The benefits of Ugu juice and milk during pregnancy are numerous. The individual ingredients for making this mixture are already loaded with nutrients, their combination brings these nutrients together to improve the quality of nourishment a pregnant woman and her baby gets when they consume it.
Quick Facts About Ugu and Milk
Nutrition for pregnant women is an important aspect of gestation and should be handled with all seriousness and carefulness. The nutritional requirement of a pregnant woman caters to the need of the woman and the child she carries within herself. The foods she eat has to meet those needs in order to help her carry the child to term, all things be equal, and help the child develop well.
Ugu and milk combination is only one of the light-drinks a pregnant woman can take to improve her overall health condition as well as help her child develop properly. This combo is effective and considered important among people without pregnancies, talk more of women with babies, who need more nutrition at that period. The drink is rich in protein, calcium, iron, selenium, vitamins, and other minerals.
In this article, we will highlight the goodness that is contained in Ugu and milk, individually. We will also see how you can prepare a drink by combining these two nutrient-dense foods to make a drink that can improve the pregnancy experience and child development. Also, we will see the benefits attached to consuming this combo during pregnancy.
Nutritional Profile of Ugu Leaves
Ugu is a common leafy vegetable that grows in the western part of Africa. It is commonly consumed in every part of Nigeria, but more popular in the South East and South West. The name, Ugu is the Igbo name, and it is sometimes erroneously called or spelled Ugwu, which means hill or mountain, by non-Igbo speaking people. The Yorubas have no specialized name for it, but the Hausas call it Kabewa, and the Efik, Ikong-Ubong.
It is a nutritional vegetable that grows on vines and provides nutrients such as Protein, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Manganese, Magnesium, and most of the B-vitamins.
It is commonly used to treat obesity and diabetes and can be used to treat anaemia. Most families eat it, not because they want to treat any ailment, but because it is tasty and nutritious.
Nutritional profile of Milk
Milk is a protein-rich food that doctors advise that people, especially children take often. It is meant to aid in mental development and strengthening of the bones and teeth in children. However, it does more than those two functions.
Milk is rich in nutrients such as selenium, water soluble vitamins, such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K, minerals such as Iron, Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, and Zinc.
How to prepare Ugu Juice and Milk Combo Drink
To prepare this nutrient-dense drink, follow these steps:
- Purchase or harvest fresh Ugu leaves
- Wash them thoroughly to remove dirt from the leaves’ surfaces
- Detach the leaves from the vines
- Put the leaves in a blender and blend them till they’re smooth.
- Transfer the juice into a cup and let it cool
- Add your rich evaporated milk to the juice and stir.
You can put the drink in a fridge to let it further cool down. The drink is best served cold.
Benefits of Ugu Juice and Milk During Pregnancy
Considering the array of nutrients the ingredients of this drink have, it will come as no surprise that there are numerous benefits attached to drinking Ugu juice and milk during pregnancy. the benefits it gives to a pregnant woman affects both the mother and the child she carries, for improved well-being of the mother and development of foetus.
Improves Mental Development of the Foetus
During the development of a child in his or her mother’s womb, the mental acumen begins to take shape. The more the development has progressed in the womb, the better the child responds to the environment when born. Therefore, the mental development of a child is important and should be taken seriously from the womb.
Some nutrients, such as selenium, molybdenum, protein, among others are important in helping a child possess a well-developed mentality in the womb. These nutrients are contained in the Ugu juice and milk drink and is recommended that pregnant women frequently take it.
Children born with neural tube defects were usually deficient of these nutrients in the womb, leading to poor mental development.
Helps to Control Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a type of diabetes that is experienced by some women when they are pregnant. It is the spike in the blood glucose level as a result of the hormonal interference with the normal chemical profile of the body in a pregnant woman. It sometimes, can be so serious that it requires a doctor’s constant check-in and supervision to bring it under control.
However, one of the best-known foods to help curb the spike in glucose level in anyone, including pregnant women, is Ugu. Its juice, combined with milk provide as much nutrient as any meal will give and due to the amount of fibre Ugu contains, it makes the consumer feel full for longer. This makes the pregnant woman hold off on foods that my spike her glucose level further.
Boosts Blood Haemoglobin
The blood is an important tissue in the body and its quantity increases in a pregnant woman. The substance that gives the blood its red colour, haemoglobin, is also the transporter of oxygen from the lungs to the different cells of the body, including the foetus’s.
Ugu and milk are individually rich in Iron. Therefore, their combination ensures that there is no shortage of haemoglobin, a situation called anaemia, in both mother and child. It also ensures the adequate circulation of oxygen, which is important for metabolism and release of energy.
Improves Immunity
Antibodies can only fight diseases for so long, they need support from the food we consume, as they serve as fuel in so many ways. Ugu is rich in antioxidants, which helps to ward of infections and strengthens the antibodies and general immunity of the body. It also helps to rid the body of free radicals.
Ugu juice and milk during pregnancy helps to improve the immunity of the mother, which is also shared by the foetus. It strengthens her immunity so she doesn’t break down with an infection and put the child at risk.
Enhances Vision
The eye is the window to the soul, so they say. The health of the eyes can be improved by consistently consuming vitamin A, retinol. This vitamin is so important, it is recommended that pregnant women should take supplements in order to meet the daily dosage of 10,000 IU of Vitamin A.
Ugu juice and Milk contain an enormous amount of vitamin A as both ingredients have vitamin A. it helps to improve the sight of the foetus and the mother. It also serves as an antioxidant and helps rid the body of free radicals.
Helps Foetus Develop Strong Bones
Nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, have huge influences on the growth of bones and teeth. They help to make them strong even as a foetus, and in the later growing years of a baby.
For the pregnant mother, calcium helps to strengthen the adult bones in order to support the increased weight that comes with pregnancy. magnesium helps to put nausea in check and potassium aids in the absorption of calcium.
Improves muscle contraction and relaxation
During delivery of the foetus, the contraction and relaxation of the cervix muscle is important, as it creates the path for the baby to slide through. Ugu juice and Milk during pregnancy helps to improve the coordination of the cervix muscles and improves the parturition experience of the mother.
Conclusion
Ugu juice and milk are individually nutrient-rich. When combined, they form a combo of thick, healthy nutrient combo that gives the pregnant woman who consumes it and her foetus a host of benefits as highlighted above.
Include this drink in your diet as a pregnant woman and see your blood sugar level, heartbeat, and weight remain in a healthy scale.
Ayomide is a fiction and non-fiction writer. A lover of science and everything mysterious that surrounds it, he seeks out new information to keep his interest alive.
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The content is intended to augment, not replace, information provided by your clinician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Reading this information does not create or replace a doctor-patient relationship or consultation. If required, please contact your doctor or other health care provider to assist you to interpret any of this information, or in applying the information to your individual needs.