Eating fruit can be a great way to combat nausea during pregnancy, but which is the best fruit for morning sickness?
Morning sickness is a very personal experience. Some people suffer from it throughout their pregnancy, and some barely do. At worst, it can be seriously debilitating. At best, it’s still unpleasant.
Luckily, there are techniques to ease the symptoms. One of the most effective is choosing the right food to eat.
General guidelines suggest certain fruits, vitamins, and minerals are good at combating nausea some women experience during pregnancy. However, only some things work for everyone.
Finding what works usually takes trial and error. This article will outline which fruits are suitable to eat during pregnancy, which aren’t, and which are often the most effective at dealing with morning sickness.
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What Food Is Good for Morning Sickness?
Generally, it’s best to select foods high in protein, easily digestible, and low in fat. In addition, greasy and spicy foods are best avoided as common triggers for morning sickness.
Many women find it best to stick to reasonably bland food. This is because their sense of taste can change dramatically during pregnancy, and tastes and textures they had previously found inoffensive and mild can suddenly make them feel quite sick.
Some pregnant women find it difficult to eat much while experiencing morning sickness, so it’s essential for them to try and eat food that is high in the nutrients needed to support the fetus and keep the mother healthy. Fruits are often palatable, easy to digest, and high in vitamins, so they make great snacks when fighting off morning sickness.
One of the most popular fruits to combat morning sickness symptoms is melon, of all varieties. Melon is a source of carbohydrates, vitamin C, and antioxidants. Vitamin C, in particular, has been shown to ease morning sickness symptoms.
Melons also have a very high water content which makes them helpful in keeping expectant mothers hydrated. Anecdotally, watermelon is often one of the only things pregnant women can comfortably stomach when experiencing terrible morning sickness.
Not only can this fruit ease nausea, but they’re also a good source of vitamins and energy when you can’t stomach any other food. For more on how effective they are at combating morning sickness, watch this video:
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpppuQ90CfY[/embedyt]
Do Bananas Help With Morning Sickness?
Bananas are high in vitamin B6, which, just like vitamin C, has been shown to significantly reduce the feeling of nausea in pregnancy when taken in sufficient amounts. Also, bananas are an easy fruit to eat a little of, even when you don’t feel like eating.
Although it may feel counterintuitive when you’re nauseous, eating little and often can help keep morning sickness symptoms at bay. Having a nibble of a banana when you feel a wave of nausea can be a palatable way to hold off negative symptoms.
Bananas are also very high in potassium, an essential mineral in a pregnancy diet. If you’ve been experiencing vomiting during pregnancy, bananas can help replenish your supply of potassium.
Is Pineapple Good for Pregnancy?
Pineapple is perfectly safe to eat. You may have read that pineapple is dangerous to eat while pregnant. While it is true that they contain bromelain, which can cause abnormal bleeding by breaking down proteins in the body, there is nowhere near enough in the fruit to cause concern.
You would have to eat between seven and ten fresh pineapples in one sitting to consume enough bromelain to have any adverse effects. Pineapple is an excellent source of vitamin C, folate, and Iron, three essential nutrients to include in a pregnancy diet. Not only that, but some people swear by pineapple for easing the symptoms of morning sickness.
Is Avocado Good for Pregnancy?
Avocados are a very nutritious fruit that is safe to eat during pregnancy. They are packed with good fats, vitamins, and minerals that benefit both mother and fetus. In particular, they contain high amounts of potassium and folate, vital nutrients for fetal development.
Folate is vital for proper fetal growth, as a lack of this B vitamin can lead to congenital disabilities in babies. Avocados are also high in vitamin C, which is essential to maintain a healthy immune system, as well as helping to combat morning sickness. Avocados are also a good source of iron, which is necessary to combat anemia which can often develop in pregnancy.
Expecting mothers are also advised to increase their calorific intake, feed the growing baby, and accommodate their increased blood volume. It can be challenging to increase calorific content while maintaining a healthy diet, so avocados’ high good fat content makes them ideal for this. All this combined makes avocado a perfect food to eat while pregnant.
Is Papaya Bad for Pregnant Women?
There is indeed a risk when eating papaya when pregnant. Unripe papaya contains a type of latex that could cause uterine contractions, potentially leading to early labor and miscarriage. Raw papaya also contains an enzyme called papain. This suppresses the production of progesterone in the body, which is vital in helping the development of the fetus.
Ripe papaya, on the other hand, is perfectly safe to eat while pregnant. When ripe, the fruit contains no papain and very little latex. They are an excellent source of vitamins A, B, and C, as well as folate and potassium. If eaten in moderation, when ripe, papaya can be a nutritious addition to a pregnancy diet.
Can Papaya Abort a Two-Week Pregnancy?
Exactly how dangerous raw green papaya is to pregnancy is not entirely known. Research at the moment is inconclusive. It is thought that, though the unripe fruit can cause complications in pregnancy and even miscarriage, you would have to eat a lot for this to be a real danger. Although research is inconclusive, it is generally suggested that pregnant women avoid eating unripe papaya.
Which Fruits Should a Pregnant Woman Avoid?
Despite all the rumors you may have read, there aren’t any fruits pregnant women should avoid when pregnant other than the possibility of unripe papaya. However, there are a few things to look out for.
It’s always important to be aware of the sugar content when pregnant to care for yourself and your baby. Fruit juices and dried fruit contain more sugar by weight than fresh fruit, so their intake is best limited. It’s also imperative to ensure your fruit has been thoroughly washed before eating it to avoid accidentally eating any developing bacteria that could harm you or the unborn baby.
Is It Ok To Drink Cold Water During Pregnancy?
It is safe to drink cold water while pregnant. However, many sources claim that drinking cold water can cause a sudden change in temperature in the womb which can cause the fetus stress or even cause uterine contractions, potentially leading to miscarriage.
These claims are entirely unfounded. There is absolutely no scientific evidence to back this up. By the time the water has entered your body and traveled to your stomach, it will have reached the same temperature as the rest of your body.
Some suggest drinking cold water can cause the fetus to grow unusually large. This also has no scientific basis and is mainly rooted in outdated traditional folk medicine practices. If anything, drinking cold water is beneficial during pregnancy.
Many women find sipping cold water throughout the day can help ease the symptoms of morning sickness. Pregnant women need to stay hydrated during pregnancy. They will need to drink more than previously to compensate for their increased blood volume. Pregnant women may also find that drinking cold drinks helps regulate their fluctuating temperature, making hot flushes that are so common more bearable.
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How Do You Calm Morning Sickness?
As well as choosing to eat foods that ease nausea, there are other ways to calm the symptoms of morning sickness.
- Drink plenty of fluids. Staying hydrated is essential, but drinking large volumes at once could make you feel sicker. Take small sips of water or other non-caffeinated drink regularly throughout the day.
- Similarly, snack often. Eating a little often is less likely to prompt nausea than eating large meals with little in between. Find bland healthy snacks you can stomach (such as dry toast, crackers, or oat cakes) and keep them with you to nibble on between meals to stave off feeling sick.
- Avoid your triggers. Again, morning sickness is very particular to the individual. Everyone experiences it differently and has different triggers that set them off. You may find certain smells or tastes worsen your symptoms. Identify these early and avoid them.
Have you or your partner suffered from morning sickness? Which fruits did you find helped you the most? Let me know in the comments.