3 Benefits Of Taking Olive Oil During Pregnancy
Olive oil is one of the pillars of the Mediterranean diet. It is a product with a high concentration of high quality lipids. Its regular intake is associated with many medium and long-term health benefits.
In addition, said edible can have a particularly positive effect on pregnant women. It also contributes to the development of the fetus, as we will see below. We are going to comment on the main benefits that are extracted from the intake of olive oil, as well as the position of science in this regard.
Olive oil, a healthy food
From a nutritional point of view, olive oil stands out for its unsaturated lipid content. These have double bonds in their chemical structure and have the ability to modulate the levels of inflammation in the body.
Among them, special mention must be made of Omega-3 fatty acids. These have been shown to be able to help prevent the development of cardiovascular pathologies, as stated in a study published in The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews .
Thus, the presence of olive oil in the usual diet is recommended, although it is important to avoid subjecting it to aggressive thermal processes. By transferring large amounts of heat, lipids go from cis to trans, thus generating harmful effects on health.
Benefits of olive oil in pregnancy
These are the main benefits that the consumption of olive oil offers in pregnancy.
Better cognitive development of the fetus
During the gestation period the fetus undergoes many changes and considerable development. For this to be completed successfully, it is necessary to ensure the presence in the mother’s diet of certain essential nutrients.
Omega-3 fatty acids are some of them, as it has been shown that they have a very close link when it comes to determining growth at the brain and cognitive level. This is indicated by an investigation published in Revista Brasileira de Ginecologya e Obstetricia .
Consuming olive oil during pregnancy guarantees the presence in the body of these lipids, which reduces the risk of the fetus developing brain or neural problems.
Prevention of depression
Several scientific investigations have tried to find a correlation between the consumption of Omega-3 fatty acids and the incidence of postpartum depression. The truth is that the results are discordant today.
However, a certain positive relationship is observed between the intake of these lipids and a lower incidence of depressive processes. For this reason, ingesting olive oil in pregnancy can be beneficial for the mother’s mental health.
Lower metabolic risk
One of the most frequent complications during pregnancy is swelling and fluid retention, especially at the joint level. Likewise, this inflammation can end up affecting metabolic capacity, causing problems such as gestational diabetes. This is closely linked to the quality of the diet.
Omega-3 fatty acids from olive oil have an anti-inflammatory character. Therefore, they are capable of reducing the incidence of metabolic diseases, as well as all those symptoms associated with the feeling of bloating.
Remember that to experience this effect, olive oil has to be consumed raw, otherwise, trans-type fatty acids with inflammatory properties would be formed. Thus, frying and baking with too high temperatures should be avoided.
Olive oil, a beneficial food in pregnancy
As discussed, the consumption of olive oil is recommended in pregnancy. In any case, its intake in large quantities could cause an energy imbalance in favor of the intake and generate weight gain. This is considered counterproductive, so the presence of the food in the diet must be controlled.
In addition, it is important to avoid subjecting this product to high temperatures so that it preserves its fatty acids with a cis spatial configuration. Thus, all the beneficial effects from the consumption of Omega-3 can be experienced. Even supplementation with these nutrients could be recommended at certain times, although for this it is better to consult a specialist first.
