Nut Butters, including peanut butter, almond butter, walnut butter, cashew butter, sun butter, hazelnut butter, pecan butter and pistachio butter are all good and recommended snack choices in pregnancy. They are full of healthy protein, good fats, folate, vitamin E, magnesium, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Earlier, the American Academy of Pediatrics had advised allergy-prone moms to avoid peanuts as well as other tree nuts in pregnancy and during breastfeeding in order to prevent allergies in the baby. However, recent studies have found that children were less likely to develop nut allergies if their mother ate nuts during pregnancy. It is now believed that eating peanut butter or other nut butters during pregnancy can help build immunity in infants from nut allergies later in life.
Consuming 2-3 ounces of nuts or 1-2 tablespoons of nut butter daily during the first trimester of pregnancy results in higher IQ and better memory and attention spans in children compared to children whose mothers did not consume nuts during pregnancy. Studies also show that omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in nuts play an important role in the duration of gestation period as well as the birth weight of a new born.
Nutrients contained in nut butters aid in digestion, reduce cholesterol, control inflammation, besides lowering the risk of hypertension and diabetes. So go ahead, dip that slice of apple in your favourite nut butter and enjoy a delicious snack!
If you have a strong family history of allergies, do talk to your doctor before consuming any kind of nuts or nut butters.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/1793699
. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid/about.html
https://www.news-medical.net/health/Benefits-of-Nut-Consumption-During-Pregnancy.aspx
