Mung bean–purple sweet potato cookies as an alternative food-based supplement for improving hemoglobin levels in pregnant women

Purpose This study aims to evaluate the impact of mung bean–purple sweet potato cookies on improving hemoglobin levels and maternal nutritional intake among pregnant women. Design/methodology/approach A quasi-experimental, three-group pretest and posttest study was conducted over 90 days; a total of 75 pregnant women were enrolled in the study. Group 1 received mung bean–purple sweet potato cookies. Group 2 received mung bean–purple sweet potato cookies plus iron supplementation tablets, and Group 3 received iron supplementation tablets alone and served as the control group. Hemoglobin levels and dietary intake were assessed at baseline and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 24.0. Findings The intervention group demonstrated a significantly greater increase in mean hemoglobin levels compared with the control group (p < 0.001). Improvements in nutritional intake, particularly protein, iron, folate and vitamin C, were also observed in the intervention group. Research limitations/implications The quasi-experimental design, reliance on self-reported dietary intake and limited sample size may affect the generalizability of the findings. Further randomized controlled trials with longer follow-up periods are recommended. Originality/value This study highlights the potential role of functional foods, such as mung bean–purple sweet potato cookies, as a complementary nutritional strategy to improve hemoglobin levels during pregnancy.