We believe the food you eat plays a lead role in not only a healthy pregnancy but a happier one, too.

Did you know pregnancy nutrition has a direct link to morning sickness? At Mommy Menu, we’ve connected the dots between dozens of scientific studies to prove it. The good news is that morning sickness has a purpose: to defend your baby.

The fancy word we use to describe the connection between diet and morning sickness is “teratogen.” A teratogen is any substance that could harm the development of an embryo or fetus in a mother’s womb. And guess what? Teratogens can be found in almost every food you eat, depending on its freshness and the way it has been prepared.

The food we eat can be laden with hidden teratogens, which are the cause of 4 to 5 percent of all birth defects. That’s why they trigger nausea and vomiting when they land in your stomach. Pregnancy sickness is your body’s security system — an adaptation gained over years of evolution — to keep your baby healthy.

TLDR: When the body detects a material that can be dangerous to your baby in the food you’ve eaten, it does its best to get rid of it — back up the way it came.

So how do you avoid harmful materials in your food (teratogens) to get rid of morning sickness and protect your baby? These notorious substances can appear in the healthiest of foods when it is improperly prepared or left at the wrong temperature.

That’s why we’re here. Mommy Menu Health & Wellness is your guide to a healthy pregnancy diet that reduces sickness and protects your baby.