Can you eat asparagus while pregnant or breastfeeding? This is one of the many questions that can come to mind as a pregnant woman. Frankly, it is such a good question to ask.
Just like onions and garlic, not everyone likes asparagus. But if you are someone that likes it, chances are that you can’t make a meal without it. I like asparagus a lot, and I use them for ninety percent of my meals. It is so nutritious, and I love its unique taste – I just like what it does to my meals.
So, it was only natural for me to have concerns about whether I could eat asparagus while pregnant. I wanted the best for my baby and didn’t want my guilty pleasure to put him in harm’s way. This article discusses all you need to know and if you can eat asparagus while pregnant.
Can You Eat Asparagus While Pregnant?
What is Asparagus?
Asparagus is a tasty vegetable that belongs to the lily family of flowering plants. The edible part of the plant is the shoot (also referred to as the stalks).
It is in the same class as garlic, onions, and leeks – but many people consider it to be more delicious. It is also very nutritious and colorful – it comes in purple, green, or white, depending on the variant.
Also, it is important for you to note that asparagus is a spring vegetable – usually available between the months of April and July. So, it is always a timely addition to all your seasonal dishes. However, it is often preserved and thus, available in supermarkets and stores all year round.
Can You Eat Asparagus While Pregnant?
Yes, you can have asparagus while pregnant or breastfeeding – it is 100 percent safe for both mother and baby. But before you jump in excitement and shoot a fist bump into the air to celebrate your triumph – hold on!
Apart from the fact that it is not advisable to eat too much asparagus while pregnant, there are a few other concerns you need to consider.
Below, we have highlighted the two major concerns you may need to consider if you consider eating asparagus while pregnant. If you have nothing against these concerns, then you are free to continue enjoying your delicious and healthy vegetable.
2 Things to Consider Before Eating Asparagus While Pregnant
1. It Will Affect the Flavor of Your Breast Milk
If you plan on eating asparagus while pregnant, chances are that you will continue eating it when you begin breastfeeding duties. Asparagus has a strong tendency to change the flavor of your breast milk. While this may not be a big concern for you, your baby may not like it. If they don’t, they will not enjoy breastfeeding as much as they should. As you know, this could be a big concern.
2. It Would Cause Your Baby to Gas
There are concerns as to whether a baby can actually get gas directly from the mother – whether during pregnancy or breastfeeding. But multiple reports trace extra gas in babies to the mother eating too much asparagus. If you don’t want your baby to be termed a ‘gas baby’, then you may have to consider eating too much asparagus. This is funny, right? Yes, I totally agree.
READ ALSO: Best Foods to Eat While Breastfeeding a Gassy Baby
Is Asparagus Good For Pregnancy?
Asparagus is super good for pregnancy – and in all other times of your life. This is because the vegetable is very nutritious and has a lot of healthy benefits.
Apart from the fact that asparagus does not contain calories or fats, it is super loaded with vitamins that your body needs – especially during pregnancy. The vitamins and nutrients that asparagus provide are perfect for a growing baby in the uterus.
Health Benefits of Asparagus While Pregnant
What are the health benefits of asparagus during pregnancy? Well, there are a lot of benefits for you and your unborn baby when you include asparagus in your diet during pregnancy? We have highlighted them below for your information. Check them out!
4 Major Health Benefits of Eating Asparagus While Pregnant
1. It Contains Vitamin K
Not many vegetables and food offer this vitamin, but it is very important and essential for both the pregnant woman and her unborn child. In addition to this, Vitamin K is responsible for blood clotting. So, it prevents excessive bleeding in the woman during labour and delivery. As you already know – or should, Vitamin K is one of the essential vitamins administered during the birth of a newborn baby.
However, Vitamin K is one of the few nutrients that don’t stay in the human body. So, if you plan to gain Vitamin K from asparagus, then you have to consider including it in your everyday diet.
2. It Contains Folate
Folate is one of the essential nutrients needed in pregnancy. Medical experts say it is important in the development of the neural tube in babies. Folate is the component of folic acid. Folate in the system helps to prevent neural tube disorder in babies like spina bifida.
It will interest you to know that one cup of asparagus contains as much as 268 micrograms of folate. This is about 68 percent of your normal daily recommended consumption of folate.
3. It Contains Calcium
Although asparagus contains very little amount of calcium, you will agree that you need all the calcium you can get during pregnancy. An average cup of asparagus contains about 40 milligrams of calcium. You will agree that this will go a long way in developing your baby’s bones and teeth.
4. It Contains Fiber
One of the numerous benefits of asparagus is that it is rich in fiber. This enables easy passage of stool. When you are pregnant, you will agree that the last thing you need is some difficulty in the toilet. Adding a good dose of asparagus saves you all the trouble of spending more time than you need to in the restroom. You may think this is not a lot, but trust me when I say it is.
Can You Eat Asparagus While Pregnant?
The answer is yes! You can continue enjoying your delicious and healthy asparagus during pregnancy. However, like every other food or drink, you should consider taking it in moderation.
Also, if you are new to asparagus or have concerns about eating it during pregnancy, you should speak to your medical adviser. It would be best if you considered always getting approval from your medical and health adviser before you eat or drink something new while pregnant.
FAQ – Can You Eat Asparagus While Pregnant?
Question 1: Is Asparagus Safe to Eat During Pregnancy?
Yes, asparagus is one hundred percent safe to eat while pregnant or during breastfeeding. Not only is it delicious, but it is also very nutritional and contains many important vitamins.
However, it would be best if you were considering eating asparagus in moderation. Also, if you are new to this vegetable, you should ask your doctor if the vegetable is good for you, for obvious reasons.
Question 2: Can Pregnant Women Eat Asparagus?
Yes, a pregnant woman can eat asparagus. However, we always advise that you check with your doctor before eating or drinking anything new during pregnancy. This is just to be sure that you do not have any allergies or would have any reactions you weren’t aware of.
Question 3: Can You Eat Asparagus While Breastfeeding?
You can enjoy your delicious and nutritious asparagus while pregnant. However, you have to consider the side effects of eating asparagus while breastfeeding. There are reports that say eating asparagus while breastfeeding can change the taste of your breast milk.
This could make your baby not like breastfeeding due to the strong asparagus flavour. Also, it could make your baby gas more often than usual.
Question 4: Why Should You Avoid Asparagus?
Asparagus belongs to the same family as leeks, onions, and garlic. So, you should avoid it if you are allergic to any of the aforementioned in order to be on the safer side.
You should also avoid eating asparagus in public places where you do not trust their attention to detail. Asparagus should be washed properly because they are known to house more bacteria than other vegetables. So ensure that you scrub the asparagus very well before eating to avoid any chances of contracting listeria infections.
Question 5: What Happens If You Eat Too Much Asparagus?
There are not many side effects associated with eating too much asparagus. But it may become unpleasant if you eat it too much during your pregnancy phase.
You can also experience a lot of gas when you eat too much asparagus. This is because it contains fiber and raffinose – an enzyme that makes people gas more than usual. So, you should consider this before eating too much asparagus.
There are also reports that eating too much asparagus will make your urine smell more than usual. This is a result of the sulfurous acid contained in the vegetable. People who consume a lot of asparagus often experience a bad odour when they urinate. As you know, smell is one thing that offsets pregnant women easily and often causes them to want to throw up. So, considering all these, it is advisable to reduce your intake of asparagus during pregnancy.