Mom-To-Be Karishma Tanna Asks If Papaya Is Safe During Pregnancy, Nutritionist Busts Common Myth

A pregnant woman is often bombarded with advice, some unsolicited, others helpful. In today's age, it's not just older women at home and in the neighbourhood, but also social media that constantly keeps telling mothers-to-be what they should and should not eat.

Karishma Tanna, who is expecting to welcome her first child in August 2026, recently appeared on nutritionist Shweta Shah's podcast and talked about what pregnant women can actually eat, how much they should eat, and the supplements that they must incorporate into their everyday lives.

Karishma Tanna Asks If Papaya Is Safe During Pregnancy

For the longest time, people have believed that papaya is unsafe during pregnancy. In fact, you will come across people claiming, online and offline, that the tropical fruit can lead to miscarriage.

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Setting the record straight, the nutritionist said, "It is really very safe."

Laughing, she added that it's a myth that became accepted as truth in India because of bad PR. "The whole idea was behind raw papaya."

She said that, much like Chinese whispers, the advice must have begun with raw papaya being unsafe during pregnancy. However, with time, people omitted 'raw' and made the fruit a villain during pregnancy.

Raw papaya has latex, a liquid that contracts the uterus. Hence, it can lead to complications during pregnancy. Therefore, the nutritionist added that mothers-to-be are advised not to have it. "However, as the papaya ripens, the amount of latex goes down significantly. It cannot harm an expecting mother. You should actually eat papaya," she told Karishma. 

"It gives you beta-carotene," she said, adding that it can help pregnant women deal with constipation. It can naturally help them regulate bowel movements, a problem many expecting mothers complain about.

Karishma Tanna Was Told She Could Not Have Banana

During this segment, Karishma Tanna shared that she used to love bananas, but she saw on Instagram that pregnant women should not have them. Therefore, she stopped eating them after conceiving.

However, the nutritionist busted another myth and advised her to have bananas. "Expecting mothers who are anxious, please have bananas. It is very important. One banana a day. Kabhi bhi anxious ho, ek banana kha lo [Whenever you are anxious, eat a banana]. But sprinkle a little bit of cardamom powder, which will act as an antidote," Shweta Shah advised. She added that people should consider the weather and modify their consumption of bananas accordingly.

Pregnancy is a time when nutrition is of the utmost importance for the mother-to-be and the developing foetus. Social media and neighbourhood aunties are not a verified source of information on what to eat and what to skip. Your best bet is a nutritionist or your doctor, who will guide you, make you feel comfortable, and ensure your meals are both nutritious and satisfying.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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