Capers, as a rule, have many health benefits, such as, they can help fight diabetes, arthritis, paralysis, amnesia, fungal infections, chest congestion, worms in the intestines, and a skin disease caused by parasites called leishmaniasis. Capers are also used as an ingredient in tonics. The juice of capers can also be differently applied on the skin to reduce itchiness and to moisturize. Some people believe that regular application of capers can help increase blood flow under the skin. Capers are also believed to have potentially anti oxidant properties. Lets find out what are capers.

What are Capers?

Capers are immature flower buds of Capparis Spinosa plant. The herb is native to the Mediterranean. The capers are small pea buds of a flower and taste very similar to lemons. You can add the grass to pickles and or use them as a substitute for salt while cooking fish; capers are mostly used along with other ingredients in a dish, to enhance the flavor.

One would expect that these properties of capers would make it safe to consume them during pregnancy. We cannot tell for sure if that is the case, however, since capers are believed to have blood thinning properties, which may prove extremely harmful for someone going through something like, say, a surgery. Therefore, consumption of capers isn’t completely safe.

There is no concrete evidence as to whether or not capers should be consumed during pregnancy. But there are some qualities in capers that might benefit pregnant women, such as:

What are Capers? Benefits and Side Effects of Capers During Pregnancy

Capers strengthen bones

As we know, pregnancy demands a lot from a woman’s body. One of them is from her bones, while constantly carrying the weight of her newly forming baby in her womb. This could lead to some bone problems for women, especially in the spinal cord. Capers are known to possess minerals such as calcium, iron, copper, and sodium. A good intake of calcium and iron helps strengthen your bones and promotes the appropriate development of bones of the fetus. Copper helps in the production of enzymes that promote the smooth functioning of your body processes. Also, iron boosts your hemoglobin count and prevents the risk of development of anemia during pregnancy.

Treat stomach cramps and indigestion

A woman could have to face a lot of stomach issues during the course of her pregnancy. Cramps are almost routine. Flatulence, constipation and indigestion are some other stomach issues that become regular when you are pregnant. Caper is an effective solution for treating flatulence, constipation, and stomach cramps while expecting. Capers contain good amounts of fiber that promote smooth bowel movements and prevent constipation troubles.

Capers prevent cancer

Vitamin A, rutin, quercetin, and the antioxidant content in the capers neutralize the free radical activity in your body and prevent the development of several cancers during pregnancy. Rutin increases the circulation of blood and minimizes the strain on your blood vessels

Capers improve skin

A lot of women are greatly concerned about developing stretch marks on their skin during pregnancy. Stretch marks are a common skin condition in pregnant women, especially around the stomach and hip area. Dry skin is more prone to stretch marks. One way to combat dryness of the skin is by consuming capers. They can moisturize the skin effectively and help treat several skin disorders such as skin inflammation, pimples, irritation, and redness.

Source of energy

Of course, all pregnant women need a little more energy than normal simply because of how taxing a pregnancy is, on the woman’s body. Capers can be unbelievably helpful there: they are a good source of energy.

Fights Anemia

The caper has large quantities of iron present in it. Consumption of iron is very essential to pregnant women, since it will increase their haemoglobin count and also prevent anemia. It is necessary for a pregnant woman to be all stocked up on iron because pregnancy can be quite draining, and the body needs to be constantly replenished in its nutrients.

Control blood cholesterol

Capers have high contents of Niacin, a component which helps bring down and control blood cholesterol count. This could be helpful to pregnant women since high cholesterol can lead to a lot of complications such as high blood pressure, heart complications, etc.

Improve Blood Flow

Capers are said to improve blood flow in the body. Increased blood flow means better functioning of all organs, reduced stress, better skin and overall smooth functioning of the whole body. Better blood flow also reduces the risk of contracting cardio vascular diseases.

Side Effects of Capers during Pregnancy

However, capers also bring with them some risks, such as:

• Excessive consumption of capers could lead to several pregnancy complications, such as miscarriage, bleeding, pre-labour cramps, and skin rash.
• Capers are said to contain blood thinning agents. These could severely complicate matters during a surgery, such as a caesarean surgery.
• Capers are rich sources of sodium. Excessive sodium content in the body could lead to osteoporosis in women, and also can have an effect on increasing the blood pressure.

Hence, the take away from all this is that capers are safe to consume during pregnancy, but only if taken in moderate amounts. Excessive consumption of capers could lead to all sorts of complications. Therefore, you must always exercise caution while consuming capers. In case of allergic reactions or feeling uneasy, please consult a doctor immediately.

References:

https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-727/capers