Written By: Debjani Arora | Updated : November 2, 2017 3:25 PM IST
During pregnancy, diet advice will come to you from all directions from the elders, just-became-mums, experienced mums, even women who are not mothers. Well, most of them are given to you with good intentions and some are worth following. However, not many will tell you how to eat right during pregnancy.
In Ayurved, it is believed that improper mastication or chewing can lead to a dysfunctional digestive system and during pregnancy this could mean a host of problems acidity, bloating, flatulence, GERD, etc. This is why pregnant women are advised to eat right and chew their food properly before swallowing. Chewing food initiates secretion of saliva which contains enzymes and digestive juices. It is important to slowly chew and repeat the process several times to mix the food with saliva thoroughly.
Saliva is alkaline in nature with a pH value of 8 and has amylase or digestive juice which helps to break down carbohydrates. When food is mixed thoroughly with the saliva it becomes slightly alkaline and when it enters the stomach it gets mixed with stomach acids which have a pH value of 3. This helps in neutralisation of the excess acids and minimises acidity, which is common during pregnancy. The semi-digested carbohydrates are further broken down to form glucose that provides energy and carbohydrates that are digested get stored in the adipose tissue in the form of fats. Here are nine ways to control heartburn during pregnancy.
Improper chewing during pregnancy can lead to vaata dosha according to Ayurveda. This imbalanced vaata can lead to body aches, headaches, spondylosis, arthritis and cramps. It also increases blood sugar levels and triglycerides which can be harmful to the baby. So, if you are pregnant make sure that whatever you eat you chew it properly before swallowing.
But when it comes to diet during pregnancy be very cautious. Always discuss with your doctor before you introduce any new food in your diet or try to inculcate any diet changes. Eating healthy and have a balanced diet during pregnancy, but to reap its benefits make sure you chew your food properly before swallowing it. Here is the ultimate pregnancy food guide that you should follow.
(Inputs are taken from the book Grabhasanskar by Dr Vikram Shah and Dr Geetanjali Shah)
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