Is it safe to eat spicy food when pregnant or breastfeeding?

The BabyCenter India editorial team

Our panel of health writers.

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Yes. Experts say that it's fine to eat spicy or hot food while pregnant or breastfeeding.

It's true that a tiny fraction of what you ingest does go into your amniotic fluid and your milk supply, but, it's unlikely that eating spicy food will affect your baby.


It is generally believed that pregnant women should avoid heat-inducing or 'hot' foods during the nine months because during this time, their body heat increases.

It is said that consuming heat-inducing foods and spices would upset the balance and could cause a miscarriage, premature labour or other problems. However, there is not enough evidence to prove this.

If you're breastfeeding, you may be told that some foods cause colic. Oily, salty and spicy foods, such as chaat, aloo tikki, vada, chana bhatura, paani puri, jal jeera, spicy curries and red chillies are the usual ones cited by relatives and friends.

On the other hand, you may be advised to include spices like dry roasted cumin (jeera) seeds as they may increase breastmilk production.

A commonly used traditional remedy to increase lactation and prevent colic is drinking water boiled with carom (ajwain) and fennel (saunf) seeds. A study has shown that the babies of mums who eat garlic (lehsun) tend to feed for a longer time.

So, go by trial and error. Try small portions. If you suffer from heartburn and acidity or your baby does seem to be colicky, then opt for a milder diet.

Be careful when using spices that are sold loose without proper packaging as they may be adulterated. You might like to buy fresh whole spices and grind them at home. Alternatively, you could buy branded masalas, which are ISI-marked and government-approved. Do remember to check the packaging and the expiry dates.

Many women in our part of the world eat spicy food and usually don't make big changes to their diet when they become pregnant or are breastfeeding. The key is to stick to a healthy, varied diet, and avoid foods that make you or your baby feel uncomfortable.

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Last reviewed February 2012

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