Onion During Pregnancy: Benefits And Risks

By: Ambili S Kartha

Pregnancy is the crucial phase of a mother’s life. Food cravings are generally believed to be the most common thing during pregnancy. Onion craving during the time of pregnancy is probably a good thing. Taking Onions in your meals is considered to be a safe and nutritional thing, as it provides a large number of benefits to the mother and the child. Besides taking the required amount of dietary fibers from the other fruits and vegetables, intake of onions during this beautiful phase can lead to prevention from several diseases by imparting immunity to the body.

Nutritional Facts About Onion

Onions are generally believed to be from the allium family of the veggies and have a strong pungent taste and aroma. Owing to the antioxidant, anti-cholesterol, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties, onions are known to protect the pregnant women from many fatal diseases.

Onions come high in many vital nutrients like carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, and fibers. They contain essential folic acid that is an excellent source of calcium, iron, magnesium, sulfur etc. which helps in regulating the growth of new cells. Moreover, these are rich in quercetin which imparts protection against many common maladies like flu or common cold etc. These nutritional facts have helped in safeguarding the women from low sugar levels and promotes the healthy growth of the baby and the mother.

Can I Eat Onion During Pregnancy? 

Due to the large beneficial properties of onions, their consumption during pregnancy is highly recommended. Eating them in raw or cooked form is the best way to gain extra a healthy and rejuvenating skin and mind. But yes, make sure you take them in a moderate amount only to avoid any side effects.

Can I Eat Raw Onion During Pregnancy?

Onion has been utilized as sustenance for a few centuries. Yes, An Onion can be taken in raw form. Rather, it has more nutritional content than taken otherwise.

What Are The Health Benefits Of Eating Onions In Pregnancy?

Following are some of the major benefits of eating onions during pregnancy. Let’s have a look at them below.

• Skin And Hair Improvement:Onions are enriched with vitamin A and E that keeps the skin and hair glowing and thus, prevents all signs of premature aging. Also, Vitamin C in onions is best for curing any skin pigmentation and helps in keeping the skin lively.
• Cancer Prevention: Owing to the anti-cancer properties of Onions and the content of organic sulfur compounds not only helps in preventing cancer but also is beneficial to break the free radicals that tend to grow and cause cancer in the body.
• Reduces The Risk Of Heart diseases: There is a compound named quercetin in the onions which keeps the cholesterol level under control and keeps the heart rate normal. In addition to this, flavonoids and Organosulfur present in the onion is useful in maintaining a healthy heart by reducing the risk of heart diseases in the pregnant women.
• Immunity Booster: Being a rich source of Vitamin C, onion plays an important role by imparting a boost to the immune system for both the growing baby and the mother.
• Good For Gestational Diabetes: Consuming 20 grams fresh onion three times per day helps to block the breakdown of insulin in the liver. This helps to bring down the blood sugar levels.
• Good For Oral Health: During pregnancy, expecting mothers are prone to gum issues and tooth decay. Eating onion helps to destroy bacteria that bring about tooth decay.
• Rich in Folic Acid: Onions are rich in folic acid. Folic acid is essential for healthy fetal development.
• Helps To Prevent Swellings And Other Allergies: Expecting mothers are susceptible to swellings and allergies. Flavonoids in onion have powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Eating onion during pregnancy helps to prevent/bring down swelling and allergies.
• Good For Breathing Issues: Eating onion during pregnancy will help to bring down pulmonary issues like asthma. It helps to alleviate nasal congestion thereby promotes peaceful sleep.

What Are The Side Effects Of Consuming Onion During Pregnancy?

There are some women who experience a sudden heartburn or breathing issues after consuming a relatively higher quantity of onions, thus it is mandatory to moderate the intake of onions in order to safeguard the unborn child against any likely harm. Other issues that occur because of consuming more onions during pregnancy can lead to some serious side effects like:

• Certain Allergic Issues: Most of the pregnant women these days are intolerant towards the onion, and tend to have an allergic reaction while having them during pregnancy. So do make sure that you avoid eating them in excess.
• Heartburn And Diarrhea: Consumption of onions in excess leads to heartburn and also result in diarrhea in some women. Therefore, Onions are best when taken in a low or moderate amount.
• Breathing Issues:Some women even tell about the breathing issues they face when they consume too much of onions during pregnancy. In extreme cases, you might even suffer from the anaphylactic shock that may adversely affect their pregnancy.

Which Type Of Onion Is More Beneficial?

Both red and white onions are believed to be beneficial when it comes to pregnant women. Onions contain a high amount of flavonoids and sulfur compounds. However, the red ones are more effective, natural and act as blood thinners as they are considered to be rich in flavonoids.

How To Incorporate Onion In A Pregnancy Diet?

Eating onion in any way, cutting and eating them raw or dicing and putting them into vegetables while cooking is the right ways to eat onions. It’s just that you make sure that you avoid having an onion to the extreme during the time of your pregnancy.

Therefore, the rich benefits of eating onions during pregnancy make it crucial to take them for the healthy body development of both the baby and the mother-to-be. Also, make sure that onions are taken in moderation owning to its side effects in pregnancy so that the mother and the child get the essential nutrients while also maintaining the limit.

Source: https://www.beingtheparent.com/onion-during-pregnancy-benefits-and-risks/

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