Heartburn During Pregnancy

Heartburn is caused by the uterus pushing against the stomach, forcing acid into the oesophagus.

Here are a few points to keep in mind while planning a diet for yourself.

• Lemonade or ‘nimbu paani’ with honey makes a refreshing drink at any time of the day.

• Try eating small but frequent meals. Do not be on an empty stomach for long.

• You can have fruit juices, but sip slowly.

• Ginger, a versatile flavouring agent, is very healthy and beneficial, too. Then there is aniseed (saunf), which is a great refresher, but too much of it may lead to constipation. Indian gooseberry (amla) could also be useful.

• You will have to curb your spice intake since spicy foodstuff react with the stomach lining, thus adding to your discomfort.

• Avoid sour creams and curds as they may cause heartburn.

• Mint (pudina) in all its forms is very healthy. Try homemade mint chutney, it tastes great with anything. You could have refreshing mint tea or add it to lemonade. Make a rejuvenating concoction of mint tea and ajjwain and have it twice or thrice a day.

• Honey is an excellent sweetener, so avoid white sugar as much as possible.

• Roasted cumin seeds (shikanjvi or bhunha zeera) acts as a diegstive.

• Have plenty of sprouts as they are high in protein and take care of your energy levels.

• Your intake of raw food should be high so that you get enough roughage.

• If you are fond of jams, try to make your own at home. Indian gooseberry makes for a mouth-watering jam. Children too will enjoy it.

• As you grow older, try to avoid tomatoes as its seeds invariably filter into the gall bladder to form stones. But if have to have tomatoes, take care to deseed them.

• Try and eat wholewheat bread as this creates roughage. Bread made from corn flour (maida) leads to constipation.

• Eat plenty of fermented foods like idli as yeast, with its high levels of vitamin B, is good for the digestive system. You could also try fermented flour (khameera).

• Cucumber is a good source for fluids. But it may not suit everybody. Check with your doctor before taking it in large amounts.

• Shift to soyabean milk and tofu.

• Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamins and minerals. You can make a porridge (kheer) from them or make a salad after roasting them.

• Bananas may not be too healthy as they can cause constipation.