There are many food items which are generally very beneficial for health, but for some reason they are not considered safe for pregnant women to eat. Pregnant women often feel similar concern about garlic, which is full of medicinal properties and nutrients, whether they should consume garlic during pregnancy? 

Garlic is like a herb and is an antiviral food, which is known as a flavor enhancer in many recipes around the world. Although garlic helps in relieving many problems occurring in pregnancy such as high blood pressure and preeclampsia and improving blood circulation. But it is very important for you to know how much garlic you can consume during pregnancy, so that it does not have any bad effect on your and the baby's health in the womb.

(Read more: Pregnancy diet: What to eat)

  1. Is It Safe To Eat Garlic During Pregnancy?
  2. Benefits Of Eating Garlic During Pregnancy
  3. Disadvantages Of Eating Garlic During Pregnancy
  4. Summary

Garlic is known as a natural medicine that increases immunity. Garlic contains high amounts of organosulfur. This is an element that gives garlic its strong aroma and taste as well as health benefits. Garlic has antibacterial properties due to which it works to provide our body with lots of vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Garlic also helps in improving the function of hormones in the body as well as regulating blood circulation in the body.

After so many benefits, we can say that garlic is completely safe to eat during pregnancy but only in limited quantities, especially in the first trimester of pregnancy. If you want to include garlic in your diet, then consume garlic in very limited quantities, especially during the 1st to 3rd month of pregnancy, otherwise it can have a negative effect on the fetus growing in the womb. Also, consuming garlic in excess can cause many health problems like low blood pressure and thinning of blood.

(Read more: Pregnancy Nutrition: What to Eat)

In all these years, no such study has come out that can prove that consuming garlic during pregnancy can be unsafe for a pregnant woman or her child or whether eating garlic is completely safe. In such a situation, if you want to consume garlic during pregnancy, then consult your doctor or dietician about how much garlic can be safe for you to eat daily.

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Pregnant women can consume garlic regularly in limited quantities during pregnancy because it has many benefits:

(Read more: Eighth Month Pregnancy Diet)

Benefits Of Garlic For Preeclampsia

Pre-eclampsia is a serious condition during pregnancy that affects about 2 to 8 percent of pregnant women. In the problem of pre-eclampsia, the blood arteries going to the placenta start narrowing, due to which oxygen and food are not able to reach the baby in the womb, which hinders the development of the child. In such a situation, consuming garlic can help prevent the problem of pre-eclampsia. This fact came to light in a study conducted on 100 women. 

(Read more:Benefits Of Watermelon For Pregnancy)

Benefits Of Garlic For Blood Pressure

Apart from pre-eclampsia, gestational hypertension or high blood pressure during pregnancy is also a common problem during pregnancy which affects 1 in every 10 pregnant women. Therefore, consuming garlic helps in controlling the problem of high blood pressure. Garlic is also known as a home remedy to cure heart disease.

(Read more:Diet For Anemia In Pregnancy)

Benefits Of Garlic For Cholesterol

Allicin compound is found in garlic which helps in reducing and balancing cholesterol level. Finely chopped garlic helps in removing many other complications apart from cholesterol and high BP which can cause the risk of heart disease.

(Read more: Gestational Diabetes Diet and Diet Plan - myUpchar)

Benefits Of Garlic For Increase The Weight Of The Baby

Another common problem of pregnancy is the low birth weight of the baby. Garlic is also helpful in dealing with this problem. According to some studies done on this, garlic helps in increasing the weight of children who are likely to have low birth weight. Apart from this, garlic supplements also increase the growth of cells present in the placenta.

Benefits Of Garlic For Cold And Flu

When a woman is pregnant, it is very important that she stays healthy and does not fall ill so that she does not need to take any kind of medicine. In such a situation, consuming garlic strengthens the immunity, which helps in avoiding cold, flu and other common infections.

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Benefits Of Garlic For Skin Infection

Due to the antimicrobial element found in garlic, garlic helps in protecting from many types of infections in the skin and mouth. Apart from this, allicin, which is a sulfur-based compound, is also found in abundance in garlic and sulfur helps in preventing hair fall. The problem of hair fall is often seen during and after pregnancy. In such a situation, garlic can help save your hair.

(Read more:How To Take Care During Pregnancy)

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Benefits Of Garlic For Cancer

Consuming garlic can help in avoiding the risk of colon cancer. Many times due to constipation during pregnancy, bleeding starts from the rectum, which women consider as symptoms of piles or pregnancy, but it can be a sign of colorectal cancer. Therefore, consumption of garlic helps in preventing stomach cancer, intestine cancer and colorectal cancer.

Benefits Of Garlic For Fatigue

Feeling tired all the time during pregnancy is also a common problem. But if a pregnant woman consumes garlic, then this problem can also be overcome. Apart from this, the problem of dizziness, vertigo and vomiting during pregnancy can also be overcome by garlic.

(Read more:Should Probiotics Be Taken During Pregnancy?)

Although we have told you many benefits of eating garlic during pregnancy. But if you consume garlic in excessive quantities instead of limited quantities during pregnancy, then you may also have to face many side effects. Such as:

  • Garlic is considered a blood thinner that thins the blood naturally. In such a situation, if a pregnant woman consumes too much garlic, then it can cause uncontrolled bleeding during labor or delivery. Whether the delivery is normal or cesarean.
  • Consuming excessive amounts of garlic can cause very low blood pressure. It can be beneficial for women who have problems of preeclampsia or gestational hypertension, but for other women, very low BP can be harmful. If the blood pressure becomes very low during pregnancy, the pregnant woman may get shocked and she may faint.
  • Consuming too much garlic can increase the secretion of insulin in the blood and lower the level of sugar in the blood. Also, consuming too much garlic can also increase the risk of miscarriage.

(Read more:Benefits Of Eating Sabudana During Pregnancy)

Eating garlic in pregnancy, in limited quantities, can provide many health benefits. Garlic contains antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties, which help prevent infection. It improves blood circulation and is helpful in controlling high blood pressure. Consumption of garlic also helps reduce inflammation and improve digestion. However, excessive consumption of garlic can cause heartburn or stomach problems in some women, so it should be included in a balanced form.

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