Lemon is in moderation ideal for signs of pregnancy such as nausea. Lemon consumption has several advantages for pregnant women but there are some risks to be careful of as well.
Lots of women experience symptoms such as nausea during pregnancy. Many women tend to use herbal or natural remedies instead, with concerns about the dangers of taking medication.
People often use lemon to help soothe nausea, but the citrus fruit can have other benefits as well. Nevertheless, eating too much fresh lemon can pose some risks.
This article looks at the benefits and risks of lemon intake during pregnancy.
Benefits
Lemon has numerous qualities that make it good for pregnancy effects. The sections below discuss these in more detail.
Nausea
Many pregnant women resort to herbal remedies to reduce nausea, with growing concerns about the safety of medicines.
Lemon essential oil is a common herbal remedy during pregnancy for nausea and vomiting, and it appears to be healthy. Yet citizens should not be ingesting essential oils. During aromatherapy, they should inhale these.
Oral take of lemon juice or lemon juice will help. Several studies have shown that lemon is more effective in relieving nausea and vomiting during pregnancy when a woman takes it by mouth than a placebo.
Side effects with lemon and other herbal medicines, such as ginger, black seed, prune, and mustard oil, are recorded. However, lemon use during pregnancy does not present any known complications.
A 2014 study suggests lemon inhalation therapy can help to alleviate nausea and vomiting during pregnancy. The researchers recruited 100 pregnant women with or without vomiting, at 6–16 weeks gestation, with mild to moderate nausea.
The women either inhaled the essential lemon oil or a placebo. At the start of nausea the researchers told the participants to inhale lemon oil. In the 24 hours before inhalation and during the 4 days after aromatherapy, the investigators reported nausea, vomiting and retch intensities.
They observed statistically significant differences in the effectiveness of essential lemon oil as compared to placebo on the second and fourth days after diagnosis. We conclude that lemon fragrance can help control nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
The analysis, however, has several limitations. These include the possibility that some women might find the lemon scent offensive, and the fact that the researchers were unable to control the possible psychological effects that cause nausea during pregnancies.
Hydration
Physicians usually advise women who are pregnant and breastfeeding to increase their daily consumption during the second trimester by 300 calories. Physicians are also suggesting an additional 300 milliliters of fluid per day, or just over a cup.
If a person likes lemon drinks flavour, they can provide incentive to drink more and stay hydrated.
Folate
Lemon is made of folate. One average lemon size is low in calories and has about 6.38 micrograms (mcg) of folate in it. Women need more folate during pregnancy because it is an essential nutrient in the growing fetus for neural development.
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that pregnant women use food and supplements to produce 600 mcg of folate. Most women in the U.S. need to take this as a pregnancy aid.
Women should not rely solely on folate lemons, as their contents are not high enough, and most may not enjoy eating raw lemons. Some other folate sources include:
- spinach
- breakfast cereals
- avocado
- wheat germ
- white bread
Since January 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has mandated the enriched bread, flour, cereals, pasta, rice, and other grain manufacturers to improve their products with 140 mcg folate.
Alongside other folate-rich foods, lemon can help pregnant women meet their daily needs for folate.
Risks
Although the use of lemon during pregnancy is generally safe, there are some risks linked to excessive consumption. These are described in more detail in the Sections below.
Tooth erosion
Those who eat lots of citrus fruit run the risk of damaging their teeth. Furthermore, pregnancy will make women more vulnerable to dental problems, including parodontal disease and cavities.
In one case study, dentists in a 30-year-old woman reported severe enamel erosion. She reported several times a day drinking the lemon juice and water, usually after meals.
Dentists say that dentin loss can occur as a result of high citric acid chemical trauma, changes in saliva acidity, and excessive use of whitening agents.
Of the most popular citrus fruits, lemon and lime juice have more citric acid than grapefruit and orange juice. Although these juices provide plenty of healthful nutrients, pregnant women should consume them in moderation to protect their teeth.
Sugar content in lemonade
Many people might not like fresh lemon juice, and choose lemonade instead. Lemonade has sugar in it to enhance the flavor. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people keep their sugar intake below 10 per cent of their daily calories.
Doctors recommend healthy diets and practices to promote a healthy pregnancy. Department of Agriculture of the United States has a web site to help pregnant women learn how to make healthy food choices.
Heartburn
Some pregnant women may experience frequent heartburn. Doctors suggest several methods for reducing this effect during pregnancy. These may include:
- eating smaller and more frequent meals
- not lying down right after eating
- avoiding foods that aggravate heartburn symptoms
Lemons are high in citric acid, which can exacerbate symptoms of heartburn in some pregnant women. Every person can find different foods can cause heartburn. Those foods may or may not contain higher acid levels.
People should not automatically assume that their symptoms will get worse with highly acidic foods. Doctors then recommend that people take note of which foods aggravate their symptoms and prevent pain.
Different forms
There are many different ways people can eat lemon.
While some people eat or add raw lemons to beverages, others may mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with water, and drink it warmly. Some people drink the fresh juice from lemon. Lemonade also includes lemons but can also have a high sugar content.
In aromatherapy some people have used essential lemon oil for inhalation.
Summary
Lemon consumption during pregnancy will help relieve nausea and vomiting, and is generally a safe choice. However, women who wish to treat the symptoms of pregnancy with lemon should first speak with their healthcare provider.
People can eat lemon in the mixtures of tea, water and lemon, and fresh lemon juice. Not everyone enjoys the lemonade’s highly acidic taste, so they may add sugar and calories to improve their taste.
Consideration of which is the healthiest option to add to a pregnancy diet is significant.
Despite the fact that lemons are safe to eat during pregnancy, excessive consumption can pose some risks. The high acidity for example can damage the teeth and aggravate heartburn. Therefore, pregnant women should eat the lemons in moderation.
