Avocado in pregnancy: benefits and sensible portions

What it actually provides

Folate, which matters most in early pregnancy and which avocado supplies in a useful amount — though not enough to replace the folic acid tablet, which no food can.

Monounsaturated fats, which help absorb the fat-soluble vitamins in the rest of the meal, and which are genuinely useful in a diet short of good fats.

Potassium — more per gram than a banana — which helps with the leg cramps and swelling of late pregnancy.

Fibre, which is relevant to almost every pregnancy given how common constipation is.

And it is easy to eat when nausea makes strong flavours impossible.

Portions, and the price question

Half an avocado is a portion. A whole one is around 250 calories, mostly fat, which is fine as part of a day's eating and adds up quickly if it is on top of everything else.

In India, avocado is an imported-price fruit for most of the year. It is a nice addition, not a nutritional necessity, and nothing about pregnancy requires it.

The same nutrients, cheaper: folate from palak, methi, dals, chana and beetroot; healthy fats from til, groundnuts, walnuts, mustard oil and ghee; potassium from banana, coconut water, palak and beans; fibre from every whole grain and dal in an Indian kitchen.

If you enjoy it and can afford it, eat it. If the budget is tight, spend the money on dal, eggs and greens and lose nothing.

Frequently asked questions

Q: Is avocado safe in pregnancy? — Yes, in normal amounts. Wash the skin before cutting, as with any fruit.

Q: Will it help with gestational diabetes? — Its fat and fibre slow the rise in blood sugar, which makes it a reasonable component of a meal. It is not a treatment.

Q: Does it help the baby's brain development? — It contributes healthy fats, which matter. So do walnuts, til, mustard oil and — for families who eat fish — the small oily fish that are far cheaper and richer in omega-3.

Q: How do I know if it is ripe? — It should yield to gentle pressure. An unripe one will ripen at home in a paper bag over a few days.