I ran across an interesting article today which was written after a study was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. The study, titled, "Peanut and tree nut consumption during pregnancy and allergic disease in children—should mothers decrease their intake? Longitudinal evidence from the Danish National Birth Cohort" looked at the peanut and tree nut consumption by pregnant women and the development of allergies in their children.
The study involved 61,908 mothers who were a part of the Danish National Birth Cohort. The mothers were questioned about the frequency of their peanut and tree nut consumption (i.e. almonds and walnuts) while pregnant. Their babies were followed-up at 18 months and 7 years to determine if they had developed asthma and allergies.
The results of the study "do not suggest that women should decrease peanut and tree nut intake during pregnancy; instead, consumption of peanuts and tree nuts during pregnancy might even decrease the risk of allergic disease development in children."
This study further supports the policy of the American Academy of Pediatrics regarding what to eat while pregnant and nursing that I wrote about yesterday. I am glad that more studies are being done to show that there is no risk to my unborn child of consuming peanuts or tree nuts. Due to my gestational diabetes, I have practically been living on nuts for snacks. They are healthy, high in protein and contain healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The March of Dimes even states that peanuts are a good source of protein and folate. "Folate is the form of folic acid that is found naturally in foods. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy helps prevent certain serious birth defects of the brain and spine. The March of Dimes recommends that all women who could become pregnant take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, and make healthy food choices that include foods rich in folic acid. "
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