Hajmola During Pregnancy- Is It Safe?

Throughout pregnancy, many women experience indigestion and other digestive issues. The pregnant woman’s cravings may urge the mother to eat everything in her sight, yet their stomachs refuse to digest anything, even conventional meals! If you were suffering from severe stomach pain or indigestion, you could have found instant relief by taking a Hajmola. So is hajmola safe to use while pregnant?  What exactly is it?

Pregnancy is the time one should not take any chances. It is, thus important to know the pros and cons of eating hajmola during pregnancy. 

What Is Hajmola?

Hajmola is a blend of traditional Indian herbs and spices that are known to help digestion in a natural way. It is available in the form of a tablet that may be chewed and helps improve digestion after eating a lot of food. It may also help ease stomach pains caused by gas or other digestive issues.

In the beginning, Dabur Hajmola was sold in two different flavors and two different forms: original (normal) and pudina, in the shape of tablets and hard candies. Later, we were able to try new flavors like imli, chatcola, limcola, chatpati hing, anardana, and even amrud. For your convenience, you can get these pills in both sachets and small glass jars. The sachets each contain four pills, while the jars include a total of 120.

Is It Safe To Eat Hajmola During Pregnancy?

Since Hajmola is made up of several natural substances that have many health advantages and are also part of our usual diet, ingesting it once in a while within appropriate limits may be safe during pregnancy.

Still, if you think Hajmola is working or isn’t helping you in the way you wanted, stop taking it and look for another treatment. If you think Hajmola is working, tell your doctor. Pregnancy is not the time to dismiss even minor concerns.

While your body is in this unpredictable state, it is best to remain careful. At the same time, pregnant women shouldn’t eat hajmola every day because it might have flavor enhancers and preservatives that aren’t a very healthy choice during pregnancy.

Hajmola Ingredients: A Rundown

Most of the ingredients in hajmola are used in traditional Indian food to help digestion. A variety of digestive aids work together to help in food digestion, which in turn reduces gas and other digestive discomforts, especially after a big meal.

The following are the key components of hajmola¹.

1. Black Pepper

Black pepper is well known for its antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. Because of the bioactive components they contain, they may be used to treat a broad variety of ailments. It is high in antioxidants, thus reducing the free radicals in the body.

Pepper has anti-inflammatory, and gastro-protective properties too, which can help with many other health issues in the body apart from improving your digestion².

2. Shunti/ Dry Ginger

Ginger is used in a wide range of dishes around the world because it has a unique taste and can help with digestion. Because it can be used in so many different ways, dry ginger has been given the name “universal medicine.”

There have been claims that it can help the body better digest food, get rid of unwanted fat, and process glucose in the blood. Ginger can also reduce the effects of free radicals, which can raise the risk of cancer because it is an antioxidant³.

3. Sea Salt

Sea salt, sometimes called bay salt, is a product of the evaporation of salt water. When compared to refined salt, it may be deeper in color. Sea salt helps the body digest food by getting the salivary glands to work by helping the body make gastric juice. It also reduces constipation by avoiding buildup in the digestive system⁴.

Related Reading: 18 Home Remedies For Constipation During Pregnancy

4. Black Salt

Black salt is different from regular table salt because it is full of minerals and has a unique flavor. Ancient Ayurvedic medicine relied on black salt for its healing powers. Black salt helps digestion by making the liver make more bile and the stomach make more acid. It’s an essential component in remedies for gas and acid reflux.

It may also enhance the digestive system’s capability of absorbing nutrients. Black salt’s laxative properties, known as Rechana, make it useful for relieving constipation. Constipation sufferers will feel relief when the stool becomes softer⁵.

5. Lemon

Hajmola recently introduced Hajmola Limcola as a new variation. It features the perfect combination of delicious Chatpata Hajmola and Refreshing Lemon to give you that distinct Chatpata flavor that not only alters your taste but also aids in digestion. This citrus ingredient makes the hajmola taste better, which makes it very appealing to women who are pregnant.

Related Reading: Can Lemon Water During Pregnancy Cause Abortion?

6. Sugar

Even if this isn’t a popular choice among those who are concerned about their health, it’s very necessary for fostering the growth of healthy gut flora and providing your body with the nutrients it needs. 

7. Cumin Seeds

Cumin is most frequently used to treat indigestion. In fact, recent studies have shown that cumin may help stimulate normal digestion⁶. For example, the activity of digestive enzymes could be increased, which would speed up the digestion process. Similarly, cumin stimulates the liver to produce more bile. Bile aids in the breakdown of fats and the absorption of certain nutrients. 

8. Navsadar

This is an Ayurvedic herb that has been shown to be beneficial in warding off a variety of diseases. When taken on a regular basis, Noshadar salt can clean the digestive tract and make it easier for toxins to leave the body through the urine. In addition to cleaning out the digestive system, this salt is good for you because it makes the urinary tract produce more acid. It eliminates toxins from the stomach⁷.

Related Reading: 6 Spices To Eat And 6 Spices To Avoid During Pregnancy

9. Long pepper

Long pepper is very good at making you hungry because it makes your body make more digestive enzymes. It’s great for relieving acid reflux, tummy pain, and other digestive issues⁸.

10. Sodium benzoate IP

Sodium benzoate IP is used to keep hajmola from going bad in the pudina, limcola, and chatcola versions. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists sodium benzoate as one of the “generally regarded as safe” (GRAS) compounds, provided it is added at a concentration of up to 0.1%⁹.

These ingredients work together to stimulate the digestive juices making one have fewer digestive issues and a more comfortable pregnancy. Most of these are the regular ingredients found in many Indian kitchens, consumed commonly to boost digestion and a better gut health.

Eating Too Much Hajmola During Pregnancy 

The flavor of hajmola is very addictive. The thought of hajmola itself makes one salivate and crave it. Thus, craving for hajmola during pregnancy is quite common. Chewing one to two pills is not sufficient for many women who are pregnant; they feel like they want to chew more. Keep in mind that an overdose of any substance is bound to have negative effects.

Following are some of the adverse effects of excessive hajmola consumption during pregnancy: 

• Herbs, spices, and dietary salts are mixed in concentrated doses in each Hajmola tablet. When consumed in moderate amounts, these ingredients facilitate simple digestion
• Overuse can cause esophageal burning and stomach and mouth ulcers
• Salt is present in a significant amount of hajmola. Consuming an excessive amount of Hajmola results in ingesting an unhealthy amount of salt, which significantly raises blood pressure and can lead to other complications during pregnancy
• If you take a lot of digestive tablets, you’re basically giving your digestive system a day off. Since hajmola puts enzymes to sleep, overuse makes one unable to digest food without it. An overabundance of tablets will only mess up your body’s digestive system

Hajmola comes across as a very convenient little thing that can be popped in for relief and for the taste it offers. However, it is best to stick to one or two tablets after a meal.

Related Reading: Top 10 Food Cravings When Pregnant With A Girl

Health Benefits Of Hajmola During Pregnancy

Hajmola contains a number of ingredients with therapeutic properties. Hajmola can be helpful during pregnancy, as long as it is used in a responsible way. 

Some of the health benefits you can enjoy by consuming hajmola during pregnancy are:

• It relieves heartburn and acid reflux by decreasing stomach acid
• Improves digestion
• It alleviates flatulence
• Facilitates digestion by triggering the production of saliva and digestive enzymes
• Hajmola is available in a wide range of flavors to ensure that even the pickiest pregnant women can find something to their liking
• There are no artificial flavors or preservatives in it
• Consumption of Hajmola during pregnancy can help with clearing the buildup in the digestive system

Recommended Dosage Of Hajmola

The recommended dosage is 2 tablets daily for adults and 1 tablet daily for kids¹⁰. However, pregnancy changes everything. Almost immediately after seeing two lines on the pregnancy test, you will need to adjust the amounts of many things you were previously taking.

According to Our Nutritionist Sushree, “If Hajmola is taken as per recommended dosage, that is 1 to 2 tablets after a meal, then it does not cause any side effects and enable easy digestion. But over consumption can cause adverse reactions to the fetus.

“Because of its high sodium content, Hajmola isn’t a good choice for pregnant women, especially those with hypertension. If you take Hajmola tablets on a regular basis, you’ll be getting extra salt in your diet on top of what’s already there in your diet.

To top it off, it also contains blend of Indian spices, the over-intake of which can cause burning sensation, mouth ulcers etc. So it is better to take Hajmola tablets as per the recommended dosage only. Even if your physician gives you the green light, you shouldn’t exceed the recommended dosage.

Related Reading: Importance Of Potassium During Pregnancy

Prior to starting a new medication regimen during pregnancy, it is recommended that you speak with your doctor. If you’ve been prescribed medication for indigestion, taking this much more of it could have dangerous side effects.

Which Hajmola To Take When

Hajmola comes in various flavors and it can often get confusing which one to take. Ideally taken as a very quick relief method for digestive issues, it is not uncommon for pregnant women to crave for more.

• If you are looking for a sweet treat that is slightly tangy on your palette after a meal, opt for the different fruit flavors of Hajmola.
• If you want to get relief from constipation, Hajmola with Hing flavor would be great as hing acts as a laxative
• Hajmola Anardana (with pomegranate seeds) is a good choice for people looking to lose weight
• If you are struggling with nausea and morning sickness, go for the regular or mint flavored Hajmola which will ease your symptoms

Conclusion

When you have a stomach ache or indigestion, taking a hajmola may have provided you with almost instant relief in the past. In addition, despite its small size, it is a fantastic item to carry in your handbag because it will be useful in a variety of situations. Yet, it is essential to keep in mind all that has been discussed in this blog.