Whether you’re pregnant or not, you’ve heard that expectant mothers are likely to crave some strange foods (and even non-foods) and flavor combinations.
If you’re craving the fire of a finely-crafted hot sauce, it’s actually not that unusual. Many women who don’t usually enjoy spicy foods develop a desire for them when they’re pregnant. (Keep in mind that we have no idea who these fire-resistant women are; they may actually be a myth as we’ve never met one.)
Moreover, those who regularly indulge in fire and spice find themselves cranking up the intensity while pregnant.
So, you’re not alone, but what’s really happening?
Why are you suddenly craving super hot sauces?
When you’re pregnant, your hormones go on an extended roller coaster ride, hitting all sorts of extremes with plenty of lunch-losing moments mixed in the middle. This affects everything, including your sense of smell and taste.
And, you’ll probably bounce between trying to keep something, anything in and exploring foods you’ve never enjoyed and eagerly walked away from in the past.
On top of that, things you’ve always enjoyed eating (usually the guilty pleasures like greasy tacos) will become a primary focus in your dining desires. So, if you already like hot and spicy foods, expect your cravings to climb to new heights.
It’s burning me; is my baby sweating too?
The big question, though, is whether your love of hot sauces is harming your baby.
It’s a perfectly logical question since you’ve already resigned yourself to (what feels like a lifetime of) not drinking coffee and cocktails and all sorts of delicious vices. Why wouldn’t hot sauce fall into these categories?
Thankfully, it doesn’t. In fact, there’s some evidence to suggest that what you eat now opens your child’s eagerness to try and adapt to new foods later on. So, if you’re a hot sauce addict and you hope that you can serve up spicy dishes in the future, then go to town.
Unlike coffee and wine, there’s nothing in hot sauce that can compromise your baby’s development. Capsaicin, the compound that makes you feel like you’re on fire, isn’t dangerous – and it only interacts with the pain sensors just underneath the top layer of your skin and mouth. Once it travels beyond that, you’re not going to find those receptors, so it’s not as if your baby is sweating and dancing around the room as you are.
Ignore the belief that hot sauce fire will hurry your labor
And, in case you’re wondering, that bit about eating spicy foods forcing you into preterm labor is all a bunch of bologna. It’s not going to happen. For as many things as hot sauces can do, this isn’t one of them.
That said, if you’ve been laying off the hot sauce because of this rumor or some undefinable fear and then you suddenly launch back into it, you may find it upsets your digestion a little. When you shake your system, and you’re close to labor already, you may just find that the sudden urge to use the bathroom turns into a trip to the delivery ward.
But, as we’ve pointed out before, you shouldn’t treat our words as medical advice. We are, after all, only hot sauce manufacturers. We aren’t doctors, and you should totally consult yours before switching up your diet or if you have concerns about what you’re already doing.
When you’ve got the green light on hot sauces, go for it. Why not?
Ready to fulfill your cravings?
Mad Dog hot sauces won’t leave you wanting. Well, they might leave you wanting more. So, don’t stop at a single bottle; try a few flavors. You might find one that blows your mind while you scratch that itch.