of tomatoes and make them dangerous to human health. In addition, some unscrupulous manufacturers treat their products with special substances that extend the shelf life of vegetables. Such fruits can cause poisoning, so they should not be eaten.

Canned and stewed tomatoes

When figuring out whether you can eat tomatoes during pregnancy, you need to separately mention heat-treated vegetables. Experts recommend that expectant mothers avoid fried and stewed tomatoes. This is due to the fact that during the cooking process many vitamins and valuable organic acids are destroyed. As a result, the dish becomes completely useless. And sometimes it is frankly harmful to health, causing heaviness in the stomach and heartburn.

Ketchups and tomato pastes are considered equally useless. During their preparation, vegetable raw materials are subjected to long-term heat treatment, which destroys everything useful that is present in vegetables. Therefore, it is better to abandon them in favor of fresh tomatoes.

During pregnancy, it is strictly forbidden to consume canned and pickled tomatoes. Such food creates an increased load on the kidneys, and this is fraught with the appearance of edema. But the main threat is posed by salted green fruits. They are the ones that pose a serious danger to the health of the unborn baby, since they contain a high concentration of solanine.

Tomato juice

When talking about tomatoes, one cannot fail to mention this useful product obtained from these vegetables. The greatest value for the health of pregnant women is a drink made from fresh ground tomatoes. It contains a lot of vitamin C, folic acid and other beneficial substances. However, despite all the value of tomato juice, you should not consume more than two glasses a day.

As for industrially produced drinks, they are absolutely useless for pregnant women. They contain a small proportion of natural tomato juice. And everything else comes from water, preservatives, citric acid, dyes and other harmful additives.

Possible contraindications

Both the benefits and harms of tomatoes during pregnancy are due to their chemical composition. Tomatoes contain quite a lot of substances that have a diuretic effect. Therefore, they should not be used by women with kidney problems. For the same reason, they should be excluded from the diet of expectant mothers who have been diagnosed with urolithiasis.

It is forbidden to consume this vegetable for those who suffer from arthritis. Of course, this disease is more common in older people, but sometimes it begins to develop at a young age.

Tomatoes are contraindicated during pregnancy and if the expectant mother suffers from diseases of the digestive system. In this case we are talking about pancreatitis, stomach ulcers and gastritis with high acidity.

Shortly before the expected date of birth, you should completely exclude tomatoes from your diet. Otherwise, tomatoes can cause allergies in the unborn baby.

What to cook with fresh tomatoes?

Ripe red fruits will be an excellent basis for various fortified salads. To prepare one of these dishes you need to take sweet bell peppers, onions, tomatoes and herbs. All vegetables are thoroughly washed, dried, and, if necessary, peeled and seeded. Then they are cut into small pieces and seasoned with olive oil or not too fatty sour cream.

In summer, another simple recipe is especially popular among pregnant women. To prepare this light salad you will need tomatoes, cucumbers, parsley, green onions and onions. All of the above components are washed, cut into neat pieces and seasoned with any vegetable oil. If desired, the dish can be supplemented with radishes and bell peppers.

A pregnant woman's diet should include vegetables that enrich the body with useful and essential vitamins. This is an important link in the development of a child, which is impossible without nutrients and microelements.

Tomatoes and their properties

To understand whether pregnant women can eat tomatoes, it is necessary to consider the properties of the vegetable. It ranks first among the foods richest in vitamins. Namely, tomatoes contain the following:

fructose and glucose;

• manganese;

  vitamins A, K, E, PP and group B.

All these elements are extremely necessary during pregnancy, due to which the expectant mother should not doubt whether to eat tomatoes or not.

Tomatoes and pregnancy

So what are tomatoes good for pregnant women, besides saturating the body with vitamins (which can be obtained in a fortified complex of preparations)? Their properties make it possible to normalize metabolism, which is necessary for the expectant mother for the full functioning of the intestinal tract. If tomatoes are useful for pregnant women, it is primarily their positive effect on digestion.

Not many mothers know that extra pounds gained during pregnancy are a result of impaired metabolism. If a pregnant woman takes care of her digestion and eats the tomatoes she can, then only her belly will grow, and after giving birth she will quickly and easily return to her previous shape.

If a pregnant woman eats tomatoes, she reduces the risk of cancer to a minimum. The antioxidant contained in tomatoes prevents the appearance of cancer cells and destroys existing ones. And healthy cells will be reliably protected.

Tomatoes protect pregnant women from heart and vascular diseases, normalize the functioning of many organs, and improve blood clotting. All this is invaluable during pregnancy and childbirth.

And another important property of tomatoes necessary for pregnant women is the prevention of constipation. Also, tomatoes have a calming effect, have a positive effect on the nervous system and improve mood.

It has been proven that tomatoes are a kind of antidepressant for pregnant women. If the expectant mother eats tomatoes regularly, then she will not be bothered by worries and worries.

Harm of tomatoes

Unfortunately, there are also contraindications to eating tomatoes. And this applies not only to pregnant women, but to all people in general. But why can’t pregnant women eat tomatoes? According to the older generation, tomatoes, due to their red color, can cause allergies in a child. But this is just a myth that has no evidence to support its existence.

And now about contraindications. A pregnant woman should not eat tomatoes if she has liver, bladder or gall bladder diseases. The fact is that tomatoes contain organic acids that can aggravate chronic diseases, leading to very sad consequences. To clarify this issue, you need to consult your doctor, who will tell you whether or not a pregnant woman can eat tomatoes.

Eating tomatoes

Having found out whether tomatoes are good for pregnant women, you need to consider how best to consume them. The best type of food for an expectant mother is raw vegetables during the summer season. Pregnant women should refrain from eating canned, boiled, fried and baked tomatoes; they should not be eaten. After processing, they lose all their properties, which turn from useful into harmful. If for some reason pregnant women cannot eat tomatoes, it is because they contain inorganic acids after heat treatment.

It is very important to be able to combine tomatoes with other vegetables. For example, a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes, beloved by many, is a combination of inappropriate products. To get the maximum benefit from tomatoes for a pregnant woman, you need to mix them with herbs, cabbage or green peas. You can also prepare a side dish of boiled potatoes with the addition of tomatoes. It turns out tasty and very healthy.

But above all, fresh tomatoes are useful for a pregnant woman, which should be eaten 1-2 times a day. This will be enough to enrich your body with the necessary vitamins and elements. If a pregnant woman really wants tomatoes, then you shouldn’t limit yourself, especially knowing about their benefits.

Tomatoes have many beneficial properties that help pregnant women bear a healthy baby without harming their own health. This is very important for every expectant mother who carefully monitors the functioning of her body.

While carrying a baby, expectant mothers have a huge number of questions about proper, and most importantly, healthy and wholesome nutrition during this important period of life. The worries of pregnant women are understandable, since some seemingly harmless products can cause allergies. Now let's try to figure out whether it is possible to eat tomatoes during pregnancy, what are their benefits or are they harmful.

What are the benefits of tomatoes?

In the spring and summer, as soon as the first tomatoes appear, they take pride of place on the table of many families. The vegetable is added to various dishes: salads, hot appetizers, soups. This love for tomatoes is understandable - they contain many vitamins and microelements that are so beneficial for human health.

Not everyone knows that tomatoes are excellent antioxidants, occupying pride of place among the known natural antioxidants. Due to their properties, they have a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system. This vegetable contains lycopene, which has a powerful anti-cancer effect. It protects healthy cells of the body from the negative effects of pathogens.

Tomatoes have antidepressant properties and have a positive effect on the nervous system. Since they contain serotonin, consuming tomatoes increases performance, improves mood and gives vigor.

Can expectant mothers eat tomatoes?

Probably, no doctor can answer this question unequivocally. Because everything is very individual. As mentioned above, tomatoes contain a huge amount of useful substances, and therefore they still need to be consumed, but with a certain degree of caution.

This is due to the fact that not everyone can eat this red fruit; there are a number of contraindications that should be heeded not only by pregnant women.

So, when eating tomatoes you need to know:

• Tomatoes are a very strong diuretic. Future mothers should take this into account. Especially those who have problems with the kidneys, bladder or urolithiasis. If you have such ailments, you cannot eat a lot of tomatoes. Otherwise, an exacerbation of diseases may occur;
• People diagnosed with arthritis are strictly prohibited from consuming this vegetable. Of course, this disease is more often diagnosed in older people, but it is not uncommon for young women to suffer from this disease;
• You cannot eat this vegetable in the last months of pregnancy, or before the expected date of birth. Excessive consumption of tomatoes can provoke an allergic reaction in the unborn baby;
• Tomatoes are a seasonal vegetable, so it is recommended to eat them in the spring and summer. It is advisable to buy a product grown (if possible) near your place of residence. It will contain more vitamins and nutrients.

If the expectant mother does not have the above diseases, a tendency to allergies, and is not in the last trimester of pregnancy, then tomatoes can be eaten, but not overused. 2-3 fresh vegetables per day is the norm; you shouldn’t eat more.

Why are expectant mothers sometimes so drawn to tomatoes?

Pregnant women often notice that their taste preferences may change while carrying a baby. Some people really want various fruits: bananas, apples or kiwi. Others, on the contrary, want to eat sweets or pickles. Such gastronomic changes are quite understandable.

A woman is growing a baby in her body, who needs to eat well and receive the necessary vitamins and microelements. It is the baby that “demands” the mother to eat this or that product in order to compensate for the lack of any substances. But why do you want tomatoes?

It's simple. They contain many useful vitamins and microelements. They have a pleasant taste and go well with a variety of foods. By eating vegetables, the expectant mother saturates the body with essential vitamins. This allows her to feel good and the fetus to develop properly.

By the way, people say that if a woman constantly wants tomatoes while carrying a child, then she will give birth to a boy. But this, of course, is just a superstition.

Eating bananas, kiwi, cherries, cucumbers and tomatoes during pregnancy, as well as other foods, does not in any way affect the gender of the unborn child. Of course, fruits and vegetables are rich in minerals and vitamins. This promotes fetal development but does not determine sex.

Can expectant mothers eat salted tomatoes?

Nutritionists strictly prohibit women from consuming foods that are too salty and pickled during pregnancy. Let's try to figure out why pregnant women can't eat salted tomatoes and why they are harmful?

It's all about the salt that is used to prepare tomatoes. It tends to accumulate in the body. This leads to unwanted swelling, problems with the kidneys and the cardiovascular system. Excessive salt consumption during pregnancy can negatively affect both the health of the pregnant woman and the development of the child.

It is also worth remembering that vinegar is used during pickling. This component is not recommended for pregnant women. Vinegar can cause heartburn and has a negative effect on the stomach. Therefore, it is better to avoid eating any salted or pickled foods during pregnancy.

You most likely have already noticed that all women in this position have their own quirks. Some want fish, some want eggshells, and some want salted tomatoes, and more. On the one hand, vegetables are healthy, you can’t argue with that. But on the other hand, everything needs moderation.

And there is a third side: oddly enough, sometimes this vegetable can be harmful for a pregnant woman. Let's figure it out: are tomatoes during pregnancy good or bad?

The benefits of tomatoes during pregnancy

• vitamins (C, E, K, PP, B9);
• minerals (iodine, potassium, calcium, iron, zinc, sulfur, copper, fluorine, magnesium);
• citric, oxalic and malic acids;
• glucose;
• lycopene;
• carotene, and much more.

So, if during pregnancy you are drawn to tomatoes, you can rest assured: this is a very good desire. Want to make sure? See for yourself:

Tomatoes are a storehouse of vitamins

1. Vitamin C improves immunity. First of all, of course, yours, but this will certainly affect your child. If the mother’s body resists colds and infections during pregnancy, this is the key to the child’s health! And about how to cope with the disease, if you still cannot resist it, read the article Colds during pregnancy >>>;
2. Vitamin E. It strengthens cells, blood vessels, improves tissue regeneration and blood circulation (your baby will receive more oxygen, and you will get fewer stretch marks during or after pregnancy. Read more about this in the article: Stretch marks during pregnancy >>>);
3. Vitamin RR. First of all, it is a source of energy. But in your position it is so important! Just imagine: loss of strength, lethargy, weakness, lack of sleep... You can overcome all this: just eat tomatoes during pregnancy. This vitamin also normalizes hormonal levels and reduces cholesterol levels;
4. B vitamins are essential for the functioning of your gastrointestinal tract. They will help you cope during pregnancy (and not only) with such a nuisance as constipation. B vitamins are responsible for the formation of your child's nervous system. Therefore, they are useful even at the stage of planning a future pregnancy;
5. Vitamin K regulates blood clotting and is involved in the formation of the baby’s bone tissue. Find out how the baby is formed during pregnancy from the article Development of the child in the womb >>>.

About the power of macro- and microelements

In addition to vitamins, the piggy bank of “tomato goodness” is replenished with important macro- and microelements. For example:

• Potassium, magnesium, iron are responsible for hematopoiesis and the proper functioning of the nervous system. Together with calcium, potassium and magnesium are involved in muscle activity (this means that you will not have cramps or anemia. Read the current article on the topic: Leg cramps during pregnancy >>>);
• Calcium and phosphorus are the basis of a strong skeleton of the future baby;
• Iodine is, first of all, the prevention of thyroid diseases. In other words, fresh tomatoes during pregnancy help to form proper metabolism in the body of your future son or daughter;
• Sulfur is responsible for the condition of the skin, hair, nails, helps strengthen the ligaments and muscles of mother and baby;
• Zinc is involved in the formation of the baby’s organs, including the genitourinary system, brain, heart, lungs, and also helps to carry pregnancy to term.

Miracle Lycopene

As you can see, tomatoes are a real salvation from many of the misfortunes that accompany pregnancy.

And here is another miraculous natural substance that is contained in these vegetables: an antioxidant, also known as a red pigment, also known as lycopene.

1. This is your indispensable assistant, which reduces the risk of cardiovascular, cancer and gastrointestinal diseases;
2. It suppresses appetite, helping to curb weight if the doctor told you to control it, and fights harmful intestinal microflora;
3. Lycopene normalizes stomach acidity. That is, heartburn or gastritis are not scary for you either (read the important article

If you belong to the category of women expecting a new addition to the family or just planning one, then you are probably thinking about your diet.

Today we’ll talk about a common vegetable – the tomato – and find out the answer to the question: is it possible to eat tomatoes during pregnancy and whether they can harm the expectant mother and child. In the article you will learn about the benefits or harm these vegetables bring, and based on this, you will draw conclusions: whether tomatoes are indicated for women in an interesting position or not.

There is no doubt that tomatoes contain a large amount of vitamins that help maintain the health of the mother and the unborn baby during pregnancy.

Let us consider the role of the main ones in more detail:

• Vitamin A has a positive effect on the condition of the placenta.
• Vitamin E promotes good formation of fetal tissue, and also prevents the structure of a woman’s skin and nails from deteriorating.
• Group B participates in the normalization of the functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
• Vitamin PP, or in other words, nicotinic acid, takes part in metabolism. It is important during the growth of the body, especially during intrauterine development.
• Vitamin C helps increase the pregnant woman’s body’s resistance to viruses and infections that can significantly undermine the baby’s health.

Micro and macroelements in tomatoes

The amount of micro and macroelements is not inferior to the vitamins in tomatoes.

• K, Fe and Mg contribute to the functioning of the nervous system and are involved in the process of hematopoiesis.
• P and Ca are involved in the development of a strong infant skeleton.
• Also, Ca, together with K and Mg, takes part in muscle activity. From which we can conclude that the expectant mother will reduce the risk of seizures and anemia.
• S will support the hair, skin and nails of a pregnant woman.
• I prevents diseases of the thyroid gland, thereby forming the child’s correct metabolism.
• Zn plays an important role, as it takes part in the creation of the child’s organs: brain, heart, lungs. It also helps the mother carry the fetus to term.

What are the benefits of lycopene during pregnancy?

Lycopene is what tomatoes really have in abundance. Lycopene is a red pigment and an antioxidant. It reduces the possibility of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal diseases.

Some women gain too much weight during pregnancy, so your gynecologist may recommend adding tomatoes to your diet because they suppress appetite due to lycopene.

Lycopene also normalizes the level of stomach acidity - this way you can get rid of heartburn, which so often torments pregnant women.

Negative properties of tomatoes during pregnancy

Despite the huge number of benefits of these wonderful vegetables, when answering the question of whether pregnant women can eat tomatoes, one cannot help but talk about the harm they can cause.

Often, an expectant mother craves salted tomatoes, especially since they help during toxicosis, but you need to be careful with this! Salted tomatoes contain a large amount of salt, which leads to congestion of the kidneys, which are already working at double capacity, like most organs during pregnancy. Excess salt in the body is fraught with the appearance of edema and increased blood pressure. Therefore, you should choose a fresher version of these vegetables.

Pregnant women who suffer from heart disease, kidney disease, liver disease, gall bladder disease, hypertension, and arthritis should completely exclude tomatoes from the menu.

Here are a few more situations when tomatoes during pregnancy can be harmful:

• Imported tomatoes grown in greenhouse conditions are often treated with chemicals, so it is better not to buy them.
• Various heat treatments to which vegetables are exposed destroy all vitamins and organic acids, thereby disrupting the physiological functions of organs, which leads to an exacerbation of certain diseases, and, moreover, can cause heartburn. And tomatoes become useless in this case.

Therefore, it is better for women expecting a baby to eat fresh tomatoes.

You can prepare a salad with fresh cucumber and cabbage, seasoning it with olive oil and adding a minimal amount of salt. It is better to use sea salt because it is rich in iodine and trace elements.

If after receiving the information you still have doubts, consult a gynecologist. He will take into account your diseases and possible risks, give recommendations on an exciting topic and decide whether tomatoes during pregnancy are right for you.

Summing up the results of studying the question of whether tomatoes can be eaten during pregnancy, it is worth recalling: it is not only possible, but also necessary to eat fresh tomatoes for pregnant women, but it is better to put the jar of salted tomatoes away, until better times. Take care of yourself and your health during pregnancy, because during this period of your life you are responsible for two!