Suffering from morning sickness? Here are 5 foods that can instantly soothe your nausea

Even when you don't feel like eating anything

Trine Jensen-Burke

Suffering from morning sickness? Here are 5 foods that can instantly soothe your nausea

Still suffering from the dreaded morning sickness?

You have our deepest sympathy – those first few weeks of pregnancy can be a rough start, for sure.

However, much as we know you probably don’t feel like eating a thing, it is worth being aware that there are, in fact, foods that are scientifically proven to soothe your stomach.

So hang on in there, you are doing great – and if you can’t stomach much else, these five could be worth a shot anyway:

1. Apples

Apples contain fibre, which actually helps you rid your body of toxins faster.

This is what nutritionist Erin Palinski-Wade, author of Belly Fat for Dummies, has to say:

“Fibre slows down digestion, so it’s possible that the slowing of the intestinal transit may help ease digestion and relieve nausea.

2. Crackers

You might know that this works already, but were you aware that there is actually a scientific reason why we reach for crackers when we feel a little sickly?

The secret is that crackers are high in starch—similar to toast or pretzels—which helps absorb stomach acids and calm your digestive system. And the fact that they taste and smell very little is a bonus too:

“The bland nature of a cracker helps to satisfy hunger (excessive hunger can exasperate nausea) without the strong smells or tastes that may increase nausea,” Palinski-Wade says.

3. Mint

Mint is a suggested food for nausea because it helps bile flow through our digestive system, making all the processes in our stomach work better at the same time (you can actually just chew on some fresh mint leaves if you want).

And it can help in others ways too, apparently. If you’re not quite up for eating or drinking anything, aromatherapy using mint essential oils may help, too.

4. Lemon

The fresh scent of lemon has helped many a nauseas mama-to-be get through the day. The main reason for lemon working is that they help clear you body of toxins – and you can enjoy them whatever way you like, a wedge in your tea, lemonade, or even just sniff one if you’re not hungry.

5. Chicken broth

Much as eating might not be what you feel like doing when you feel sick, some experts claim filling your stomach with something actually helps.

In that instance, chicken broth might be a good option, says Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, medical director of the digestive health centre at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago.