It's not uncommon for women to experience nausea and vomiting during the first part of their pregnancy, but when symptoms are extreme and long lasting, it's a sign you may have a more serious condition. Being diagnosed with hyperemesis gravidarum, or HG, means that it's going to be rough ride, especially around mealtimes. The first thing you'll want to know is what foods won't make me throw up if I have hyperemesis? Because going nine months without eating just isn't an option.
The struggle is real for women with HG — suffering from this pregnancy-induced illness makes it hard to find foods to keep down. Fueling your body with what it needs isn't easy when almost everything makes you run for the toilet. As the Hyperemesis Education and Research Foundation suggested, you should aim for a foods that provide iron, B12, folic acid, zinc, copper, magnesium, and protein. However, bland foods tend to work best at kicking vomiting to the curb. So what can you eat that won't make you sick but still allow you to pack in some of those nutrients?
Although everyone is different — and will have a different preference for foods — there are some general guidelines that can point you in the direction of good food choices for HG. The next time you reach for a snack or meal, consider the following options to help stop the vomiting.
1Raisins
There are some iron-rich foods that are mild enough to keep down if you have HG. According to Mayo Clinic, good options for downing some iron include iron-fortified cereals, raisins, apricots, beans, and peas. These are just bland enough to help you keep from throwing up.
2Chicken
Making sure you're getting enough of this vitamin can be tricky when struggling with nausea and vomiting since most of the food sources with the highest concentration of B12 is found in fish. However, roasted or baked chicken will do the trick, as will eggs prepared any way, according to Good Housekeeping magazine.
3Bread
According to the American Pregnancy Association, "folic acid is used to make the extra blood your body needs during pregnancy." Thankfully, there are a good number of bland foods that can give you a does of folic acid, such as bread, cereal, rice, pasta, and fruit juices. These comforting carbs will be your best friends with enduring HG.
4Chicpease
When you feel like a snack, try one that is oozing with zinc. Grab for some easy to tolerate cashews, chickpeas, and oatmeal — all loaded with zinc, according to Health magazine.
5Walnuts
Copper is a key mineral for any diet, and can be found in lentils, walnuts, and sunflower seeds, according to the World's Healthiest Foods foundation. These are mild options that are great to include in your rotation of foods in your Hyperemeisis diet.
6Avaocado
To make sure you're getting all the goodness of magnesium, pile your plate with edamame, bananas, yogurt, and avocados — all of which are bursting with this important vitamin, according to Everyday Health.
7Quinoa
Since protein sources such as meats and cheeses are likely to send you running to puke, sticking with less intense flavor choices will be your best bet. To keep your HG in check, Health magazine recommended some great non-dairy and meatless protein sources. Try some quinoa, nut butters, chia seeds, and non-dairy milks (such as soy milk) when making a meal, and you'll be more likely to keep your protein down.
