Diet plays an important role in supporting a healthy pregnancy. You want to make the right food choices to make sure both you and your baby stay healthy throughout the nine months. You may be avoiding certain types of foods because you heard that they may be harmful to your growing baby. While foods like swordfish should be avoided because of its high mercury content, you do not have to give up spicy foods.
Diet Basics
When it comes to eating during pregnancy, you want to make sure you choose the right foods to maximize your nutrient intake. You may get to eat an additional 200 to 300 calories a day when pregnant, but those extra calories should be used to meet your higher nutrient needs, including foods rich in calcium, iron and folic acid. A diet for pregnancy should focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean sources of protein and low-fat or nonfat dairy products. You may, however, need to make modifications to your diet, such as limiting your intake of spicy food, if you are experiencing any uncomfortable side effects such as heartburn.
Heartburn
Heartburn is common during pregnancy. During pregnancy the hormone progesterone causes the valve that separates the esophagus from the stomach to relax, which allows the acidic contents of the stomach to enter the esophagus, causing a burning sensation. Heartburn is most often seen during the third trimester. If you have heartburn, it is recommended that you avoid foods that exacerbate the pain, such as spicy foods. While eating spicy foods is not harmful, it may increase your discomfort.
Labor
You may have heard from your friends that eating spicy food causes you to go into labor. But, according to obstetrician-gynecologist Dr. Marjorie Greenfield at the website Babyzone, eating spicy foods does not cause you to go into labor, even if you are overdue. Eating spicy foods, however, may helps your baby develop a taste for spicy foods.
Harmful Foods
While it is not harmful to eat spicy foods during pregnancy, it is recommended that you avoid some foods to prevent harm to yourself and your baby. During pregnancy, you should not eat any raw or undercooked meat, which reduces your risk of getting a foodborne illness. You should also avoid foods high in mercury, such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, tile fish and albacore tuna. Soft cheeses and unpasteurized milk and juice may contain bacteria that can make both you and your baby very sick, and should be avoided. Excessive amounts of alcohol can also cause harm to your baby.
