Is it safe to eat papaya during pregnancy?

Raw papaya is a rich source of carbohydrates, dietary fibre, calcium, potassium, iron and protein. With such a high nutritional value, raw papaya is considered to be very good for health. Eating raw papaya can improve heart health, digestion and skin health.

So why is raw papaya not safe during pregnancy? This is because raw papaya also has a very high content of latex and papain.

These nutrients, especially latex, can induce uterine contractions. This in turn can trigger premature labour and childbirth. If this induced labour occurs early in the pregnancy, it can lead to miscarriage or loss of the foetus. If it happens late in the pregnancy, it can lead to premature birth - which has a number of negative health outcomes for the baby. Papain also has similar effects on pregnant women, especially if taken in high doses.

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While having raw papaya during pregnancy is out of the question, eating ripe papaya is very important.

Ripe papaya is sweet and succulent, and it’s very easy to have, too. This fruit is also full of fibre, beta-carotene, choline, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin B, including folate, and vitamin C. Folic acid, a form of folate, is a vital supplement that is recommended to all pregnant women, so having ripe papayas can help.

That apart, ripe papaya is also known to reduce inflammation, aid digestion, and is packed with an antioxidant called lycopene which can reduce cell damage.

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One of the common suggestions given to pregnant women is that they should avoid papaya during pregnancy. But this is only partially true.

Only unripe or raw papaya is harmful during pregnancy. The reason: raw papayas have latex and papain, which can induce labour and cause miscarriage. If you are pregnant, you must take care to avoid raw papaya as well as foods that may contain raw papaya. This could include curries and salads, too. If you accidentally eat raw papaya in a Thai salad, South Indian sambhar or any curry during your pregnancy, contact a doctor immediately.

On the other hand, having ripe papaya is very good for the health of a pregnant woman. If you are pregnant, having ripe papaya is safe and a good health practice as it contains many important vitamins, minerals, carbs, protein, iron and fibre.