Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan is Bollywood’s “yummy mummy”. Well into the second trimester of her pregnancy, the 40-year-old is trying to stay all healthy. You will be surprised to know that when she was pregnant with little Taimur, her pregnancy cravings were healthy. While she loves to snack at intervals, like most women, Kareena had not so usual bitter cravings.
In an interview, the actress spoke at length of the way cravings ruled her diet when she was expecting Taimur:
“I’m constantly craving a lot of karelas, which is quite… very different. I really like the taste, I enjoy the taste. Everyone says to add a little sugar to it and the bitterness goes, but I don’t like that. I like that it has a bitter, pungent taste to it. It’s something that I enjoy. And it’s extremely rich in iron, and it’s got so many benefits in it. I’m enjoying all the vegetables – today’s lunch was lauki mutter.
What pregnancy cravings tell you:
Karela, though one of the healthiest vegetables out there, does not exactly make for a pregnancy craving. However, the craving for bitter foods is not bad. They arise when your hormones act up and denote a growing need to fill up the baby’s nutritional needs. Some cravings might also affect your sense of smell and taste. That’s the same reason why craving for a certain food is liked by one woman but can make another pregnant woman nauseous.
Why bitter foods?
Asking for bitter foods could be your body’s way to act down on hormonal disruptions, control cholesterol, or aid a slowed down digestive process. Craving for sour foods can also signify the same. Sometimes, a sudden craving for bitter food could also mean the body’s natural way of balancing out excess sweet cravings which you might have had, in the earlier months of pregnancy.
It is also important to understand that craving for “healthy stuff” including leafy greens and bitter foods such as bitter gourd, also supply sufficient nutrients and minerals needed for a growing baby. Hence, they might be one of the healthiest cravings of all.
Is it safe to have it:
Yes, karela is loaded with rich antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, which cover up almost any nutritional deficiencies and health problems, like it slow down the rising blood sugar levels. Other bitter foods such as leafy greens, herbs also contain vitamins like A, B, C, and K and aid bile secretion.
Bitter foods and green are healthy, but they must be consumed in moderation for a safer choice. For a healthy pregnancy, a woman must be dependent on a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, etc.
