Postpartum period is the time when a woman's body needs a lot of time to recover. Lack of sleep, taking care of newborns and maintaining milk supply for children makes many mothers easily tired and lack energy. In that context, dates are considered a natural food that can support the health of breastfeeding women.
According to Dr. Dhanalakshmi R - pediatric and neonatal consultant at Motherhood Hospital (India), dates contain a fairly high amount of natural carbohydrates, helping to quickly replenish energy for the body. This is especially useful for mothers who regularly stay up late and breastfeed many times a day. Not only does it help replenish energy, dates are also said to have the ability to support breast milk production.
A study published in the Global Journal of Public Health Research tracked 15 postpartum mothers who ate 100 grams of dates daily for a week. After 7 days, about 80% of participants said that the amount of milk secreted improved. Researchers believe that dates contain compounds that can support the activity of prolactin and oxytocin hormones. These are two important hormones related to the process of secretion and production of breast milk.
In addition, dates also provide many vitamins and minerals necessary in the postpartum period. Potassium helps support cell activity and maintain electrolyte balance in the body. Magnesium participates in the process of muscle recovery and energy metabolism, while iron helps compensate for blood and iron loss after birth.
Another benefit of datze is that it supports the digestive system. After giving birth, many women experience constipation due to hormonal changes, lack of exercise or effects from medication. Datze contains a lot of fiber, which can help support bowel movements and improve indigestion without being too dependent on laxatives.
In addition, this fruit also contains calcium and antioxidants. Calcium helps maintain bone health during breastfeeding, while antioxidants contribute to supporting the immune system and the body's recovery process after birth.
However, despite many benefits, dates still contain a fairly high amount of natural sugar. Therefore, nutrition experts often recommend that breastfeeding women should only eat about 3-5 fruits per day as part of a balanced diet. People who have had gestational diabetes or need to control blood sugar should pay attention to the amount of dates consumed daily.
Combining daisy with a diverse diet, reasonable sleep and drinking enough water can help mothers after giving birth maintain energy, support milk secretion and recover health better during the stage of caring for young children.
