Is Eating Capsicum during Pregnancy Safe?

Adopting a healthy, nutritious, and well-balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables is widely recommended when you get pregnant. Green vegetables like capsicum during pregnancy should be included, as they contain many vitamins and minerals essential to a foetus’s proper growth and development. Capsicum, or bell pepper, is one such green veggie!

So, the question is, “Is capsicum good for pregnancy?” There are plenty of benefits to eating green capsicum during pregnancy. Including capsicum in your diet is a great way to maintain your health throughout the nine months. Read below to learn more about the benefits of eating capsicum during pregnancy!

Can You Eat Capsicum During Pregnancy?

Capsicum is a healthy vegetable you can consume anywhere in life. It has many benefits during pregnancy, particularly its vitamin C content (1). However, it should be eaten in the right form and quantity. Do not eat too much.

Nutritional Value of Capsicum

Capsicum is generally used in our cuisine to elevate flavour or enhance the visual appeal of the plate. But there is a lot more to it! Capsicum contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals necessary for our body.

If you want to consume bell peppers during pregnancy, here are some things you should know. The nutritional constitution in 100g of capsicum is distributed as follows (2):

Source: IFCT 2017

Benefits of Eating Capsicum During Pregnancy

Capsicums are available in multiple colours (yellow, red, green), and each type offers specific benefits during pregnancy. Here are the benefits of bell peppers during pregnancy with each type:

1. Red Capsicum

Eating red capsicum during pregnancy in the first trimester is massively beneficial since it contains cancer-preventive properties due to the beta-cryptoxanthin content (3).

2. Green Capsicum

Green capsicum is highly recommended for women due to the presence of natural silicon in it, which keeps the nails and hair healthy during pregnancy (4).

3. Yellow/Orange Capsicum

Lutein and zeaxanthin are relatively high in yellow/orange capsicum (5). They help combat free radicals and boost the immune system during pregnancy.

Side Effects of Excessive Consumption of Capsicum While Pregnant

Although eating capsicum is beneficial during pregnancy, it may harm the mother-to-be and the baby in certain conditions.

Capsicum contains numerous seeds, strongly triggering allergies in a person with a pre-existing allergy (6). These can result in rashes on the body or excessive sneezing, which may not be safe during pregnancy. Similarly, consuming a lot of capsicum can upset the stomach, causing frequent stools or indigestion.

New mothers are strongly advised to limit their consumption of capsicum while breastfeeding since it can make breast milk spicy for the child (7). Similarly, it is best to stop eating capsicum a couple of weeks before delivery since it can thin the blood and may result in excessive bleeding during childbirth (8).

How to Choose the Right Capsicum & Store It?

When purchasing capsicums from the market, opt for firm ones with evenly coloured skin that is smooth and spotless. Do not buy capsicums that look dry or wrinkled. Wash the capsicums well before use or storage, and try your best to use them when fresh.

Tips to Cook Capsicum During Pregnancy

Capsicum has nutritional benefits that are essential during pregnancy. Here are some ways you can cook capsicum to make the most of its nutrition:

1. Raw

You can eat capsicum raw and add it to salads. However, it should be washed well and all the seeds removed before adding it to the salad mix.

2. Stir-Fry

Stir-frying is a good way to cook capsicum without losing nutrition. Add it to a stir-fry with other leafy green veggies, onions, carrots, chicken, or other protein and veggies you choose.

3. Stuffed and Oven-Roasted

You can stuff capsicum with other nutritious veggies or flavoured rice and roast it in the oven.

Capsicum Recipes for Pregnant Women

Capsicum can be consumed in various ways during pregnancy and in general. Here are some recipes to help you taste capsicum in all its glory.

1. Capsicum Gravy

Capsicum has a wonderful taste, and this gravy recipe will help you easily make the most of it.

Ingredients

• Fennel seeds
• Cashew nuts
• Turmeric
• Garam masala
• Ginger garlic paste
• Coriander powder
• Chilli powder
• Curd
• Capsicums
• Onions
• Tomatoes

How To Prepare

1. Take the fennel along with the cashew nuts and blend them properly.
2. Take some oil in a pan. Heat it, and add garam masala.
3. Next, add chopped capsicums and onions to the pan and stir them. Once well fried, add ginger garlic paste to the pan and mix well.
4. Finally, pour in the tomato puree and stir the gravy well. Allow to cook in the pan for 3-5 minutes.
5. Once done, pour some water into it and add the rest of the spices, cashew paste, salt, and other condiments, if necessary. Mix well, and let cook for 15 minutes or so.
6. Turn off the flame once the gravy is prepared and the oil separates. Serve the gravy with roti or rice.

2. Capsicum Masala

A wonderful capsicum masala preparation can give you a real finger-licking experience, which can tickle your taste buds during pregnancy!

Ingredients

• Oil
• Cumin seeds
• Turmeric
• Red chilli powder
• Green chillies
• Tomatoes
• Capsicums
• Coconut

How To Prepare

1. Take some oil in a pan and allow it to heat well.
2. Add green chillies to it, and cook until their colour changes.
3. Next, add chilli powder, cumin seeds, and turmeric, and stir well.
4. Add chopped capsicum and fry.
5. Then add the chopped tomatoes and salt and stir well. Let it cook for a while, adding more condiments as needed.
6. You can add grated coconut if you want.
7. Later, add some water and bring the mixture to a boil.
8. Let the oil separate from the masala. Once that happens, turn off the flame and serve.

FAQs

1. Can I eat seeds of the capsicum during pregnancy?

While the capsicum seeds are generally safe to eat, they can cause or trigger pre-existing allergies. So, it is best to avoid it during pregnancy to avoid any physical duress.

2. Is boiled bell pepper good for pregnant women?

Boiling is the least desirable way to eat bell peppers as it removes the nutrition and gets left back in the water you throw away. However, if you are boiling it in soups or stews, consuming bell peppers boiled in this form is okay.

Consuming capsicums and other vegetables during pregnancy has many advantages for the mother-to-be and the growing baby. Balancing that intake with a diet that provides nutrition can help you stay healthy throughout your pregnancy!

References/Resources:

1. Food & nutrition in pregnancy; The Women’s; https://www.thewomens.org.au/health-information/pregnancy-and-birth/a-healthy-pregnancy/food-nutrition-in-pregnancy

2. Peppers, sweet, green, raw; U.S. Department of Agriculture; https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170427/nutrients

3. The Health Benefits of Red Bell Peppers; Cleveland Clinic; https://health.clevelandclinic.org/red-pepper-benefits; March 2023

4. Kesika, P., Sivamaruthi, B.S., Thangaleela, S., Bharathi, M., and Chaiyasut, C.; Role and Mechanisms of Phytochemicals in Hair Growth and Health; Pharmaceuticals (Basel); https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9963650/;January 2023

5. Mohd Hassan, N., Yusof, N.A., Yahaya, A.F., Mohd Rozali, N.N., and Othman, R.; Carotenoids of Capsicum Fruits: Pigment Profile and Health-Promoting Functional Attributes; Antioxidants (Basel); https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6827103/;October 2019

6. Takei, M., Nin, C., Iizuka, T., et al.; Capsicum Allergy: Involvement of Cap a 7, a New Clinically Relevant Gibberellin-Regulated Protein Cross-Reactive With Cry j 7, the Gibberellin-Regulated Protein From Japanese Cedar Pollen; Allergy Asthma Immunol Res; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9110916/; May 2022

7. Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®) [Internet]; Bethesda (MD): National Institute of Child Health and Human Development; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK501824/; May 2021

8. Ezekiel, J.A., & Oluwole, O.J.; Effects of Capsaicin on Coagulation: Will this be the New Blood Thinner; Clinical Medicine & Research; https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effects-of-Capsaicin-on-Coagulation%3A-Will-this-be-Ezekiel-Oluwole/6ddab7259eec7e61c8d979a8fc3b337aa20178ae; 2014

Also Read: 

Yam while Pregnant
Cabbage during Pregnancy
Eating Cauliflower during Pregnancy
Consuming Drumstick in Pregnancy

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