Back

Select your region

Schedule a cord blood consultation

Make an appointment
Eating spicy foods during pregnancy

Eating spicy foods during pregnancy

24.07.2023

3 mins of reading

Kinga Żebrowska

Kinga Żebrowska

Graduate of Warsaw Medical University

During pregnancy, many moms-to-be pay more attention to what's on their plates than before. At that time, the taste in quite a few of them changes. The craving for spicy and hot foods, for example, may increase. Is it safe to eat spicy foods during pregnancy? Does it speed up labor?

Eating spicy foods during pregnancy – is it safe?

It was established some time ago that the diet of a mother-to-be does not have to change dramatically compared to what a woman ate before pregnancy. Of course, you should be aware of dishes that are not allowed during pregnancy ie: raw fish, meat, eggs or unpasteurized dairy products. Alcohol in any quantity is also prohibited.

Many pregnant women have all sorts of pregnancy “cravings.” Among them, some of them mention hot and spicy foods. There is no evidence that their consumption has a negative impact on pregnancy or child development. However, it is important to remember that for many moms-to-be, eating too spicy can exacerbate symptoms such as heartburn and stomach pain. In such a situation, it is better to give up spicy foods during pregnancy so as not to aggravate unpleasant symptoms.

Spicy dishes are the domain of foreign cuisines, among others. Asian foods that we often eat in restaurants. When eating out, always pay attention to the quality of the restaurant and its cleanliness, as well as the hygiene in which the food is prepared. In the case of a pregnant woman, for example, it is important to cut vegetables on different boards than meat. In turn, it should always be well seasoned or re-fried.

Eating spicy foods before giving birth

Eating spicy foods before labor is considered by many to be one way to induce labor action. For this reason, mothers-to-be, who have already passed their due date and are using various methods to speed up the delivery, choose among others. Eating spicy foods. There are no studies that prove the effectiveness of this method, but there are also no contraindications for a pregnant woman to try it herself. Of course, if there are indications of early induction of labor, the gynecologist refers to the hospital for this purpose, and medical procedures are then implemented to prevent possible complications.

Eating spicy foods and the sex of the baby

Many people, especially when our mothers and grandmothers were young, believed all sorts of myths related to the timing of pregnancy. Among them, a popular one was to “guess” the sex of the baby based on various criteria such as the shape of the belly or the pregnancy cravings of the mother-to-be. It was considered that a greater desire for sweet foods was found in women expecting a daughter, and for sour foods – a son. The craving for spicy foods gave no clues as to the sex of the baby. However, these are only superstitions, not scientifically proven facts.

Read more:
Pregnancy cravings-can I eat everything while pregnant?

Rate this article:

Średnia ocen 0 / 5. Liczba głosów: 0

(
0
(0)
)

You may also be interested in