Question: During confinement, can we take vegetables and fruits? Some says that this is cold food, not good for mother and baby.
Confinement or the post natal period is the time that mother is recuperating from the labour and delivery. This is also the time mother is establishing her breast feeding and baby is dependent on mother’s breast milk to grow.
As such it is vital that mother ensures that her diet is balanced and contain food from all food groups. Hence her daily food intake should contain some meat or fish, some form of carbohydrates, a little bit of oil, diary products, plenty of fluids, fruits and vegetables of all colours.
However, in some communities, certain foods are tabooed for various befiefs.These usually include certain fish or chicken, reducing plain fluids and not consuming fruits and vegetables .Fruits and vegetable are a vital part of our daily diet due to the vitamins and minerals and fibre that is necessary for the well being and the proper functioning of the body.
With due respect to the beliefs of the variuos communities, this issue can be resolved by reducing or missing out the so-called cooling foods but not the entire food group.
Fruits that are usually tabooed are coconut,watermelon ,pineapple, banana, but apple, green pears, papaya, grava,orange and kiwi are a usually ‘allowed’ and can provide the vitamins and minerals that is vitally needed.
Vegetables that are usually discouraged include cucumber,lettuce, ‘kangkong’ and watercress but in our country , we are blessed with such a variety of green leafy vegetables ; from brocolli , spinach, ’sawi, carrots, ‘bayam’ cauliflower, tao meui to sweet peas , french and long beans just to mention a few.beans.
Again, plain water are sometimes discouraged but water does not have to be drunk plain. A few drops of ‘colour’ ( soups, milky drinks, soya bean milk )and a few degrees and” water” is now permitted.
So enjoy yourself and eat be merry!
Jennifer
