Can you eat chili while pregnant

Two studies have shown that the babies of mums who eat garlic tend to feed for a longer time, and many babies seem to prefer a variety of flavour in breastmilk. Go by trial and error. If you suffer from heartburn after you've eaten a fiery curry when you are pregnant, or your baby seems upset or irritable, then opt for a milder diet until she's slightly older. Women from parts of the world where spicy dishes are the cultural norm don't make big changes to their diet when they become pregnant or are breastfeeding.

The key is to stick to a healthy, varied diet, and avoid foods that make you feel uncomfortable. You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up. Is vitamin D required for conception? Can I still take supplements to bulk up with Crohn's? What should I read on food labels for managing diabetes? Learn More. New to HealthShare?

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We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder. Related Topics. During pregnancy, spicy foods can have unpleasant effects, especially if they tend to upset your digestive system when you're not pregnant. Eating spicy food during pregnancy has a number of effects — both good and bad — for you and your baby. Spicy foods may:. Up to 90 percent of all pregnant women experience specific food cravings during pregnancy.

While researchers don't understand why, exactly, we crave spicy foods or any other foods during pregnancy, there are a number of theories. For one, you may be more sensitive to certain tastes and smells during pregnancy due to hormonal changes.

More likely, though, cravings are influenced by the culture around you. Researchers point out that in Japan, people tend to crave rice instead of chocolate. One other theory that likely doesn't pan out: A craving signals a nutritional deficiency. If that were the case, all pregnant women would crave broccoli and beans! Though plenty of women attest to eating spicy foods to get labor going, there's no evidence that this works.

In fact, most of the rumored ways to naturally induce labor haven't been proven to help. Some people theorize that spicy food causes contractions by stimulating the digestive system.

Others suggest that spicy food increases production of prostaglandins, which can also help move labor along. But while an upset stomach or diarrhea could release prostaglandins into the body and stimulate mild uterine cramping, that's unlikely to be enough to cause labor. One study that surveyed women compiled 50 different triggers that have been linked to labor, including eating spicy foods.

The majority of women said they couldn't link any specific trigger to the start of labor. The only trigger that did seem to have a possible noticeable effect in a small number of women was acupuncture. BabyCenter's editorial team is committed to providing the most helpful and trustworthy pregnancy and parenting information in the world. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals.

We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Mayo Clinic. University of Chicago Medicine. A hot topic: are spicy foods healthy or dangerous? Capsaicin's connection to heart health. Underwood MA, et al.

Amniotic fluid: Not just fetal urine anymore. KidsHealth from Nemours. To make sure that you are not adversely affected by the dangers of spicy food, you must consume them in a proper manner.

You should be cautious and selective while consuming spicy food during pregnancy. Some of the spicy food items that can be included in your diet are as follows:. It is preferred to make sauces at home, to avoid excessive use of spices or oils, which can cause heartburn.

Though spicy food is usually safe during pregnancy, too much spice or a sensitive digestive system can have some side-effects for pregnant women. In some women, spicy food can cause an irritable uterus or irritation in the intestines.

Spicy foods usually pass through the gastro-intestinal tract quicker than non-spicy food, and may even cause diarrhoea, acidity, or gas. These issues can make the intestines cramp, which in turn, causes irritation in the uterus due to its close proximity to the intestines.

The major symptom of an irritable uterus is disorganised twitching in the uterine muscles or cramps in the lower abdomen, which in rare cases, can cause contractions that begin to dilate the cervix.

Women who are less than 37 weeks pregnant and experience any such symptoms should immediately consult their doctor, who can further guide them. If you notice any sensitivity to spicy foods during pregnancy, such as acidity, gas, or cramping, it is suggested that you avoid spicy food. The most common question that pregnant woman have is that is spicy food bad for pregnancy? Spicy food does not have any impact on the pregnancy, and it will not harm the baby in any way.

Although spicy food is safe to consume during pregnancy, it is best to keep its intake limited in order to avoid discomfort due to heartburn and indigestion. Eating a healthy diet with a mix of different flavours will help break the monotony and keep your taste buds interested in the food you consume. Sign in. Forgot your password?