Pregnant women who eat more fruit during pregnancy have more intelligent children, research has found.
One-year-old toddlers whose mothers tucked into plenty of fruit ranging from bananas to berries scored highest marks in tests of their thinking skills.
But the amount of fruit in the diet of the youngsters themselves made no difference to their marks in the tests, said the joint university report for the specialist online journal EBioMedicine.
Child development experts in Canada tested 808 children aged 12 months whose mothers had taken part in a major national health study during pregnancy in which they had recorded their daily routines.
They then compared the results of the tests - which looked at the infants' memory and learning capabilities - with the amount of general fruit in the women's diets throughout pregnancy.
They found more fruit eaten during pregnancy directly correlated with better performance in the tests.
For every portion of fruit eaten, per day, by the mothers while expecting, the test results were on average 2.38 percent better.
The amount of fiber, calories, omega 3, and other aspects of pregnancy diets made no difference to the results.
Neither did the amount of fruit eaten by the children themselves in infancy.
The researchers found similar results in a lab test on fruit flies - the more fruit they ate before giving birth, the better the offspring did in specially adapted memory tests.
Because the results are similar, the researchers say it rules out factors that could affect the results such as social class, education, or whether the babies were breastfed or not, for instance.
And it suggests the cause may be down to is known as a 'cyclic adenylate monophosphate pathway' - or cAMP - which is found in both flies and humans.
This pathway regulates the body's proteins and chemicals, how cells bind together, and the function of areas of the brain including the prefrontal cortex, responsible for 'higher-order thinking.'
The study suggests this pathway may be particularly susceptible to the benefits of fruit during gestation in both women and female flies.
The report noted: ‘Mothers who ate more fruit during pregnancy had children who did better on developmental testing at 1 year of age.
‘Similarly, fruit flies had improved learning and memory if their parents had more fruit juice in their diet.
‘In both humans and in the flies, there was no improvement in learning when only the babies were fed fruit.
‘The cyclic adenylate monophosphate (cAMP) pathway may be a major regulator of this effect.’
Here are 7 nutritious fruits to eat during pregnancy.
Oranges
Great source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent cell damage and also helps your body absorb iron.
Bananas
The rich magnesium content in banana helps restore a healthy fluid balance.
Lemons
Lemon juice keeps you hydrated, fights morning sickness, and flushes away toxins from the system.
Apples
Apples are high in fiber and a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. It can enhance the immunity and strength of your baby.
Watermelon
As the need for water increases during pregnancy, eating watermelon is a great way to stay hydrated.
Mangoes
Mangoes are rich in iron, vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium, and folate, all vital nutrients for your pregnancy.
Guava
Rich in Vitamin C, E which aids digestion and provides strength to the baby’s nervous system.
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