2 min readNov 7, 2019 03:26 PM IST
First published on: Nov 7, 2019 at 03:13 PM IST
Should pregnant women eat pineapple? (Source: Getty Images)
Pregnancy Diet Tips: Pregnant women are usually advised to not eat pineapple during pregnancy to avoid the risk of miscarriage or preterm labour. Turns out, the risk of eating pineapple during pregnancy is more of a myth with not much of scientific evidence against it.
Dr Nupur Gupta, director, obstetrics and gynaecology, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, told Express Parenting, “You would usually find everyone, from family members to doctors, advising against eating pineapple during pregnancy. Gynaecologists still ask pregnant women to avoid eating pineapple, as part of a myth perpetuated by society. Scientifically, there is no evidence that pineapple will lead to either abortion or early labour.”
So, why are pregnant women asked to avoid eating it? Dr Gupta explained that pineapples contain the proteolytic enzyme called bromelain. There is some evidence which shows that excess of bromelain enzymes in your diet can lead to abortion. “But the part of pineapple that we eat is the outer flesh, which does not contain much of bromelain, and will not impact your pregnancy in any way. It is only the core of the fruit that has the enzyme in excess,” she said.
That said, no food should be consumed in excess amounts, warned the doctor. “A pregnant woman needs to have a balanced diet. Anything in excess is not good. So, one bowl of pineapple won’t harm in any way. It is a rich source of minerals and vitamin C, which helps to build immunity. Excess consumption of pineapple, however, can lead cause acidity or heartburn. Ideally, one should have a mixed bowl of fruits and pineapple can be one of them,” she suggested.
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In India, the scenario is a little different. “We don’t usually get fresh pineapple in parts of India. We have frozen or canned pineapple or packaged fruit juice, which should be avoided during pregnancy since it is processed,” said Dr Gupta.
Should pregnant women eat pineapple? (Source: Getty Images)
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