Rucola during breastfeeding: benefits and harms

Greens have long ago acquired the status of a mandatory part of our daily diet. It not only enlivens the look of the dinner table, but also brings great health benefits. Recently, supporters of natural nutrition recommend to pay attention to arugula - a kind of salad, which is adored by European gourmets. This crop, popular among gardeners, has a valuable chemical composition, so it is suitable even for the strict diet of breastfeeding mothers. We will tell you about the useful properties of the unique plant, dwell on the rules of using arugula during breastfeeding, as well as advise what you can cook from the useful herb.

Can I eat arugula while breastfeeding

Before we begin to describe the useful properties of arugula for breastfeeding women, we want to make a small historical digression. In Russia, this plant, which today gardeners are happy to grow, was considered a weed, so it was ruthlessly destroyed. In the people for the vitality of the culture was called "gooseberry". This type of vegetable salad is known under the names: rugula, motherwort, rocket salad, rocket. The Europeans were the first to taste the useful greens. They quickly discovered the incomparable taste of the herb with nutty and creamy notes and awarded it the title of a delicacy.

In a short time arugula managed to win favor on other continents. Very quickly the aromatic greens became an attraction in many national cuisines of the world. Today arugula is favored not only by the best chefs of the world, the useful greens are included in the list of dietary products. The unique composition of rocket salad is recommended by nutritionists to include in the diet for various diseases.

It is not excluded the possibility of using arugula by women during breastfeeding. After all, in the first year of life your baby needs a lot of vitamins and minerals. Useful greens can provide the developing body of the child with the necessary substances.

This crop is also useful for the woman herself, because during pregnancy her resources also went into deficit. A small portion of fresh greens can compensate the deficit of many mineral elements, but the main advantage of arugula is that it stimulates lactation. Therefore, the addition to the diet of such valuable vegetation will benefit the mother herself and the baby. After all, the infant with the mother's milk receives all the most necessary for proper growth and development.

Important! We would like to add that arugula can be eaten without fear for the figure, because the caloric value of a hundred gram portion of vitamin greens is only 25 units.

But the period of breastfeeding is characterized by the fact that even very useful foods should be introduced into the diet with extreme caution. Therefore, of particular importance are the dates when the mother is allowed to enrich their own menu useful additives.

In the first month

In the first weeks of life, a newborn baby goes through a period of adaptation. After the comfortable conditions of existence in the mother's womb, he has to get used to the new conditions of life. In this difficult time for the baby, mother's milk is not only the staple food for him, but also the only way to protect him from the negative effects of the environment. So in the first month it is strictly forbidden to supplement the diet of a nursing mother with any vegetables and herbs.

In the second month

After the first weeks of adaptation, the baby is already quite good in real life. He gets used to the daily regimen and diet. But his main diet is breast milk. Although a baby in the second month of life begins to gain weight actively, the main systems of his body, including the digestive organs, are not yet fully formed. For example, the small stomach is not yet able to independently produce the enzymes and juices needed to break down complex plant foods. That is, in the second month of life, the baby's body is just physiologically unable to process some foods. Therefore, at an early age, the salad plant can cause intestinal colic and increased gas formation in the baby.

How to eat arugula

Any greens, including salad crops, a nursing woman should introduce into her diet very carefully. For the first test it is enough to take only a few leaves. Tasting is best done in the morning after the next feeding, so that you can observe the condition of the baby during the day. The ideal time to expand the ration is 3-4 months after birth. By this time the baby's digestive system has had time to adapt well to mom's daily menu. But most importantly - the stomach and digestive tract will be ready to process complex foods.

A few useful tips will help to properly introduce a new product in the diet:

1. Rinse the lettuce leaves before consuming, then steep them in boiling water. Such processing will eliminate the possibility of food poisoning.
2. The first time you can just eat a few small leaves in pure form. You should try to chew the greens well.
3. If the baby gets a rash or begins to worry, gastronomic experiments for a while should be postponed.
4. If the baby is well, after a couple of days you can eat arugula again, slightly increasing the previous portion.
5. The maximum allowable dose of the natural product for a nursing mother is 100 grams. However, this amount of greens is enough to prepare a light vegetable salad.

How much you can eat per day

Almost all salad plants are considered the safest. Therefore, pediatricians and nutritionists recommend that it is with them to start expanding the diet of nursing mothers. But even healthy foods will get boring if they are consumed daily. After all, there are many other types of vegetables that have no less valuable composition than arugula. A varied menu will not harm the baby, and a nursing mother will bring great help.

As for the rate of consumption of garden greens, a hundred gram portion of salad will fully meet the nutrient needs of the growing and mother's body. If lettuce leaves appear on the menu 2-3 times, it will be enough.

Can I eat it at night and on an empty stomach?

Rucola can be eaten all day long. The wonderful taste, which can be tasted of radish and cabbage, spiced with the aroma of peppers, awakens a good appetite. Therefore, the greens are ideal for a morning salad. But at night you should not use products rich in fiber, because otherwise such a dinner could cause a sleepless night because of flatulence. We should not forget that with mother's milk the baby will also receive its portion of the product, which will cause discomfort in the small tummy.

The benefits of arugula during breastfeeding

The properties of any product can be evaluated according to two main criteria: nutritional qualities and the ability to have a positive effect on the body. In this respect, the humble arugula is able to leave behind exotic plants, which are served to the table only in the best restaurants. Therefore, it is a happy fact that in recent years, our compatriots are increasingly paying attention to the rocket salad, or Italian salad, as this plant is often called. Rucola has even begun to periodically appear on the shelves of our supermarkets, although enterprising cottagers have long grown this type of lettuce in their garden beds. Of course, this general interest in an unremarkable-looking plant is not accidental. Thanks to the research of scientists it was found out that the composition of Italian lettuce contains:

1. Vitamin A (retinol) - this fat-soluble component strengthens vision and improves the nervous system.
2. Ascorbic acid is responsible for the immune system.
3. B vitamin complex regulates metabolic processes, especially these substances are necessary for the nervous tissue and bone marrow.
4. Vitamin D (calciferol) is the most important of all vitamins, because it is actively involved in the formation of the bone skeleton in children.
5. Tocopherol regulates metabolic processes and is a natural antioxidant.
6. Mineral elements in the leaves and seeds of lettuce are present in large quantities. Of particular value is iodine, which is necessary for the normal functioning of the thyroid gland. A lot of iron and phosphorus in arugula, there is zinc, selenium, potassium, manganese and many other minerals.
7. Choline is a complex organic compound that improves brain function and also prevents the development of Alzheimer's disease.
8. Vegetable proteins in Italian salad are easily digested by the body.
9. Fiber is necessary for normal digestion, improves intestinal peristalsis.
10. Organic acids are involved in synthesis processes.
11. Essential oils have anti-inflammatory activity.
12. Flavonoids are powerful antioxidants that neutralize the effects of free radicals.

It is easy to understand that such a wonderful composition has a beneficial effect on the body of a nursing woman and a growing baby. Therefore, the regular use of arugula helps women to quickly recover after childbirth, and the minimum caloric content of greens, which is only 25 units, allows not to gain excess weight.

In addition, the Italian salad has the following useful properties:

1. Helps to cleanse the body of toxic products.
2. Helps in the process of losing weight.
3. Quickly gives a feeling of fullness.
4. It has a pronounced diuretic effect, which helps in the fight against edema.
5. At the expense of iodine prevents abnormalities of the thyroid gland.
6. Regulates the processes of hematopoiesis.
7. Improves myocardial contractility (heart muscle).
8. Normalizes blood sugar levels.
9. Stabilizes water-salt balance in the body.
10. Improves digestion.
11. Increases metabolism.
12. It stimulates lactation, which is of key importance for breastfeeding moms.

Not so long ago, scientists discovered another property of rocket salad: the greens contain substances that protect the body from the development of cancer. If you regularly add arugula to salads and other dishes, the herb will not allow the appearance of papillomas and warts.

The whole complex of these beneficial actions makes arugula a very promising product for the dietary diet of breastfeeding women. But the most important advantage of the salad, to which dietitians ask to pay attention, is that even a small portion of greens gives a pleasant feeling of fullness. Therefore, overeating of such a product is almost completely excluded. In addition to satiety, Italian salad, unlike other types of garden greens, supplies the body with energy, which is necessary to maintain physiological processes.

Warning: Since arugula has a very high iron content, the lettuce leaves should not be cut with a knife during cooking in order to prevent an oxidation reaction. As a rule, in restaurants, Italian lettuce is torn by hand during cooking. And this is done just before they are served. This peculiarity of arugula is worth taking note of.

What are the dangers of arugula during lactation

Knowing the features of any food product is necessary in order to avoid the troubles that may follow in case of its improper use. There are such special qualities and in arugula. Spicy greens are contraindicated for use during lactation, if a woman has

• Individual intolerance to the horticultural crop;
• tendency to allergic manifestations;
• urolithiasis;
• increased acidity of gastric juice;
• Chronic liver and kidney disease.

Special Directions: even if the mother tolerates the salad plant normally, the child may have an allergic reaction. This point is especially important to consider during the introduction of vitamin greens in the diet.

How to properly introduce arugula in the diet of a nursing mother

In principle, arugula refers to the safest foods. Therefore, it is often included in baby food. From the dietary product, you can prepare a lot of delicious and very useful dishes. Especially famous are cakes and pies stuffed with Italian lettuce. Therefore, after the baby gets used to supplemented with greens mother's menu, you can try to cook nourishing and nutritious dishes with the addition of healthy vegetation. But it should be done very carefully, and when the baby will receive complementary foods, that is, about 6 months after birth. By this time the digestive system has fully adapted and is able to process coarse food. Now some useful practical advice.

Rucola, which is sold in stores is not suitable for the dietary diet of nursing mothers. Such a product, as a rule, is grown in artificial conditions, that is, in a greenhouse. Fertilizers with chemical additives are often used to accelerate the growth of greens. Therefore, vegetable products with such an accompaniment will harm not only the woman, but also the baby. Given this fact, Italian lettuce should be bought only in the summer, that is, in the season when the culture grows in natural conditions.

Before using, the leaves of the salad plant should be thoroughly rinsed under running water, and then put on boiling water.

Like other types of salads, arugula does not like heat treatment. In addition, even a brief exposure to high temperatures deprives the greens of some of their valuable composition and delicious flavor. To preserve the maximum amount of nutrients, Italian lettuce is recommended to be eaten fresh.

Salad plants, including arugula, should not be stored for a long time, as they lose their useful properties and over time release harmful acid. Therefore, poor-quality lettuce is easy to recognize by the flaccid leaves, which quickly turn into a mushy green mass, unfit for consumption.

Italian lettuce tends to accumulate toxins and radioactive isotopes. Therefore, you should always check before buying greens the place where they were grown. Such prudence will reduce the risk of poisoning.

Rucola is not recommended to dry it. If you want to make a stock of vitamin greens, it is better to freeze the herb. But the best option is to allocate space on the windowsill and take up the cultivation of useful culture. Italian lettuce does not require special care and grows perfectly well in apartment conditions.

Once again, I would like to remind you that arugula leaves do not tolerate a knife. They must be torn with your hands or eaten whole.

During abundant meals, it is useful to eat salads with arugula, as such dishes will not allow overeating, as well as contribute to the rapid breakdown of fatty foods.

These rules are easy to remember, in addition, they will help to properly dispose of the useful greens. After all, a nursing mother should think about her own health and the safety of the baby.

What can be cooked with arugula

In the collection of world cuisine, there are many interesting recipes, in which arugula plays a solo part or is used as an original addition to other dishes. But since the menu of a nursing woman is a little outside the framework of restaurant dishes, then the approach to cooking with the participation of salad leaves will be somewhat different. So, what can be cooked for a woman during lactation:

1. Vegetable salads with arugula, greens and cheese, dressed with a little olive oil will be suitable for a nursing mother's diet.
2. A very tasty snack of boiled poultry meat with the addition of fresh Italian salad leaves.
3. Rucola can be used to decorate meat dishes to make them attractive. For example, bake beef tenderloin in the oven, and before serving the meat, slice it and decorate it with lettuce leaves.
4. Rucola is added to soups and other first courses. But in this case, the herb should be put in the finished dish.
5. Grass goes well with beans and potatoes. Therefore, you can safely serve it with a side dish. Amazing taste of fresh herbs will add a tart spicy notes to the dish.

As an example for practical application, we offer recipes for very tasty and healthy salads that are sure to please the mother and her baby.

Arugula salad with cottage cheese

This hearty snack takes only a few minutes to prepare, but then you can enjoy the savory taste of the dish. Basic ingredients:

• Fresh zucchini of medium size (preferably milky ripeness) - 1 pc;
• cottage cheese - 3 tbsp;
• arugula leaves - small bunch;
• Hard cheese - 30 g;
• olive oil - 1-2 tbsp.

How to cook:

1. Start preparing the salad with the preparation of products: zucchini peel the skin and seeds, then cut the pulp into cubes. Tear arugula leaves with your hands.
2. Grate the cheese, and mash the cottage cheese with a fork or hands.
3. Then in a separate bowl pour the right amount of vegetable oil, add salt. You can add a few drops of lemon juice.
4. After that, mix all the ingredients in a deep bowl, and then dress the ready salad with salted oil.

Useful tips:

1. Zucchini zucchini is ideal for this salad.
2. The fat content of cottage cheese should be determined based on your own gastronomic preferences. If the mother has no tendency to constipation and the child's stools are also okay, you can take a fat product.
3. If you want to get a heartier dish, you can add a little boiled chicken breast to the salad.

Layered salad with apples

And this original salad can be prepared even for the festive table. After all, there are important events and holidays in the life of breastfeeding mothers, too. Therefore, for such a special occasion, it is worth remembering the recipe for layered salad with arugula and apples.

List of products:

• green apples - 2 pcs;
• quail eggs - 4 pcs;
• hard cheese - 80 gr;
• homemade yogurt - quantity to taste;
• Boiled chicken breast - 350 g;
• arugula - a few leaves.

The process of preparing the appetizer:

1. First, prepare a suitable dish, on which the design of the future salad will be laid out in layers.
2. First of all, cut the chicken meat into cubes. Form the first layer, brush with yogurt.
3. The second layer - sliced quail eggs (in a pinch you can replace them with chicken eggs). All again soaked in yogurt.
4. The next layer is coarsely grated apples.
5. Again cover the layer with yogurt, and sprinkle grated cheese on top of the whole structure.
6. Tear up the ruccola leaves with your hands and use to decorate the exquisite dish.

With minimal time and money you get a very beautiful-looking and matchless-tasting light dish. So that the salad does not suffer from a lack of salt, you can salt the chicken breast when cooking.

An important point: Salads with arugula should be eaten immediately after cooking them. Ready-made dishes are not subject to even short-term storage. Therefore, going to please yourself with a vitamin snack, you should clearly calculate the amount of products, so that you do not have to throw out the remains of the salad in the trash.

Conclusion
There is reliable evidence that in the Mediterranean regions arugula was harvested as early as the 6th century AD. Over hundreds of years, the beneficial plant has not lost its importance and today attracts many supporters of healthy eating. For the difficult postpartum period, when a nursing mom must take care of the baby, but not forgetting her own health, arugula is ideal as a vitamin supplement to the daily menu.