Why Do Pregnant Women Have Weird Cravings?

Health & FitnessNovember 28, 2017

Every woman that has gone through pregnancy knows how uncontrollable cravings be. Getting pregnant seems like a good opportunity to be able to eat whatever you want whenever you want. Somehow, a pregnant woman does not necessarily crave for her favorite dish. Many of them crave for things they would never imagine to consume. So there must be a reason why such odd cravings happen during pregnancy, right?

50 – 90% of women who are pregnant experience pregnancy cravings

Why Crave In The First Place?

There are numerous theories that claim why woman have cravings during their pregnancy. Some studies indicate that they’re connected to hormones. Others say women crave whatever food has the necessary vitamins and minerals that their body needs.

Pregnant women tend to crave for not-so-healthy foods

Common Cravings

Foods that pregnant women crave the most include pickles and potato chips. Women tend to crave for a salty taste because of their need for sodium. Pregnant women have to intake more sodium because of the increase in their blood volume.

Pickles improve digestion and are rich in vitamins

When a woman gets pregnant, they have an odd need for more calories. Chocolate is the number one trend for pregnant women for it really satisfies their calorie-intake. Pregnant women also tend to crave for ice cream, doughnuts, cheese, cookies, cakes, pie, soda, and different dairy products. A pregnant woman needs to gain an extra 300 calories a day but it would be better if these calories came from healthy foods and meals instead of the ones that can only satisfy your short-term carvings and do no good.

Spicy and sour foods are also very common to a pregnant woman’s craving list. A pregnant woman’s body temperature fluctuates throughout the pregnancy so eating some spicy foods will help control it. Sour foods like lemons and grapefruit are being craved because pregnant women love foods that shock their taste buds.

When pregnant women seem to be needing some vitamins, they have a sudden craving for fruits since different fruits are known for being rich in a wide range of vitamins and nutrients. Pregnancy calls for a lot of protein and iron so women load up on different kinds of red meat.

This can later be the reason why some women who identify themselves as vegetarian have a sudden craving for meat. We’re sure McDonald’s can be a go-to fast food chain for pregnant women because if a Big Mac already sounds good to someone who is not pregnant, imagine how much more savory and delicious it sounds to someone who is trying to eat for two.

When To See A Doctor?

Although not common, there are some cases wherein pregnant women crave for inedible things like chalk or dirt. There is a scientific explanation for this and the condition is called Pica. Doctors somehow connect the condition to a deficiency in iron. Iron deficiency isn’t something new to someone who experiences pregnancy but make sure you notify your doctor if you experience such craving because this can be bad for both you and your baby.

Want To Control Your Cravings?

A good number of pregnant moms want to fight the urge of unnecessary craving for they don’t really want to put on a lot of weight. Just like how one does it during a weight loss journey, you can opt for some healthier substitutes for certain unhealthy foods. You can consume low-fat frozen yogurt instead of normal ice cream. Baked chips and light-microwave popcorn can be a substitute for unhealthy potato chips and instead of soda, try to settle for good, old, fruit juice.

If you can’t let go of your favorite chocolates, try consuming a small piece rather than finishing the whole bar. At the end of the day, no one will want to carry on all the weight they gained during their pregnancy up until they grow old.