Can you eat longan when pregnant?

In this article we are going to answer: can you eat longan when pregnant, what is longan, is it healthy to eat longan when pregnant, what is the risk of eating longan when pregnant and how can you add longan to your diet when pregnant. 

Can you eat longan when pregnant?

Yes, you can eat longan when pregnant. There are no fruits prohibited during pregnancy but there is a belief that longan should not be eaten when pregnant because it is known to increase body temperature, cause dry mouth, and constipation. 

Pregnant women normally have increased body temperature and hot flashes, it is believed that longan can increase this and cause harm to the baby and abdominal pain but none of this belief has been proven. 

Other fruits that are believed to cause harm if eaten when pregnant are:

  • Peach
  • Litchi
  • Plum
  • Guava
  • Custard apple
  • Star apple

What is longan?

Longan is the edible fruit from a tropical tree but is known better as the tropical member of the soapberry family Sapindaceae like lychee and rambutan. Longan is similar to lychee but less aromatic in taste and it is native to Asia and China.

In Cantonese, longan means dragon eye, it is named like this because it resembles an eyeball when the fruit is shelled. It has a small, round and hard seed that has bark, and a thin and firm shell. When the shell is more tender and has more moisture, the fruit becomes less convenient to a shell. 

The fruit is sweet and juicy and the seed and the peel are not edible. Longan fruit can be eaten raw and it is commonly used in Asia in soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet and sour foods. It can be bought fresh, dried, and sometimes mainly in Asia preserved and canned in syrup. 

They have a drier sweetness similar to dates and are super juicy with a grape sour-like sweetness. 

Dried longan is used commonly in Chinese cuisine and in sweet dessert soups. It is also part of Chinese food therapy and herbal medicine known for its relaxation effect. 

Is it healthy to eat longan when pregnant?

Longan fruit is a super healthy fruit that can be eaten when pregnant. They are high in antioxidants and vitamin C and give you energy from healthy carbohydrates. 

It contains 83% water, 15% carbohydrates, and 1% protein. 20 pieces of raw longan contain 38 calories, 1 gram of protein, 0 grams of fat, and 10 grams of carbohydrates. 

It does not have a glycemic index level but they are considered a high carbohydrate and low in fiber fruit, so if you have gestational diabetes or insulin resistance you should not eat too many longan fruits. 

You can eat one serving of longan fruit, about 15 to 20 pieces, paired with protein to reduce the spike of sugar caused by the high carbohydrate fruit. 

What is the risk of eating longan when pregnant?

Longan fruit has two main risks if eaten when pregnant, one is that because of its high content of sugar it can cause a high and fast spike of sugar in your body and the other risk is believed, that it can cause a heating effect in pregnant women’s body and harm the baby. 

High sugar content

Longan fruit has a low fiber content so when eaten sugar spikes. Pregnant women who have gestational diabetes or insulin resistance, should stay away from longan or eat them with protein in small amounts. 

Heated effect on our body 

Is it believed that longan is a hot fruit and can increase heat in the body. It can induce hot flashes and cause complications during pregnancy. There has not been proven and might be with high amounts of longan. 

How can you add longan to your diet when pregnant?

Longan fruit can be used in sorbets, jellies, salads, smoothies, desserts, and pudding. You can also eat it with yogurt or freeze the fruit and eat it on summer days. Follow this link for 10 longan recipes. 

Other FAQs about Fruits that you may be interested in.

Can you eat jujube when pregnant?

Can dogs eat tangerines?

Can you eat fruits on a keto diet?

Conclusion

This article answered can you eat longan when pregnant, what is longan, is it healthy to eat longan when pregnant, what is the risk of eating longan when pregnant and how can you add longan to your diet when pregnant.

Citation

https://www.pregnantplate.com/food/longans-are-so-nutrient-rich-but-why-should-i-avoid-having-them-during-pregnancy/

https://stylesatlife.com/articles/fruits-to-avoid-during-pregnancy/

https://www.webmd.com/diet/health-benefits-longan#:~:text=Sometimes%20called%20a%20berry%20and,fruit%20surrounding%20a%20dark%20seed.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!