Pregnancy nausea and vomiting, commonly known as morning sickness, affects around 70-80% of all pregnant women to some degree. While it's called "morning sickness," nausea can strike any time of the day or night. The exact causes are not fully known, but it's thought to be related to the increase in pregnancy hormones like estrogen and hCG.
Though uncomfortable, some nausea is normal and usually signifies a healthy pregnancy. But if it becomes excessive, leading to dehydration and weight loss, it may develop into a condition called hyperemesis gravidarum. This requires medical treatment.
If regular nausea is putting a damper on your pregnancy experience, know that you don’t have just to grit your teeth and bear it. There are several natural food remedies that can help provide relief by settling the stomach and curbing nausea episodes.
Helpful Foods to Eat For Nausea During Pregnancy
Ginger
This common root is one of the most studied and proven natural remedies for pregnancy nausea. Ginger contains compounds like gingerol and shogaol that aid digestion and relax the stomach. Try sipping on ginger tea or ginger ale (the real stuff made with ginger), or even nibbling on ginger candies.
Lemon
The refreshing, citrusy scent of lemons can help relieve nausea. Suck on some lemon wedges, add lemon slices to water, or sip on diluted lemon juice mixed with a little honey or mint. Avoid large amounts of citrus, though, as the high acidity may irritate an upset stomach.
Mint
Speaking of mint, this cooling herb can instantly freshen nasty tastes in the mouth and soothe the gastric lining. Mint tea, especially peppermint, is a good choice. Or sprinkle mint leaves into fruit salads, smoothies, or lemon water.
Bland Carbs
Foods made with white bread, rice, crackers, and oatmeal can help absorb stomach acid and ease nausea. They are easy on the stomach and provide calories and carbs when you have a low appetite. Avoid spicy, greasy, or acidic foods that may trigger nausea.
Cold Foods
Hot foods can exacerbate nausea with their strong smells. Focus on chilled foods like salads, soups, yogurt, and refreshing smoothies that are less aromatic.
Protein
Getting adequate protein is crucial during pregnancy. When nauseated, poultry, white fish, nuts, eggs, and Greek yogurt are good options that are lower in aromatics and easier to digest.
Frequent Small Meals
Don't let yourself get overly hungry, as an empty stomach can make nausea worse. Eat smaller, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day. Keeping something in your stomach can alleviate that queasy feeling.
Probiotic Foods
Probiotics may help ease nausea by balancing gut bacteria and aiding digestion. Get your dose from yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut and other fermented foods.
Fruit
Most women find that watermelon, cantaloupe, grapes, apples, and pears are fruits that appeal when nauseated. Their high water content is refreshing. Avoid citrus, though, if highly acidic foods disagree with you.
Water
Dehydration from vomiting, low fluid intake, or frequent urination makes nausea worse. Get plenty of fluids by sipping water, herbal tea, broth, or adding fruit to your water.
All-Natural Nausea Relief Tincture
Another option to help with your nausea is a natural nausea relief tincture. Ginfort® and Dandelion Root Extract work together to give you nausea relief.. Ginfort® delivers the highest available gingeroid polyphenol content, at 26% total gingerols and shogaols, on the backdrop of cutting-edge clinical and safety data.
While none of these food remedies are guaranteed miracle cures, they provide natural ways to help fight the unpleasantness of pregnancy nausea. Be sure to get rest, avoid strong food odors, eat small frequent meals, and stay hydrated. Speak to your doctor if nausea is impacting your daily life. But otherwise, take comfort that nausea usually resolves itself by week 14. You’ll be feeling yourself again and able to enjoy food before you know it!