Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is one of the most vital and delicate times in a woman’s life. Therefore, it is more important than ever to eat a healthy diet.

This means paying attention to what you eat and making sure to avoid harmful foods and beverages.

Certain foods should only be consumed rarely, while others should be avoided completely.

Here are foods to avoid during pregnancy:

Eggplant/brinjal: This is one of the most common vegetables used in the majority of Indian homes. However, eggplant has been found to be quite effective in treating amenorrhoea and premenstrual syndrome in Ayurveda. It was found that having half a brinjal every day would help to trigger off menstruation that had been irregular for more than a year. On the basis of this property, eggplant is regarded as dangerous to consume during pregnancy. However, having them once in a while in small quantities should not pose a problem

Fennel seeds: Fennel seeds and dhania (coriander) are all proposed to cause harm if consumed in excess while being pregnant. These spices all have traces of phytoestrogens that perform the function of female estrogen and stimulate uterine contractions. In Ayurveda, all these seeds are normally prescribed after delivery to kindle periods, cleanse your uterus and have also been proven effective in treating hormonal disorders and increase lactation. All these properties make it quite risky to have these spices in medicinal doses while carrying. This implies you should have all these spices in moderation during pregnancy. In the same way, you also need to avoid taste enhancers like Ajinomoto as it can cause harm to your brain cells and also prove harmful to the little life growing inside you.

Papaya: Indians consider papaya to be very dangerous to consume during your pregnancy period as papaya can stimulate an abortion. How far this is true is still a debate. Anyhow, raw or semi-ripe papaya is quite unsettling for your tummy making it quite dangerous during pregnancy. This is because raw papaya has sufficient traces of latex; a milky solution that is known to trigger strong uterine contractions. History has it that raw or unripe papaya was used in Asian countries to trigger abortions. Now, this would mean to eat papaya in quite large quantities. But ripe papaya is quite safe to consume as this latex traces are not found in ripe papaya. This makes it advisable not to have raw or semi-ripe papaya during the conception period.

Sesame seeds: Dry seeds like sesame or til are actually included as a potion in natural medicine in order to stimulate abortion. Sesame seeds have been proven to stimulate the uterine muscles triggering contractions and finally leading to the expulsion of the ovum that has fertilized. This normally occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy. So the best course would be to steer clear of including sesame seeds, especially during those first three crucial months. On the other hand, all dry fruits are absolutely safe to eat during this period. However, make sure you have them only in moderation.

Pineapple: This is yet another item that most Indian women avoid during pregnancy. Pineapple comprises traces of bromelain enzyme that is found to be helpful in cervix softening and bringing on labour. Pineapple belongs to the family of food that gets your body heated very soon and therefore is not recommended during the conception period as it can trigger a miscarriage or premature labour. However one needs to understand that a single pineapple contains just minute traces of the above mentioned enzyme and it turns dangerous only if you have around six to seven pineapples together. However, Indians believe that pineapple belongs to the family of food that gets your body heated up very quickly and thus can trigger abortion and even premature labour. This is more a myth but Indians steer clear of eating this fruit while pregnant to be on the safe side. Actually eating pineapple in small quantities is thus perfectly safe during pregnancy.

Fish and seafood: Majority of fish are polluted with heavy metals like mercury as most of India’s waters face severe contamination. But fish is also a great source of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, proteins and iron- and is deemed as highly nutritious. However, owing to the dangers of mercury contamination, it is wise to avoid fish like shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish. However, fish like shrimp, catfish, and salmon are considered safe. Always ensure that whatever fish and seafood you eat is fresh and properly cooked – undercooked seafood like sushi is best avoided

Grapes: Indian women also avoid grapes especially during the final stages of conception as they also are found to hike up your body temperature leading to unwanted complications. Grapes also contain a toxic compound called Resveratrol that can pose many complications by imbalancing the hormones of a pregnant woman. Excess consumption of grapes has also been linked to digestive issues and complications.

Fenugreek seeds: This is yet another Indian herb that is known to trigger a miscarriage if consumed during pregnancy. This is because fenugreek or Methi has properties that can stimulate contraction leading to premature delivery or an abortion. If you are closer to delivery you might be okay with it, but consumption of these seeds prior to the time may result in pre-term delivery or miscarriage. It is also important to take your doctor’s opinion as some medicines have been found to be reactive to fenugreek seeds. They have also been reported to cause allergic reactions in pregnant women.