No Peanut After Surgery/ C- Section: Myth Or Fact

NO PEANUT AFTER SURGERY/ C- SECTION: MYTH OR FACT

Do you have to avoid certain foods like peanuts after the surgery? Well, there is actually little to no evidence stating peanut will cause harm to mothers (example: wound infection) who consume peanuts post-surgery. 

Instead, peanuts are loaded with protein, fiber, monounsaturated fat, also known as the good fat as well as important vitamins (niacin, folate, thiamine, vitamin E etc.) and minerals (copper, manganese, iron, magnesium etc.) to maintain good health including wound healing! As you can see, peanuts are rich in multiple nutrients, this has made peanuts a good source of nutrient dense food- a great alternative for healthy snacks!

However, in our country, aside from consuming roast peanuts alone, they are usually made into peanut snacks, for instance, crispy peanut snacks (Rempeyek), peanut brittle candy, commercial coated peanut and sambal peanut anchovies are among the favorite.  Now, what you have to be aware of, is all these products which are high in saturated fat, trans- fat and refined sugar. Saturated fat and trans- fat, both famously known as the bad fat along with refined sugar are what will delay the wound healing progress and even cause inflammation in the body after your surgery.  Therefore, do be careful when choosing the peanuts products out there! 

Last but not least, for those who suffer from peanuts allergy, it is best to avoid the consumption to prevent allergy reaction. Opt for other alternatives for protein rich snack/ food or nutrient dense snack! 

REFERENCES

Arya, S. S., Salve, A. R., & Chauhan, S. (2016). Peanuts as functional food: a review. Journal of food science and technology, 53(1), 31-41. 

Pitt, T. J., Becker, A. B., Chan-Yeung, M., Chan, E. S., Watson, W. T., Chooniedass, R., & Azad, M. B. (2018). Reduced risk of peanut sensitization following exposure through breast-feeding and early peanut introduction. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 141(2), 620-625.