Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : October 9, 2014 5:12 PM IST
I am in my first trimester and as a precaution had been asked to stay away from having papaya during the course of my pregnancy. But there are also many people who say that this is just an old wives tale. Do let me know if there is any truth in refraining from having papaya during pregnancy?
Before we tell you how papaya got its reputation of being so pregnancy unfriendly, let's talk about the benefits of the fruit. A well ripened papaya is a rich source of vitamin C and E. It also has fiber in abundance and traces of folic acid too. Having papaya during pregnancy is safe as long as it is well ripened. Also read about the essential foods you need to take during pregnancy.
What you should keep off from is the raw variety of papaya during pregnancy. The reason being, raw papaya contains a substance called latex that can be harmful for a pregnant woman. Research has shown that latex in high concentration can lead to uterine contractions in a woman. This can lead to miscarriages. So it is wise to stay off raw papaya or for that matter even semi-ripe papaya during the course of pregnancy. Else it is safe to have a fully ripened papaya even during pregnancy but in moderation. But to avoid potential pregnancy hazards due to consumption of papaya many refrain from having papaya in any form during pregnancy.
You may also like to read:
For more articles on pregnancy, visit our pregnancy section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our forum.
