There are so many risks and benefits to foods during pregnancy, it can be hard to keep track of what is safe to eat while you’re pregnant. You don’t want to accidentally eat something that can harm your baby! Thankfully, onions are safe to eat.
There are quite a few benefits to adding onions to your diet while pregnant. Keep in mind that they should be eaten in moderation. There are quite a few things that go hand in hand with eating too many onions you need to remember.
In this article
Health Benefits Of Eating Onions During Pregnancy
Although you should eat onions in moderation, there is nothing wrong with using them to spice up your favorite dishes. In fact, you should add some more onions into your life.
There is plenty of health benefits that you can enjoy when eating more onions. Some of them are especially important for pregnant women.
Onions Boost Your Immune System
When you are pregnant, your immune system takes a hit. You’re more likely to get sick from everything, even the common cold.
It can also take your body longer to recover from things. That’s why it’s important to boost your immune system with foods like onions while you’re pregnant.
Onions are packed with vitamin C. One medium onion delivers a little more than 8 mg of Vitamin C. While this isn’t as much as an orange, that dose of Vitamin C will do its part in helping keep both you and your baby healthy.
Onions Help Stabilize Blood Sugar
Gestational diabetes can be concerning. While eating onion isn’t going to instantly help you beat the disease, it can do its part. Onions are known for helping to stabilize blood sugar.
If you’re at an increased risk for gestational diabetes, consider adding onions to your favorite meals for a little extra help.
They Have Phytonutrients
Phytonutrients are important for maintaining high blood pressure. When you are pregnant, you’re more likely to suffer from high blood pressure.
While most people have to take medicine for their blood pressure, onions and other foods with phytonutrients can do their part in helping you stay as healthy as possible.
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Onions Help Break Down Free Radicals That Cause Cancer
Onions cannot rid your body of cancer or free radicals. However, they can help break down the free radicals that are known for causing cancer. This is thanks to the compounds that are found in onions, such as organic sulfur.
A Great Source Of Fiber
There are quite a few things that your body is going to go through when you get pregnant. One of them is constipation. Not only is this unpleasant, but it can make you downright miserable.
As you get further along, your baby will take up more room in your belly. That means that your digestive system has less room to do its job, leading to more constipation. Eating foods with plenty of fiber, like onions, is a necessity when you’re pregnant.
Onions Promote Oral Health
Another common problem that you can experience during pregnancy is tooth decay and gingivitis. Onions can naturally kill the bacteria that cause both of these conditions.
Simply add onions into your dinner and, combined with healthy habits and a healthy diet, you can watch your oral health stay the same throughout your pregnancy.
However, there is one downside to eating onions. They also cause smelly breath. If you notice that you have bad breath after eating onions, make sure that you also carry around a mini bottle of mouth wash in your purse.
- 1-liter bottle of Listerine Ultraclean Cool Mint Antiseptic Mouthwash to fight tartar buildup & kill 99.9% of germs that cause bad breath, plaque, and gingivitis and provide up to 3x longer lasting clean feeling versus brushing alone
- This tartar control mouthwash has the benefits of original Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash with an added tartar control ingredient for cleaner teeth
- Daily oral rinse helps prevent tartar buildup and maintain healthy gums for fresh breath and a dentist-clean, fresh feeling that lasts for hours
- Features a refreshing Cool Mint flavor and powerful Everfresh technology that provides a fresh, clean feeling that lasts for hours, up to 3x longer than brushing alone
- With approximately four weeks of supply, achieve maximum results from this fresh breath mouthwash by rinsing mouth for 30 seconds twice a day, both morning and night, and experience a refreshing clean
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A Great Low-Calorie Food For Pregnant Women
When you’re pregnant, it is great that you’re gaining weight. However, you don’t want to gain too much weight while you’re pregnant. It can be hard to lose as well as unhealthy for both you and your baby.
That’s why it’s important to include low-calorie foods in your diet. Onions are naturally a low-calorie food. This makes them a great addition to other dishes!
Risks Of Eating Onions While Pregnant
Although onions are packed with benefits, it’s important to eat them in moderation. If you eat onions daily while pregnant, try not to overdo it. There are a few downsides to eating onions.
Bad Breath Is A Side Effect
Onions are known for causing bad breath, much like garlic. The more you eat, the worse your breath tends to smell. This has led to quite a few people not eating onions.
However, there are a few things that you can do so that you can combat bad breath and still enjoy the benefits of onions. Brushing your teeth after eating onions can help kill bad breath before it starts.
(Don’t forget to brush your tongue!) If you don’t have time for that, consider carrying a travel-sized bottle of mouthwash in your purse. After eating out, excuse yourself to the bathroom.
Heartburn
Pregnancy and heartburn seem to go hand in hand, which makes it even worse that onions can trigger acid reflux. Raw onions are more likely to cause heartburn than cooked onions, though.
To enjoy onions without heartburn, enjoy cooked onions. You should also eat them in moderation if they give you heartburn.
Onions Can Trigger IBS Symptoms
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Onions are in the group of foods that can make your IBS symptoms worse. Unfortunately, there is no way to know whether they do or not until you eat them.
According to this study, there are quite a few foods that can trigger IBS. If you have to follow a particular diet, make sure to eat low amounts of onions until you can see how this food impacts your IBS.
Some People Are Allergic To Onions
While we don’t commonly think of onions when we think of food allergies, there are people that have an allergic reaction to eating them. It’s important to note that this is relatively uncommon.
People that cannot eat onions often have symptoms that feel like allergies when they eat them. For example, you may experience watery eyes, a stuffy nose, etc.
People with severe allergies may notice that they develop a rash on their skin after coming in contact with onions, even if they do not eat them.
Eat Onions In Moderation To Help Prevent Negative Side Effects
It’s important to have a nice balance when you decide to add onions to your diet. Eating too many onions can cause negative side effects, such as heartburn.
Because of that, start small if you’ve never eaten onions before. Then, slowly increase your intake if you find that you enjoy onions. This can help you learn how your body reacts to this food.
Awesome Ways To Include Onions In Your Diet
While some people like eating raw onions, this isn’t always ideal. Personally, the thought of taking a bite out of an onion sounds horrible. I do love to use onions when I cook though. These are some great ways that you can include onions in your diet without going overboard:
- Use diced, cooked onions in egg dishes like omelets
- Meatloaf tastes great with onions
- Include a few onions in vegetable dishes
- Put some diced onions in chili
- Raw onions are great in guacamole
- Add sliced onions to a sandwich
- Use caramelized onions in baked dishes or with rice
It’s important to note that there are plenty of benefits to eating onions. To enjoy these benefits, include them in dishes that you already like if you don’t care for the taste of onions or learn how to make caramelized onions.
In Conclusion
Onions offer quite a few benefits to pregnant women. If you’re not used to eating onions, it’s important to start slow. Include a few diced onions in your favorite dishes. Learning how to make caramelized onions is a great way to include them in your diet if you prefer foods with a sweeter taste.
Watch out for potential side effects or an allergic reaction. This is vital if you have an underlying digestive disorder, such as IBS. You can check out this recipe for a delicious way to add onions to your diet.
