Labor-Inducing Virgin Pina Colada
Pineapple has been touted as a natural assistant in getting labor started. Evidence-Based Birth explains, “In the in vitro or Petri dish experiment, all doses of pineapple juice significantly induced contractions in the isolated rat uterine tissue. They think this could be due to the combined effects of bromelain and other components of the juice. They exposed the tissue to pineapple juice at different doses and to oxytocin, a hormone that can induce labor, and the contractions induced by pineapple juice were similar to those of oxytocin.”
Well, the pineapple core just happens to be the highest concentrated source of bromelain! So when I am pregnant, I save all of the pineapple cores and freeze them — to make my virgin pina coladas at the end of the pregnancy.
Dates have also been shown to help labor. Studies have demonstrated that the consumption of date fruit in the last four weeks before labor significantly reduced the need for induction and augmentation of labor, and produced a more favorable delivery outcome.
So, I threw some dates into my smoothie recipes as well!
This recipe is not only quick and easy, but it is SO tasty! My kids wanted to have them right along with me every time I blended one up.
Pro Tip: Once the baby arrives, add a little rum to this smoothie and you will feel as though you have been transported to a tropical island.
Labor-Inducing Virgin Pina Colada
Ingredients
- 1 frozen pineapple core or one cup sliced frozen pineapple
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 4 pitted Medjool dates
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp coconut extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1-2 cups ice
Instructions
- Using a high-speed blender, blend all of the ingredients until you have a nice smoothie consistency. If you are having difficulty getting it to blend, add more juice.
- Enjoy immediately!
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Hi, my name is Kate.
I love food. Real food. We eat all of the things that nursing school taught me were bad for you: butter, eggs, bacon, and raw milk.
I am a Nurse, a Mom, and a Real Food loving blogger. Just trying to save the world.