A must-read for spicy moms: Will eating spicy food often affect your children’s health?
With the improvement of living standards, spicy food has become an indispensable part of people\’s lives, especially in China, where many people regard spicy food as the representative of food culture. In this regard, many mothers have a question: Will eating spicy food often have an impact on the baby during pregnancy and lactation? Next, we will give you a detailed analysis from four aspects.
Aspect 1: Will chili pepper affect the baby\’s physique?
After the capsaicin component contained in peppers is digested and absorbed, it will enter the breast milk and then be absorbed by the baby. Some studies have shown that if chili peppers are consumed frequently, the baby may become restless and cry while feeding, but this situation will not have a long-term impact on the baby\’s physical condition.
Capsaicin will be passed to the baby through breast milk, and when the baby is just born, the immunity is relatively low. At this time, the mother is recommended to reduce the intake of chili pepper. However, after the baby is six months old, breastfeeding is no longer enough to maintain the nutrition the baby needs. At this time, the baby needs to add complementary foods. When adding complementary foods, you can gradually guide your baby to accept a variety of different flavors and foods, including some slightly spicy foods.
Aspect 2: Can breastfeeding mothers eat spicy food?
Breastfeeding mothers can eat spicy food, but they should eat it in moderation. On the one hand, too much capsaicin can accumulate in breast milk and cause irritation to the baby. On the other hand, if a spicy mother often eats too much chili pepper, it will cause the milk to change flavor, make the baby not like to drink milk, and affect the healthy development of the baby.
When a mother eats too much chili pepper, the baby may detect a strange taste in the breast milk, or even develop eczema on the chest. Mothers should strictly control the amount of chili peppers they eat, and it is recommended not to exceed 30 grams per day. Therefore, nursing mothers should eat some chili peppers appropriately, but not excessively.
Aspect 3: Does chili pepper affect the baby’s neurological development?
Due to the special properties of capsaicin, after it enters the mother\’s body, it will have a certain stimulating effect on the maternal nervous and cardiovascular systems. In addition, capsaicin can also affect the mood of the mother. These factors may be passed from the mother to the fetus or baby, which may have a certain impact on neurological and intellectual development.
However, this effect may be short-lived. In the long run, if spicy mothers can properly control the amount of chili peppers consumed, there will be no long-term impact on the baby\’s intelligence and neurological health.
Aspect 4: Can spicy mothers eat spicy food in the first trimester of pregnancy?
A woman\’s body is more sensitive to external stimuli during the first trimester, especially before the fetal organs begin to develop. Therefore, spicy mothers in early pregnancy should avoid eating excessive amounts of chili peppers. If a mother in early pregnancy likes to eat spicy food, she can choose some light-tasting foods, such as cauliflower, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., and add a little spicy seasoning appropriately.
For pregnant mothers, during the pregnancy preparation period and early pregnancy, the female body is in a state of being more sensitive to external stimulation, so it is particularly important to maintain a healthy and good eating habit.
Summary
Do you often eat spicy food?Will it affect the baby? Spicy mothers can eat spicy foods during pregnancy and lactation, but they should control their chili pepper intake. Capsaicin may have some impact on the baby\’s neurological and intellectual development, but this impact may be short-lived. Hot mothers in early pregnancy should avoid eating excessive amounts of chili peppers. Under the guidance of a healthy diet, moderate consumption of chili peppers will have no adverse effects on your baby\’s health.
