Pregnancy brings along with it many changes, both inside and outside a woman’s body. The food cravings that a pregnant woman experiences during pregnancy are spurred by hormones, as they play a major role in developing the baby inside the mother and in keeping the mother healthy.
With all those hormones circulating in the body, women require a properly balanced diet to maintain proper health to get them through their nine months of pregnancy. The unusual craving of foods during pregnancy can be harsh on the stomach and the digestive system on the whole. Being on a heartburn-easing diet, it is necessary to be aware of foods that harm the inner lining of the stomach and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) leading to acid reflux.

Here are some foods that women should avoid to prevent heartburn during pregnancy:

• Coffee– Pregnant women on a heartburn-easing diet should avoid beverages and foods containing caffeine. Coffee is one of those food products that contain a considerable amount of caffeine. With acid reflux, coffee has been known to be a natural diarrheic for pregnant women.
• Citrus fruits– Fruits such as orange, pineapple, grapefruit, etc. are known to be acidic. Consuming citric fruits, especially during pregnancy, can cause of a lot of discomfort and irritation of the digestive tract leading to heartburn. This is because it increases the acidity in the stomach and relaxes the LES at the same time which might lead to acid reflux.
• Soda or aerated water– Both soda and aerated water are major beverages to be avoided when following a heartburn-easing diet. The carbonic acid present in aerated drinks harms the inner lining of the stomach which can cause heartburn due to acid reflux.
• Peppermint– Although peppermint appears to be a harmless food product, it tends to relax the LES present in the esophagus. A relaxed sphincter is unable to stop the backflow of stomach acid in the event of a acid reflux which in turn may cause heartburn. Thus, pregnant women on a heartburn-easing diet should avoid food products containing peppermint.
• Spicy foods– Pregnant women must try having non-spicy food preparations of foods, as ingredients such as chilies and pepper are a major cause of heartburn. Having large portions of spicy foods puts an immense pressure on the LES leading to bouts of acid reflux after a spicy meal.
• Garlic– While garlic is known to lower the risk of catching bacterial and fungal infections, heart diseases, and cancer, it can cause indigestion during pregnancy. Thus, in a heartburn-easing diet, avoid food products containing too much garlic, as the fructans cannot be digested properly during pregnancy. This can eventually cause acid reflux.
• Cheese– It is necessary for pregnant women to nourish their bodies with healthy food for the proper development of the baby in the womb. At the same time, going overboard on food products such as cheese can increase the gastric and acidic activity, leading to symptoms such as heartburn. Fats present in cheese take longer to digest, which increases the pressure on the esophageal sphincter.

It is necessary for pregnant women to consult their gynecologist regarding what diet to follow. As the doctor would be better able at recommending a heartburn-easing diet and food products based on the pregnant woman’s overall health condition.