Can pregnant women drink orange juice?

This article was professionally consulted with Specialist Doctor level I Pham Thi Yen - Obstetrician - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital.

Whether pregnant women can drink orange juice depends on the constitution and health status of each person. Drinking orange juice properly will help pregnant women receive many wonderful health benefits.

1. Is drinking orange juice good for pregnant women?

Many women wonder whether pregnant women can drink orange juice. The good news is that they can enjoy orange juice throughout their pregnancy. This beverage is packed with essential nutrients that are beneficial for both the health of the pregnant woman and the developing fetus. Here are some of the significant health benefits that orange juice can provide during pregnancy:

1.1 Support immune system health during pregnancy
Experts agree that orange juice is rich in vitamins and calcium, often containing higher levels than those found in dairy products. Regular consumption of orange juice in pregnant women can enhance the health of the immune system, helping to fend off seasonal flu.

In addition to its flu-fighting properties, orange juice can also be effective in soothing coughs. Pregnant women are more susceptible to colds and coughs, which can be uncomfortable and, in severe cases, may lead to premature birth. To alleviate coughs during pregnancy, women can utilize natural remedies such as drinking orange juice, consuming baked orange peels, or enjoying ginger orange jam.

1.2. Help supplement abundant vitamins and minerals for the body
To know if drinking orange juice is good for pregnant women, we need to consider the nutritional content of this drink. One of the most abundant vitamins in orange juice is vitamin C, which helps strengthen the body's resistance and barrier against pathogens during pregnancy.

On the other hand, orange juice also provides a large amount of essential minerals such as iron and zinc, which are very beneficial for the fetus's immune system. Therefore, pregnant women can completely drink orange juice or eat fresh oranges every day to supplement nutrients for the body as well as the baby in the womb.

1.3. Help prevent and repel constipation during pregnancy
Constipation during pregnancy often causes discomfort for pregnant women. In the long term, constipation can adversely affect the digestive tract. In addition, pregnant women are often prone to morning sickness and often have eating problems. However, these phenomena can be effectively repelled by drinking orange juice regularly every day.

Not only that, oranges also contain high levels of fiber, which helps increase intestinal motility, thereby promoting the digestion of food and eliminating waste from the body more effectively.

1.4. Support brain development and prevent fetal malformations
During pregnancy, the need for folate (folic acid) is always an important issue, because this nutrient is essential for the development of the fetal brain, and helps prevent birth defects from 5 to 10 times. One of the foods that can meet the folate needs of pregnant women is orange juice. Therefore, pregnant women should regularly add orange juice to their diet to ensure adequate folate for both mother and baby.

1.5. Improve respiratory health and control blood pressure well
Fresh orange juice contains a rich amount of carotene, which helps improve and maintain respiratory health for pregnant women throughout pregnancy. In addition, orange juice also provides a large amount of magnesium and flavonoids, which can control blood pressure at a stable level. This is especially beneficial for pregnant women with a history of blood pressure problems.

1.6. Promote hydration and beautify the skin
Promoting hydration can help increase the ability to produce new cells, and speed up the process of replacing old cells, thereby helping pregnant women stay healthy, anti-aging and preventing free radicals. The abundant amount of vitamin C in orange juice is considered an ideal drink for hydration in the body. Pregnant women who drink orange juice regularly every day can have an antioxidant effect, keep the skin plump, and maintain the necessary moisture. This also helps pregnant women deal better with acne during pregnancy.

The mechanism of promoting body hydration of orange juice is thanks to its ability to provide abundant potassium and sodium. Therefore, in the first 3 months of pregnancy, pregnant women should drink orange juice regularly to help accelerate the regeneration of new cells and collagen restructuring on the skin. This helps the skin stay fresh and always bright and healthy. Not only that, orange juice also contains a rich amount of vitamin B, bringing the following effects:

• Vitamin B1: Promotes increased blood circulation, helps balance metabolism, and beautifies the skin of pregnant mothers.
• Vitamin B2: Helps regenerate blood cells, skin, and intestinal mucosa, supports blood circulation, and helps pregnant mothers' skin become smooth and rosy.
• Vitamin B5: Helps improve skin health and ensures that the pregnant mother's body functions effectively.
• Vitamin B6: Prevents and repels anemia, and helps produce more hormones to regulate and support the pregnant mother's body to be healthier.

1.7. Help prevent allergies
In the first 3 months of pregnancy, hormones in the mother's body tend to change significantly, and progesterone and estrogen levels increase rapidly, stimulating some components in the plasma such as prolactin and glucocorticoids. This sudden change can cause dilation of blood vessels in the venous system, leading to an itchy reaction for pregnant mothers. In addition, pregnancy allergies also cause symptoms such as shortness of breath, wheezing, nausea, and difficulty defecating.

Orange juice contains active ingredients that help reduce the risk of allergic reactions in pregnant women during pregnancy. Therefore, women can enjoy this drink right from pregnancy to prevent the above problem.

1.8. Help prevent and treat kidney stones
Orange juice, which is rich in citric acid, is well-known for its effectiveness in preventing and treating kidney stones. Citric acid helps dissolve the minerals that form crystals, thereby reducing the risk of developing kidney stones. Pregnant women who consume orange juice regularly may lower their chances of experiencing complications from kidney stones, such as blood in the urine, severe abdominal pain, fever, chills, and nausea. These complications can be harmful to both the mother's and the fetus's health.

1.9. Help prevent postpartum bleeding in the last trimester
Pregnant women drinking orange juice in the last 3 months can prevent postpartum bleeding. This effect is achieved due to the rich content of vitamin C and calcium in orange juice, which helps increase the elasticity of blood vessels, thereby avoiding the risk of postpartum bleeding in pregnant women.

2. Instructions on how to drink orange juice properly and safely for pregnant women

So you have the answer to the question of whether pregnant women can drink orange juice, but how should pregnant women use this drink properly and achieve the most optimal health benefits? Below are some tips on using orange juice for pregnant women from nutrition experts:

2.1. How much orange juice should pregnant women drink?
Experts recommend that pregnant women limit their orange juice intake to a maximum of 200 ml per day. Consuming more than this can pose risks, as orange juice contains high levels of organic acids that may damage tooth enamel if consumed in large quantities or for an extended period. Additionally, while orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, excessive intake can lead to health issues such as urinary stone formation, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.

2.2. When should pregnant women drink orange juice?
The best time for pregnant women to drink orange juice is when they are neither too full nor too hungry, typically 1-2 hours after a meal. At this point, the stomach has partially digested food, making it easier to enjoy orange juice without overwhelming the digestive system. Drinking orange juice within this timeframe can also help mitigate the potentially harmful effects of its acidity on the stomach.

2.3. Some important notes when pregnant women drink orange juice
To promote the benefits that orange juice brings to the body, pregnant women need to note the following:

• After drinking orange juice, avoid drinking milk immediately, because milk contains tartaric acid, which easily interacts with vitamin C in orange juice. This reaction can cause conditions such as abdominal pain, bloating, or diarrhea for the mother.
• Avoid drinking orange juice late at night because it contains a lot of vitamin C and has high diuretic properties. Drinking orange juice at this time can easily increase the frequency of urination at night, significantly affecting the quality of sleep of pregnant women.
• Pregnant women with problems with the duodenum, stomach, or pancreatitis should avoid drinking orange juice. This is because orange juice contains a lot of organic acids, which can adversely affect existing ulcers in the body and cause severe abdominal pain. If pregnant women encounter the above problems and drink orange juice regularly, it can cause the ulcers to spread and become deeper. At that time, the frequency of abdominal pain can be more frequent, and more severe, even causing perforation of the duodenum or stomach.
• Pregnant women with digestive disorders such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, heartburn, bloating, ... also need to limit drinking orange juice. In this case, drinking orange juice regularly can make the symptoms worse, easily causing ulcers or bloating.

2.4.Guide pregnant mothers on how to choose standard oranges
To have a delicious and nutritious glass of fresh orange juice, pregnant mothers should choose fresh oranges with clear origins and buy them at reputable locations. This can help you avoid choosing oranges that use a lot of growth hormones and pesticides that can easily cause poisoning.

Home-squeezed fresh orange juice is the choice for pregnant mothers, so you should limit the use of bottled orange juice because it often contains preservatives. When this substance is absorbed into the body, it will combine with other substances to form toxins, or directly affect the nervous system and circulatory system of the fetus and pregnant mother. Moreover, the risk of fetal malformations, rashes, cancer, or diarrhea in pregnant mothers is also very high if a lot of preservatives are absorbed into the body.

2.5.How to make "super" easy orange juice for pregnant mothers
You just need to cut the orange in half to squeeze the juice by hand or use a blender to extract the juice. Pregnant women should drink orange juice immediately after squeezing to avoid the substances in the juice being easily penetrated by oxygen or bacteria when exposed to air for a long time. In addition, you should also limit adding sugar to orange juice because this can increase blood sugar levels, easily cause fatigue, and make morning sickness symptoms worse.

3. What side effects can pregnant women experience if they drink too much orange juice?

Although orange juice brings many health benefits to pregnant women and fetuses, if abused, it can cause dangerous side effects, including:

• Causing sore throat or tooth enamel damage due to the high citric acid content in orange juice.
• Causing increased fiber intake, negatively affecting the digestive system and potentially causing abdominal cramps.
• Increases sugar and calorie intake, putting pregnant women at high risk of gestational diabetes.
• Causes heartburn due to the high acidity of orange juice.
• Causes excess vitamin C, leading to premature labor and premature birth.

Drinking orange juice properly will help pregnant mothers receive many great health benefits. Therefore, mothers should only drink in moderation, and avoid overuse to not affect the health of both mother and baby.