Dates are naturally sweet, soft, and filled with nutrients like folate (which is important for preventing neural tube defects at the beginning of pregnancy), vitamin K, potassium and iron.
Not only are they really tasty and filled with nutrition, there may actually be other benefits to consuming dates during pregnancy. There is limited research on this, but there is some evidence to show that if you have a healthy and low risk pregnancy consuming around 60-80g of dates in late pregnancy (based on my food scale and the dates I have at home, 1 date is about 20g) may increase cervical ripening and reduce the need for a medical labor induction.
Always check with your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet or if you have questions if consuming dates is safe during your pregnancy.
The other star ingredient in this Pomegranate Date Shake? Pomegranate juice!
At FNCE last fall, we were introduced to some new research regarding pomegranate consumed during pregnancy. There is still more research needed in this area, but in the pilot study published in August 2019, the group of mothers who consumed polyphenol-rich pomegranate juice during their third trimester had infants with an increased white matter and functional connectivity of the brain.
With the information about potential benefits for mother and baby with the consumption of dates and pomegranate juice, I immediately thought “let’s blend these ingredients together in a tasty shake!”
This comes together simply (all you need is a blender) and really does taste like a creamy dessert. I hope you enjoy!
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