Can pregnant women eat pepper? – Your Health

Pregnant women can eat pepper without worry, because this spice is not harmful to the baby’s development or to the pregnant woman.

Furthermore, some studies show that consuming spicy foods can still have some benefits when consumed in moderation, such as helping to reduce bad cholesterol and offering new food flavors to the baby, since the flavor is transmitted to the baby through of amniotic fluid ^(1,2).

However, if a pregnant woman suffers from morning sickness in the first trimester of pregnancy, or heartburn and reflux during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, eating spicy foods can worsen symptoms, or cause poor digestion or excess intestinal gas. Therefore, it is important to have guidance from your obstetrician throughout your pregnancy and to follow a balanced diet. See what nutrition should be like during pregnancy.

Can pregnant women consume other spicy foods?

In addition to pepper, pregnant women can also consume other spicy foods or spices, such as peppers, curry, piri-piri or pickles, for example, which can be included in the diet, without risk and safely, as long as they are consumed in moderation.

However, these foods can increase the risk of developing unpleasant symptoms, such as poor digestion, heartburn, reflux or hemorrhoids. Therefore, pregnant women prone to these symptoms should avoid consuming these foods.

Know what to eat during pregnancy to avoid these symptoms.

How to safely consume spicy foods

To consume spicy foods safely during pregnancy, the ideal is to pay attention to the labels before purchasing, opting for trusted brands and avoiding buying from markets, without knowing their origin, preferring to consume spicy foods prepared at home and eating these foods in small quantities.

Furthermore, if it is the first time that the pregnant woman is consuming a spicy food, you should try a small amount before using it in cooking, in order to make sure that it adapts well to the substance.

Healthy pepper recipes

Some healthy pepper recipe options are:

1. Rice and poultry salad

Ingredients

• 2 c. of oil soup;
• 1 cup of rice;
• 3 c. of curry tea;
• 2 cups of vegetable broth;
• 1 bunch of chives;
• ½ cantaloupe melon;
• 1 manga;
• 2 bananas;
• 1 lima;
• 30 g of cashew;
• 400 g of chicken breast;
• Salt and black pepper to taste;
• 1 natural yogurt;
• 2 c. of sugar tea;
• 40 g of raisins.

Preparation mode

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan, add the rice and 1 teaspoon of curry and let it brown. Then, add the broth and, when it starts to boil, reduce the heat and let it thicken for around 20 minutes.

Cut the chives into thin slices, peel the fruit and cut into pieces, cut the lime in half and squeeze and then sprinkle the banana slices with lime juice so they don’t turn brown.

Rinse the chicken breasts with cold water, dry them with a cloth and cut into strips 1 centimeter wide. Heat the remaining oil in a frying pan and sauté the breasts well, on all sides, for around 10 minutes, seasoning with 1 teaspoon of curry powder, salt and pepper. Leave to cool.

To make the sauce, simply mix the yogurt with the remaining lime juice, curry powder and sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Finally, just place all the ingredients in a large salad bowl, add the raisins and sauce and mix everything.

2. Junk sole

Ingredients

• 40 g of capers;
• 2 lemons;
• 2 onions;
• 4 to 6 endro branches;
• 4 ready-to-cook sole fillets, skinless;
• Salt and white pepper to taste;
• Flour;
• 6 c. of oil soup;
• 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature;
• Half a cup of vegetable broth.

Preparation mode

Drain the capers, peel the lemons, remove the inner white skin and cut the pulp into thin slices. Peel the onions and cut into fine cubes. Separate the ends of the dill stems. Season the sole with salt and pepper and then dredge it in flour and shake off any excess. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the sole on both sides for around 6 minutes until well done. In the last 2 minutes add the butter at room temperature.

Remove the sole and keep it in a warm place. To make the sauce, simply sauté the onions in the cooking oil, add the broth and simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. Then mix the capers, lemon slices and dill ends. Remove the sole from the pan and serve with the sauce.

Watch the following video and learn about the benefits of pepper: