Bitter Gourd in Pregnancy Diet: Safe or Risky?

Consuming bitter gourd during pregnancy can have the following benefits:

• Folate is very important for pregnant women. Folate protects the baby from neural tube defects. Bitter gourd is very high in folate.
• Bitter gourd contains fiber which helps in reducing problems like constipation and bleeding.
• This vegetable contains other vitamins and minerals like riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B1, vitamin B2 and vitamin B3 etc. Along with this, it is also a good source of calcium and beta carotene.
• Bitter gourd contains iron, niacin, potassium, pantothenic acid, zinc, pyridoxine, magnesium and manganese and all of these play an important role in the development of the fetus.
• Bitter gourd has diabetes-fighting properties and hence a pregnant woman should consume it daily. Nutrients like charantin and polypeptide-P help fight gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
• Potassium, manganese, zinc, magnesium, iron and calcium present in bitter gourds are some of the minerals that prevent anemia during pregnancy. Calcium helps in building the bones and teeth of the fetus. 

(Read more - Pregnancy Nutrition: What to Eat)

Eating bitter gourd during pregnancy can have the following disadvantages:

• Consuming bitter gourd can also cause premature delivery in women.
• Excessive consumption of bitter gourd can cause stomach related problems. Bitter gourd can cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and other stomach problems.
• The toxic substance found in bitter gourd seeds is harmful for the baby growing in the womb.
• Resins, quinine, saponic glycosides and morodicine are found in bitter gourd which spread poison in the human body which can cause stomach pain, nausea and weakness in the eyes, vomiting, redness on the face, diarrhea, excessive salivation and muscle weakness in pregnant women.

(Read more - Diet during the first month of pregnancy)

Pregnant women who have not consumed bitter gourd before pregnancy do not need to start consuming bitter gourd after pregnancy because if a woman has not consumed bitter gourd before pregnancy, she will not know what effect consuming bitter gourd has on her body.

Apart from this, generally bitter gourd should not be consumed in large quantities. One cup of bitter gourd can be eaten per day in the form of curry or salad. Suppose if you have a maximum of two cups of bitter gourd, then they should not be eaten together, one should be eaten at lunch time and the other can be taken at dinner time. Bitter gourd can also be eaten as a stuffed vegetable or Bhujia vegetable with dal etc. The best time to eat bitter gourd is the second half of pregnancy, because there is no risk of abortion in the second half of pregnancy.

Take the following precautions while eating bitter gourd during pregnancy:

• While buying bitter gourd from the market, it should be kept in mind that it should not be more green than normal, such vegetables may also have the use of colors.
• Only fresh and green vegetables should be brought from the market.
• Insecticides etc. are used in vegetable cultivation, so vegetables should be consumed only after washing them thoroughly.
• If seen, bitter gourd is very beneficial and it can be eaten even during pregnancy, but excessive consumption of any food item can be harmful. Bitter gourd should not be made a part of the diet of any pregnant woman without taking medical advice. Pregnancy is a time where even the slightest mistake can prove to be very harmful.

(Read more -When to Start Including Ghee in Your Pregnancy Diet)

Eating bitter gourd during pregnancy can be safe, but in limited quantities and with caution. Bitter gourd is rich in nutrients and can help in digestion and sugar control. However, some of the elements present in it can increase stomach cramps or uterine contractions during pregnancy, which can increase the risk of miscarriage or premature delivery. Its seeds and juice contain compounds that can be harmful. Therefore, pregnant women should eat bitter gourd only after consulting a doctor, especially if their pregnancy is sensitive.