Abstract

Anemia remains a significant health issue among pregnant women in Indonesia, with prevalence rates reaching 50–63%. In addition to iron supplementation, food-based micronutrient interventions such as date fruit and mung bean cookies may help improve hemoglobin levels. However, limited studies have compared the effectiveness of these two food sources. This study aimed to compare the effects of date fruit and mung bean cookies on hemoglobin levels in pregnant women with anemia. A quasi-experimental study with a two-group pre-test-post-test design was conducted at Bojongasih Public Health Center, Tasikmalaya, Indonesia in 2024. A total of 34 pregnant women with anemia were recruited using total sampling and divided into two groups: date fruit (n = 17) and mung bean cookies (n = 17). Hemoglobin levels were measured before and after 14 days of intervention. Paired t-tests were used for statistical analysis. The date group showed a greater mean increase in hemoglobin levels (from 9.906 to 10.871 g/dL; increase of 0.965) compared to the mung bean cookie group (from 9.888 to 10.476 g/dL; increase of 0.588). The difference was statistically significant (p = 0.001). Date fruit was more effective than mung bean cookies in increasing hemoglobin levels among pregnant women with anemia. These findings suggest that date fruit can be considered as a complementary nutritional strategy to support iron supplementation during pregnancy.

There is no Figure or data content available for this article

References

• Benson AE, Shatzel JJ, Ryan KS, Hedges MA, Martens K, Aslan JE, et al. The incidence, complications, and treatment of iron deficiency in pregnancy. Eur J Haematol. 2022 Dec;109(6):633–42.
• Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia. Profil Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak 2024 [Internet]. [cited 2025 Apr 29]. Available from: https://www.bps.go.id/id/publication/2024/12/31/a919c55a72b74e33d011b0dc/profil-kesehatan-ibu-dan-anak-2024.html
• Kementerian Kesehatan RI. Profil Kesehatan Indonesia Tahun 2020. Jakarta: Kementerian Kesehatan RI; 2021.
• Dinas Kesehatan Provinsi Jawa Barat. Profil Kesehatan Provinsi Jawa Barat 2024. Bandung: Dinas Kesehatan Provinsi Jawa Barat; 2025.
• Dinas Kesehatan Kota Tasikmalaya. Profil Kesehatan Kota Tasikmalaya 2024. Tasikmalaya: Dinas Kesehatan Kota Tasikmalaya; 2025.
• Powers JM, Buchanan GR. Diagnosis and management of iron deficiency anemia. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2014 Aug;28(4):729–45, vi–vii.
• Alkhasawneh EM, Seshan V, Arulappan J, Raman S. Determinants of Compliance with Iron Supplementation Among Pregnant Women in a Tertiary Care Hospital in Oman. Int J Nutr Pharmacol Neurol Dis. 2020 Dec;10(4):203.
• Bloor SR, Schutte R, Hobson AR. Oral Iron Supplementation—Gastrointestinal Side Effects and the Impact on the Gut Microbiota. Microbiol Res. 2021 June;12(2):491–502.
• Kalman D, Hewlings S, Madelyn-Adjei A, Ebersole B. Dietary Heme Iron: A Review of Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability. Nutrients. 2025 June 27;17(13):2132.
• Ibrahim AS, Sukor R, Anwar F, Murugesu S, Selamat J, Raseetha S. Nutritional, nutraceutical attributes, microbiological and chemical safety of different varieties of dates—A review. Future Foods. 2024 Dec 1;10:100421.
• Hou D, Yousaf L, Xue Y, Hu J, Wu J, Hu X, et al. Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.): Bioactive Polyphenols, Polysaccharides, Peptides, and Health Benefits. Nutrients. 2019 May 31;11(6):1238.
• Narale SB, Gore VB, Ambhure S, Kundan, Kumar A, Thombre PR, et al. Antinutrients in Mungbean and Strategy for Reduction: An Overview. Eur J Nutr Food Saf. 2024 Sept 21;16(9):275–89.
• Rahma Kusuma Dewi, Nara Lintan Mega Puspita, Huda Rohmawati, Siti Khotimah, Gina Salsabila. The Effect of Dates Administration on Hemoglobin Levels in Pregnant Women Trimester III. J Glob Res Public Health. 2021 Dec 23;6(2):124–8.
• Mahdiah, Zahara R, Oppusunggu R. Efforts Of Providing Balanced Nutrition Counseling for Pregnant Women and Giving Sukahitu Cookies in Increasing Knowledge, Attitude and Blood Haemoglobin Levels of Pregnant Women in Percut Sei Tuan District, Deli Serdang Regency. Int J Membr Sci Technol. 2023 Sept 15;10(3):2334–9.
• Puspita NLM, Laili F, Kusumawati LS, Sa’adah, Astutik Y. The Effect of Green Bean Side Effect on Changes in Hemoglobin Levels in Pregnant Women with Anemia. J Glob Res Public Health. 2021 June 3;6(1):48–51.
• Fatamorgana PB, Nabila S, Nur EIY. Sifat organoleptik dan kandungan gizi pada cookies mocaf substitusi tepung kacang hijau dan bayam sebagai camilan pencegahan anemia gizi besi pada remaja. J Kesehat Tambusai. 2024;5(3):6010–9.
• Nurdin NA, Meldawati, Mariana F, Darsono PV. Effectiveness of consuming dates in increasing hemoglobin levels in pregnant women with anemia. Health Sci Int J. 2025 Feb 28;3(1):80–92.
• Wang R, Xu S, Hao X, Jin X, Pan D, Xia H, et al. Anemia during pregnancy and adverse pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies. Front Glob Womens Health. 2025;6:1502585.
• Alsarayrah NA, Oma EA, Alsanad SM, Arsad H, Abudahash MM, ALEnazi FK, et al. The health values of Phoenix dactylifera (dates): A review. Emir J Food Agric. 2023 Jan 4;35:1–16.
• Irmawati E, Wiji RN, Harianti R. Efektivitas Jus Kurma dan Sari Kacang Hijau terhadap Peningkatan Kadar Hemoglobin Ibu Hamil. Nutri-Sains J Gizi Pangan Dan Apl. 2023 June 20;7(1):11–24.
• Marasabessy NB, Tukuwain N. Studi Literatur: Asupan Kacang Hijau Dan Pengaruhnya Terhadap Peningkatan Kadar Hemoglobin Ibu Hamil. J Keperawatan Indones Timur East Indones Nurs J. 2021 Dec 30;1(2):66–77.

How to Cite This

Article Metrics

Download Statistics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Other Statistics

Copyright and Permissions

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Publishing your paper with Jurnal Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak means that the author or authors retain the copyright in the paper. Jurnal Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak granted an exclusive reuse license by the author(s), but the author(s) are able to put the paper onto a website, distribute it to colleagues, give it to students, use it in your thesis etc, even commercially. The author(s) can reuse the figures and tables and other information contained in their paper published by Jurnal Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak in future papers or work without having to ask anyone for permission, provided that the figures, tables or other information that is included in the new paper or work properly references the published paper as the source of the figures, tables or other information, and the new paper or work is not direct at the private monetary gain or commercial advantage.

Jurnal Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge. This journal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. This license lets others remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

Jurnal Kesehatan Ibu dan Anak Open Access articles are distributed under this Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA). Articles can be read and shared for All purposes under the following conditions:

• BY: You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
• SA:  If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.

Data Availability