What fruits should pregnant women avoid?
Oct 13, 2022
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Lv Aiming
Introduction
Pregnant women should avoid certain fruits such as watermelon, hawthorn, and longan. Consuming watermelon during pregnancy may be detrimental to fetal development and could stimulate uterine contractions, potentially leading to miscarriage. Eating hawthorn may cause symptoms like stomach acid and heartburn in pregnant women and might also affect the fetus's normal development. Longan is prone to causing internal heat ("fire") and increases body dryness and heat.
Generally, pregnant women should avoid certain fruits such as watermelon, hawthorn, and longan.
1. Watermelon: Pregnant women should not eat watermelon during pregnancy because it is a cold-natured fruit. Consuming it may increase internal coldness, which is unfavorable for fetal development. Additionally, watermelon might cause gastrointestinal discomfort and stimulate uterine contractions, potentially leading to miscarriage.
2. Hawthorn: Hawthorn contains large amounts of hawthorn acid, which can irritate the stomach and lead to excessive gastric acid secretion. This may result in symptoms such as acid reflux and heartburn in pregnant women, potentially stimulating uterine contractions and increasing the risk of miscarriage. Excessive intake of hawthorn acid may also adversely affect normal fetal development.
3. Longan: Longan is a warm-natured fruit that may easily cause "heatiness" (excess internal heat) after consumption, leading to symptoms such as mouth ulcers and constipation, so it is not recommended for pregnant women. Severe heatiness may increase internal dryness and heat, possibly causing abdominal pain or vaginal bleeding in pregnant women. It is advisable for pregnant women to consume mild-natured fruits such as apples, cherries, and grapes, and to avoid cold or stimulating fruits.
