Spicy food is like most foods — you can have some if you are pregnant. But pay attention, because some spicy foods may cause uncomfortable side effects during pregnancy and after it.
Why You Might Want to Avoid Spicy Food When Pregnant
The spicy food you eat while pregnant can make you feel better or worse. If a spicy food makes you feel sick, then it’s a good idea to avoid consuming it during pregnancy.
If you’re pregnant, you may be wondering if spicy foods are okay for your baby. While there are no studies that show that spicy foods cause birth defects, some experts recommend avoiding them during pregnancy because they can make some women feel nauseous or even throw up.
The problem with spicy foods is that they may increase the production of stomach acid, which could cause heartburn or indigestion in some cases. Heartburn is common during pregnancy and can make it hard for you to sleep comfortably at night.
Heartburn usually starts around week 12 of your pregnancy, but it might not get worse until later in the pregnancy. You may also notice an increase in heartburn symptoms after eating certain types of food.
Some women find that cayenne pepper helps relieve heartburn symptoms by increasing saliva production, which neutralizes stomach acid. However, other people say that cayenne pepper aggravates their heartburn symptoms instead of relieving them.
Why You Might Want to Say Yes to Spicy Food While Pregnant
There’s no denying that spicy food can be painful when you eat it. That’s because capsaicin, the compound that makes peppers hot, is an irritant that stimulates pain receptors in the mouth. But when you’re pregnant, you may find yourself craving spicy foods more often than before — and for good reason.
The cravings for spicy foods during pregnancy have been linked to a higher risk of miscarriage among women who are carrying girls, according to a study published in Epidemiology & Health. Researchers found that women who craved spicy foods were 73 percent more likely to miscarry than those who didn’t crave them. This is because capsaicin can stimulate hormones in your body that regulate the menstrual cycle, says study author Dr. Chun-Su Yuan, professor of epidemiology at National Taiwan University Hospital.
Spicy foods also seem to help lower blood pressure and control glucose levels in pregnant women, according to a study published in the journal Diabetes Care (abstract only available). Researchers studied 29 pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus who were randomly assigned either a low-fat diet or a low-carbohydrate diet for six months during pregnancy.
Does Spicy Food Increase the Risk Of Miscarriage?
Spicy food may increase the risk of miscarriage, according to a study published in the journal Epidemiology.
The study included more than 1,200 pregnant women who were asked about their spicy food consumption during pregnancy. Researchers found that those who ate spicy foods at least once a week had an increased risk of miscarriage compared to those who ate it less than once a week.
The study authors concluded that while more research is needed, they believe women should avoid eating spicy foods during pregnancy if they have experienced previous miscarriages or if there is a family history of early pregnancy loss.
Many women wonder if eating spicy food during pregnancy is safe. The study authors recommend that pregnant women avoid eating chili peppers, jalapeno peppers and other hot spices altogether because they may increase the risk of miscarriage. However, this recommendation is based on only one small study and more research is needed before doctors can make recommendations regarding spicy food consumption during pregnancy.
Is It Safe to Eat Spicy Food While Pregnant?
The answer is yes, but with a few caveats. First of all, it depends on how hot the food is and how often you eat it. Second, if you’re eating spicy food regularly or in large quantities, be sure to talk to your doctor first.
Most women can eat spicy foods without any problems while they’re pregnant — especially during the first trimester — as long as they don’t have any allergies or sensitivities to specific spices or peppers. Some people have reported feeling nauseous after eating too much spicy food while pregnant, but this is rare and usually only happens when someone has eaten too much at one time (or hasn’t eaten much else).
If you’ve had heartburn symptoms in the past but have not been diagnosed with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), you should still be careful about eating spicy foods. The reason is because spicy foods can aggravate GERD symptoms and make them worse for those who already have it.
A study published in the journal Appetite found that people who ate more than one teaspoon of paprika every day experienced an increase in flatulence (gas) than those who ate less than half a teaspoon per day. If you experience an increase in flatulence after eating spicy foods, try reducing your intake or avoiding them altogether while pregnant.
Benefit From Eating Spicy Food When Pregnant?
The spicy food debate is one that has been around for centuries. Some people believe that spicy food will cause harm to the body while others believe that it can be good for you. The truth is that there are some benefits to this type of food but there are also some things to be aware of when consuming it during pregnancy.
Spicy food is known to increase sweat production which helps you lose weight during pregnancy. It also helps boost your metabolism, which means you will burn more calories and lose weight faster than someone who doesn’t eat spicy foods. This can help reduce your chances of developing gestational diabetes, which is a condition where blood sugar levels rise during pregnancy because of hormonal changes in the body.
Spicy foods can also help relieve nausea and morning sickness, which are two common symptoms experienced by pregnant women during their first trimester. These symptoms tend to be more severe in women who have never been pregnant before or those who suffer from motion sickness/travel sickness issues, but they can also affect anyone at any time during their pregnancy.
- The most important thing about eating spicy food while pregnant is making sure that you don’t overdo it!
Conclusion
If you are pregnant, or you are planning to be soon, then eating spicy foods is probably not the best idea. This is simply because it will increase your body temperature. Some women even describe heartburn as intense heat. There’s also a risk that it can cause ulcers on your stomach lining; therefore, many doctors advise against drinking alcohol during pregnancy too. It’s best to avoid spicy food when you’re pregnant to make your experience as pleasant as possible.
