Pregnancy Cravings And Everything You Need To Know About Them

A pregnancy craving is an irresistible, intense desire to eat particular foods. 50-90% of pregnant women experience them.

It starts in the first three months, gets stronger in the second three months, and stops in the third three months.

Ignoring your pregnancy craving will not harm you or your baby if you are eating a healthy diet. Only in a few cases when you crave because your body needs some nutrients in that food.

It is also normal to not have a pregnancy craving, 10-50% of women don't have any cravings during pregnancy. You can also crave during your first pregnancy and do not crave during your second pregnancy.

Causes Of Pregnancy Cravings

There is no one certain explanation for food cravings, this may be because of hormonal changes through pregnancy. Some nutritionists say that some cravings are meaningful, but generally, studies show that there is no link between nutritional requirements and cravings.

Some examples of expected links between food cravings and body requirements -

-Chocolate, whole grains, beans, nuts, and green vegetables: maybe due to deficiency of magnesium.
-Red meat: maybe because your body needs protein.
-Peaches: maybe due to the need for beta carotene.
-Ice, laundry starch, dirt, or clay: maybe due to a deficiency of iron or zinc.

Common Cravings

1. Sweets

Sweets are the most common food craving, about 40% of pregnant women said that they craved sweets during pregnancy.

A problem with sweets is the risk of diabetes, especially if you are pregnant, and excessive weight gain.

2. Spicy food

Spicy food craving during pregnancy is common and normal, about 17% of pregnant women said that they craved spicy food during pregnancy.

But you need to be careful not to get stomach issues which are common during pregnancy.

3. Pickle

About 33% of pregnant women said that they craved salty food. You may also want to eat ice cream with pickles. That is quite strange but common.

But do not eat too many pickles as it affects the water in our bodies.

4. Fast food

You do not need to be pregnant to crave fast food but try to eat it on a healthy diet, or maybe homemade (which makes it healthier) so that you will not be a target of heart diseases.

5. Fruits

If you craved fruits during your pregnancy, congratulations, no one would tell you to stop eating because it is not healthy.

Weirdest Cravings

Eating nonfood substances is harmful to you and your baby, it is a medical condition called pica, and about 20% of pregnant women are affected by it. If you are experiencing pica during your pregnancy talk to your doctor to manage your symptoms.

Here is a list of the weirdest pregnancy cravings -

1. Ice
2. Coal
3. Rubber
4. Laundry detergent
5. Soil
6. Toothpaste
7. Chalk
8. Sponges
9. Cigarette ashes

You would also like to eat uncommon food combinations. Like ice cream with pickles, tuna fish, and chocolate milk, or many other examples.

Myths About Pregnancy Cravings

1. It is said that if you crave salty food, you would have a boy, and if you crave sweet food, you would have a girl, this is a completely false theory as there is no link between the sex of the baby and what you crave.

2. There is a funny myth about pregnancy craving, "if you ignored your pregnancy craving, the baby would have a birthmark". No, birthmarks do not appear because of ignoring cravings or touching your belly while worried or eating a certain food.

3. Pregnant women crave nutrients their diets lack (we discussed that before).

4. You need to eat for two, no, you do not but Your body requires between 300 to 350 extra calories per day in the second trimester and 500 extra calories per day in the third trimester than you were consuming before becoming pregnant to support weight increase and the developing baby.

If you have any worries about cravings during pregnancy, especially if you're worried about weight gain or have a craving for foods like alcohol, raw seafood, or deli meats, you may always speak to your doctor.

Pregnancy is a joyful adventure that requires you to learn about your body systems. Enjoy the journey and stay in good health.

Written by: Heba Salah