Is It Safe to Eat Bitter Gourd (Karela) During Pregnancy?

During pregnancy what you eat matters a lot. Due to the hormonal changes, you may start craving for foods that you never liked before. Do you crave for bitter gourd or karela? Read on to find out whether it is safe to eat bitter gourd or karela during pregnancy.Are you in the journey of giving birth to a new life? Then you must be ready for so many changes awaiting your life. Do you think the changes are only physical? Well, the changes are connected to your mind as well, and surprisingly, also to your eating habits.During pregnancy, everything you eat matters, which is why you should be aware of what you should or should not eat when you are expecting a baby. Let us talk about a quite popular vegetable – bitter gourd – which may not be your favourite, but you may be taking small portions of it often because of its well-known benefits. In this articleBenefits of Eating Bitter Gourd During PregnancyBitter Gourd Provides Nutrients and Boosts ImmunityBitter Gourd Helps You Gain Healthy WeightIs It Harmful to Eat Bitter Gourd During Pregnancy?Is There Any Serious Risk?Benefits of Eating Bitter Gourd During PregnancyBitter gourd is known to be a great source of folate, which is a vital requirement for pregnant women. Folate protects the new born from any neural tube defects. Eating bitter gourd can help you achieve at least a quarter of daily folate required by a pregnant woman.Bitter gourd is also known for its anti-diabetic properties. It contains certain nutrients that help control your blood sugar levels, which thus helps in reducing the chance of developing gestational diabetes during pregnancy. Bitter gourd contains a fair amount of fiber, which is extremely helpful in warding off common pregnancy problems, such as constipation and hemorrhoids.Bitter Gourd Provides Nutrients and Boosts ImmunityBitter gourd is a great source of nutrients – vitamins like Vitamin B1, B2, B3, etc. and minerals like potassium, iron, pantothenic acid, niacin, pyridoxine, zinc, manganese, and magnesium – which are essential for the health of your baby. It is also a rich source of calcium and beta carotene, which is popular for its antioxidant properties. Bitter gourd also boosts immunity, which can help you fight from a simple cough and cold to other common illnesses faced during pregnancy.Bitter Gourd Helps You Gain Healthy WeightAs bitter gourd has the right amount of fiber and essential nutrients, it helps fill your stomach up, so you can actually do not feel for eating any junk food. This helps you avoid high-calorie foods that can cause no good to you and can bloat you up – thus you can gain a healthy weight during pregnancy.Is It Harmful to Eat Bitter Gourd During Pregnancy?As you are aware now of the advantages bitter gourd has, you should also be aware of the risks it carries. Too much of bitter gourd or if you are eating for the first time, it may cause abdominal cramps and some gas inside your stomach. In some people, bitter gourd has caused toxicity due to its alkaline components, which can further cause stomach pain, redness of face, nausea, diarrhea, and weakness of muscles in pregnant women.Is There Any Serious Risk?Bitter gourd has vicine, which may cause symptoms for breaking up of red blood cells called as favism, which may ultimately lead to anaemia in pregnant women. Eating bitter gourd during pregnancy may cause some trouble in uterine system that may lead to preterm labour in many women.It may cause uterine contractions, bleeding, and in worst cases, it may lead to miscarriage. Therefore, it is advised to avoid eating bitter gourd or karela during first trimester of pregnancy in some households.There are controversies about eating bitter gourd during pregnancy. Never be in a dilemma about what you should or should not eat during your pregnancy. Everybody is different, so sometimes generalizing views about a single vegetable does not work.Your doctor knows your pregnancy closely, so it is always wise to consult your doctor before you decide whether you should eat bitter gourd or not, or even decide how much bitter gourd you should take, or take it frequently or maybe once in a week or month. Be safe!What are the health benefits of bitter gourd? Is it safe to consume bitter gourd during pregnancy? What are the effects of consuming bitter gourd during pregnancy? Discuss here.