5 Indian Foods Avoid During Pregnancy

Hi everyone ,

In India, we commonly categorize food according to its Taseer or effect on the body temperature. You can broadly divide food into two broad categories of hot and cold foods. For example, you are sure to avoid guava if you are suffering from cold and cough as its Taseer is cold. While a glass of aam pana, a raw mango drink, can help you beat the heat. Similarly, a pregnant woman should consume foods that help maintain her body temperature.

So let’s quickly look at indian foods to avoid in pregnancy the reason for shunning them. Here are a few unsafe foods:

1. Raw Papaya:

Papaya is a health food, but you should only eat a ripe one. As raw papaya contains a high concentration of latex, a milky liquid that can trigger uterine contractions. The application of crude papaya latex on the vagina can induce labor and abortion.

2. Eggplant:

It is a veggie that enjoys great popularity across the globe. It contains phytohormones that may have a diuretic effect. Brinjals can be very helpful in curing premenstrual syndrome [PMS] and amenorrhea. If an individual consumes half an eggplant on a daily basis, it could naturally regulate the menstrual cycle. Hence, pregnant women should refrain from consuming eggplants.This is another indian food to avoid during pregnancy.

3. Sesame Seeds:

In olden days, when allopathic medicines were not available, consuming a mix of sesame seeds or til and jaggery twice a day could terminate an unwanted pregnancy. The sesame seeds can stimulate the uterine muscles, cause contractions and ultimately evict a fertilized ovum. Women especially in the first trimester of pregnancy should avoid eating sesame seeds. Pregnant women can safely munch on nuts like pistachios, walnuts, and groundnuts and other dry fruits like raisins and almonds instead.

4. Fennel And Fenugreek Seeds:

In many Indian homes, the elders in the family advise a new mother to consume fenugreek seeds and fennel in the form of a laddoo or some other variation. Methi dana or fenugreek seeds and fennel or saunf have the potential to stimulate menstruation, correct a hormonal disorder, cleanse the uterus and boost milk production. The two spices contain phytoestrogens, which may induce uterine contractions. You can safely use a pinch of the two popular ingredients while cooking. But taking it as medicinal dose is a complete no-no for a pregnant woman.

5. Ajinomoto

Even though it is not an Indian spice, Ajinomoto is still used in rustling up street-side Chinese dishes in India! Owing to its extensive use, Ajinomoto has become a common household cooking ingredient. It is the secret ingredient that makes Chinese food so delicious! Chinese cuisine enjoys huge popularity in India. If you love to binge on noodles and Manchurian curry, you may have to compromise on your taste buds for nine months. Ajinomoto may adversely affect the development of the brain in the fetus. Hence, you should strictly stay away from it to safeguard the growth and development of your precious baby.