Can You Consume Papaya During Pregnancy?

Can I consume papaya during pregnancy?

Will eating papaya during pregnancy cause harm to my baby?

Can papaya cause miscarriage?

Is papaya good for you if you are pregnant?

If I had taken 1 or 2 pieces of papaya when pregnant, can it harm my baby?

Are these questions bothering you? If yes, we have the answers to your doubts.

During pregnancy every woman views each item of her diet with a sudden suspicion. "Can it cause any harm to my baby or me during this time?" These sudden doubts and contradictory advices from well- wishers can put any new mom to be in a dilemma. Papaya is one such fruit that has a lot of negative connotations attached to it.

The question here is, whether we should avoid papaya completely during pregnancy?

You may be surprised to know that the answer is a big 'NO'!!

Shocked, right?

In today's post we will take a detailed look on the effects of consumption of this 'forbidden' fruit during pregnancy.

6 Health benefits of papaya:

Papaya (Carica Papaya), also known as- poor man's apple, is enriched with high nutritional value but it is often excluded from a pregnant woman's diet due to lack of awareness of facts.

It contains vitamin A, C and more carotenes than apples and guavas. It also contains magnesium, potassium, copper and fibre.

The health benefits of papayas are as follows.

#1. Helps digestive process

According to researchers, the enzyme 'papain' or 'vegetable pepsin' which is found in the leaves and fruit of the papaya plant helps to soothe digestion process. In fact consumption of papaya in moderate quantity can reduce constipation.

You can also read about constipation during pregnancy and remedies.

#2. Immunity booster

The last thing you want during pregnancy is to fall sick.

Papaya contains Vitamin C which acts as an immunity booster and will keep all those coughs and colds at bay.

#3. Relieves morning sickness

A bit of this fruit in the morning, will help to curb the urge to hurl the contents of your tummy. Isn't that amazing?

Read about the other ways to tackle pregnancy morning sickness.

#4. Great for skin

If you are one of the unfortunate few who got acne instead of the pregnancy glow, don't worry, use a face mask made of papaya to sort that problem out.

#5. Anti-inflammatory qualities

Papaya has anti-inflammatory qualities that will help in soothing those aching joints.

#6. Good for relieving heartburn

Eating papaya can be useful for ladies who are struggling with heartburn during pregnancy.

Is it safe to have papaya during pregnancy?

If it has so many benefits, why is it that people are advised against taking this fruit during pregnancy?

Though ripe papaya is ok, eating raw papaya during pregnancy is a strict NO NO.

Unripe papaya should not be consumed by pregnant women as it contains papain and chymopapain known to trigger uterine contractions, paving way for miscarriage or going into early labour. But fully ripen papaya contains no or little 'papain and chymopapain' and can be eaten safely without worrying about uterine stimulations while still serving heartburn relief and control.

What are the raw papaya dishes I got avoid when pregnant?

Raw papaya salad, stir fries, fries, curries have to be avoided completely during the pregnancy phase.

What if I eat more than one papaya at a time?

Pregnancy is a time of crazy cravings. So what if you feel tempted and end up eating more than one ripe papaya at a time? It might cause Carotenemia, or the yellowing of palms and soles. So beware, have ripe papaya in moderation.

Bottom Line

Ultimately, it is your call. Take proper precautions and consume it under the medical supervision of your gynecologist. He or she will prescribe the amount to be consumed each day depending on your health factors.

In my opinion it is better to avoid consumption of papayas during pregnancy despite the benefits, as we might be unsure about the ripeness of the fruit.

Hope I was able to clear your doubts regarding eating papaya during pregnancy.

Did you have craving for papaya when you were pregnant?

Were you warned against eating papaya when pregnant? Which all other foods did you avoid during pregnancy? Do share with us!