We all know and it’s a common general knowledge that whatever you eat and your overall diet, in general, affects the quality and supply of your breast milk. That is why it is generally advised for you to consume a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, grains and low-fat protein sources such as meat, soy, and nuts.
However, there can be confusion when consuming spicy foods and how safe can it be consumed during pregnancy. Many breastfeeding women are wondering how can spicy food affect their breastmilk and if it poses any hazards.
Here in this article, we are going to answer the question many pregnant women are talking about now: Is eating spicy foods safe for breastfeeding women?
Aside from that, there are many scientifically proven and documented health benefits from eating spicy foods such as cayenne, jalapeno, curry and other spicy and hot foods of various forms and we will take that in this article.
The Answer to the question:
Yes! Yes! of course, it does! It is safe for breastfeeding mothers to consume or incorporate spicy food into their diet while they are breastfeeding.
There have been no proven effects or health complications that eating spicy foods can do aside from that spicy foods are a great way to add to your diet as it can have profound benefits on the body. It also gives a unique flavor to the foods you eat.
If you don’t believe it is safe, always think about how different your culture is from other mothers around the world who have consumed a lot of spicy foods because of its commonality in their place. They are still eating those spicy foods without any worry or fuss that it affects their nursing.
So relax and enjoy your spicy foods as it is fine to eat. In addition to this, there are some reported health benefits of eating or consuming spicy foods while nursing or breastfeeding your children.
Spicy foods give your breastmilk a wonderful taste!
You are what you eat! It is a very common phrase for many health concerned people out there and it really applies to pregnant women and breastfeeding women.
Diet plays an important role in the taste, quality of nutrients and amount of supply of the breast milk, it is also the main viable food option for infants. Thus, it is essential for them to get as many benefits from drinking breast milk. Always remember that amniotic fluid, as well as your breast milk, can hold millions of data about sensory information and this sensory information gets passed down when your baby feeds your milk. The phrase you are what you eat is very true, especially to breastfeeding mothers.
With that said, you can now relax and enjoy your spicy food because eating spicy foods as well as other varieties of foods can significantly improve and change the taste of the milk. This means that your baby is getting his or her taste of solid foods.
Always remember that your great milk’s taste is constantly changing and its flavor can vary from the food you eat, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your milk will be spicy but it gives a very tasty change in the breast milk which can improve the baby’s overall satisfaction.
Consuming spicy foods can provide tons of health benefits for breastfeeding women!
One of the most unique and greatest health benefits of consuming spicy hot foods is due to a chemical compound called capsaicin. Capsaicin is also responsible for the hot and tingling-inducing sensations in our mouth, it has a lot of positive effects including:
1. Anti-microbial and Anti-cancer properties
Spicy foods or compounds prevent bacterial growth and spoilage, it is the reason why spicy foods are great at fighting bacteria, viruses and other anti-inflammatory agents in your body due to its capsaicin content, it’s antimicrobial activity has been proven to be effective by at least 75 percent.
This health benefit has been known for decades now considering the historical use of spices, it was a greatly valued ingredient by the Medieval people during those days due to its antimicrobial properties in foods and it’s great ability to prevent spoilage.
In addition to this, spicy foods have unique chemical compounds and antioxidants that have been proven to inhibit and destroy cancer cells by up to 79 percent, its no wonder why many people would like to take and consume spicy foods, it not only does add flavor to your diet, it also has great benefits that you and your baby can get.
2. Other minor health benefits
There are other unique health benefits of consuming spicy hot foods such as:
- Promotes and Aids in Weight Loss
- Fights Allergies and Flu-like symptoms
- Promotes a healthy lungs and heart
- Promotes good mental activity
- Relieves the after-pregnancy symptoms such as joint pain, pelvic pain, nausea and vomiting
- Minimizes skin conditions such as acne
Final notes
At the end of the day, eating spicy foods is safe while breastfeeding and you should not be concerned with eating spicy foods, however, if you notice that your baby has food sensitivities based on to the food or diet that you eat, whether it is spicy hot or not, will always generate a fussy or uncomfortable reaction to your baby
But in general eating spicy foods will only make your breastmilk contain small traces that wouldn’t affect the baby in any way. Try different diets! Go by trial and error, you can look at this list of foods to enhance your breast milk taste and supply.
Nonetheless, please take note that If your breastfed baby seems upset by the milk he or she has taken, whether its from a spicy food or not it could be because of the food that you eat had caused a sensory allergy to the baby and you should avoid eating that food as much as possible when breastfeeding, try to be careful when it comes to picking foods you should consume. To know more you can read this article about breastfeeding diet.
Read also:
- Laid-back Breastfeeding Is This The Best Position
- Why Babies Are Making Noises While Breastfeeding
- What You Didn’t Know About Nausea While Breastfeeding
