Clove during Pregnancy Can Be Both Blessing and Hazard!
Unsure if clove during pregnancy is right or not? Considering it’s added to rice, curries, and most Indian cuisines.
Clove is a flavorful, aromatic spice that’s used for medicinal purposes, particularly for cold, flu, and more.
Bursting the myth about eating cloves during pregnancy: cloves are in general safe to consume as a spice. Yet, moderation is the key.
Let’s understand if it’s safe and how cloves during pregnancy are beneficial for the mother and fetus:
Is it safe to eat clove during pregnancy?
Health experts confirm that cloves in the powdered or whole form are safe to eat during pregnancy. But, clove essential oil or clove enhancements may not be safe. Overindulgence with cloves for medicinal purposes such as cold, toothaches, and cough is NOT recommended either.
Although chewing on clove during pregnancy is not harmful, it’s always best to consult your doctor.
Cloves have a nutrient-rich profile, constituting iron, potassium, calcium, vitamins, manganese, and more. Cloves provide many health benefits to pregnant women:
1. Muscle & Bone Development
Cloves contain a minimal yet good supply of vitamin E, calcium and phosphorus that are necessary for the muscle and bone development of the baby. Cloves are a must-have for a fetus’s healthy development the body.
2. Antioxidants Packed
Cloves contain iron and vitamin C which are vital in boosting immunity. They are also rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants activate the cell repair system and strengthen immunity. They improve the body’s response to foreign invasion during pregnancy.
3. Mineral-Rich
Cloves are an excellent source of manganese, sodium, and phosphorus. They are necessary for a baby’s healthy growth. Thus, eating clove during pregnancy’s first trimester is super-healthy for the growing baby.
4. Improves Digestion
Constipation and indigestion are common problems during pregnancy. Cloves contain dietary fiber that helps boost digestion and keep bowel movements in order.
5. Brain Development
Cloves are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids that are essential for brain and nerve development in babies.
6. Anti-Microbial Properties
Cloves have Eugenol, which combats fungal, viral, or bacterial invasion. These anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties make eating cloves during pregnancy third trimester necessary.
7. Anti-Inflammatory
Cloves are rich in flavonoids with anti-inflammatory properties. It’s beneficial in easing the pains and aches you experience during pregnancy.
8. Prevents Cancer
Cancer is a prevalent disease and pregnant women need to be extra-cautious for themselves and their babies. Few studies have shown that cloves are part of the future of cancer treatment as they can inhibit cell proliferation of cancerous cells.
9. Prevent Stress
Anxiety, stress, and fatigue are common experiences during pregnancy. Particularly due to hormonal imbalances, emotions can be uncontrollable. In such a situation, a natural stress reliever like clove during pregnancy is no less than a blessing.
Side Effects of Eating Clove During Pregnancy
As cautioned earlier, you should not consume clove in high doses. Neither is clove oil or clove supplements safe for pregnant women.
If clove oil is consumed in high quantity, it can activate the uterus, causing contractions. That’s premature labor and can be dangerous for pregnant women.
Overdose of cloves can cause diarrhea, abdominal pain, vomiting, internal bleeding, or breathing issues.
If you experience an allergic response after eating cloves, you must avoid them altogether.
Can Clove Cause Miscarriage In Early Pregnancy?
Cloves, when used as a spice, do no harm. But, consuming too many cloves, particularly clove oil can lead to miscarriage. As overconsumption of clove oil induces unnatural or premature contractions that can either lead to premature birth or even miscarriage. Thus, it’s best to avoid clove oil altogether.
Final Verdict
Cloves during pregnancy are tiny packets of vitality and nutrition for mother and fetus. These tiny buds are a natural cure to many pregnancy nightmares. Also, it is a superfood for the baby’s healthy growth and development.
All you need to remember in pregnancy is that excess of everything is bad, so, enjoy your meals and cravings without going overboard.
