Can pregnant women eat onions?
Disease description:
My wife is pregnant, and she has always loved eating onions, whether in stir-fries or cold dishes. However, since she became pregnant, the elders in our family have said that onions have a strong odor and that consuming them during pregnancy might be harmful to the fetus, so they have advised against it. My wife feels conflicted because she believes onions are nutritious and should be safe to eat. Therefore, I would like to ask doctors: can pregnant women eat onions?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Zhang Lu
Pregnant women can eat onions.
Onions are rich in various nutrients, such as vitamin C, folic acid, potassium, and antioxidants like quercetin. Appropriate supplementation of vitamin C can enhance immunity and help prevent infections that may occur during pregnancy. Folic acid is important for fetal neural tube development and can reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects. The potassium in onions helps maintain normal blood pressure levels and may aid in preventing hypertension during pregnancy.
However, there are some注意事项 for pregnant women consuming onions. Onions are warming in nature and have a spicy flavor; excessive consumption may irritate the gastrointestinal tract and cause discomfort, especially for pregnant women with weak digestive systems, who should control their intake. It is recommended to consume around 50–100 grams per serving. In terms of cooking methods, milder approaches such as stir-frying or making soup are preferred, while frying or deep-frying should be avoided to reduce greasiness and gastrointestinal irritation.
Some pregnant women may experience stomach discomfort or allergic reactions after consuming onions. If such symptoms occur, they should reduce their intake or avoid eating onions altogether.
