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Pregnancy Cravings

It is very common to have the weirdest pregnancy cravings when you are pregnant. Even though experts have not been able to establish why certain foods are craved and there are certain food aversions, but as per research presented by Frontiers in Psychology 50%-90% of pregnant women experience cravings at some point during their pregnancy.  

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You are probably wondering what are pregnancy cravings and why do they happen? when do pregnancy cravings start? You may also want to know how long this will last and if you should even be indulging as you are advised to maintain an optimal weight. Let’s bring you to it.  

What are pregnancy cravings? 

When you are pregnant the kind of bodily changes that take place is unimaginable. Almost every part of your body will transform internally and externally. This will be accompanied by mood swings, hot flushes, nauseousness and something that is common for mostly all pregnant women – an appetite transformation. You may find yourself craving sweet stuff all the time even though you are more of a savory person or wanting weird food combinations at weird hours of the day. Your steaks may start repulsing you and all you want to do at midnight is gorge on ice-cream.  Yes, your pregnancy cravings have hit you and are here to stay.  

You will find yourself desiring some weird pregnancy craving combinations – for instance one of the most common pregnancy cravings combination is pickles and ice cream and this is probably just the start of it.  

What is the cause of these pregnancy cravings? 

It is very common to have the weirdest pregnancy cravings when you are pregnant. Even though experts have not been able to establish why certain foods are craved and there are certain food aversions, but as per research presented by Frontiers in Psychology 50%-90% of pregnant women experience cravings at some point during their pregnancy.  

Doctors are still clueless about why pregnant women get the urge for certain flavor combinations, tastes and textures. It is believed that the rapidly changing hormones play a role or maybe your body is doing more work to produce extra blood which is causing the urge to eat certain foods. It could simply be just comfort food for your body that is changing throughout the pregnancy.  

”When you are pregnant the kind of bodily changes that take place is unimaginable. Almost every part of your body will transform internally and externally. This will be accompanied by mood swings, hot flushes, nauseousness and something that is common for mostly all pregnant women – an appetite transformation.”

When do pregnancy cravings start?  

Many pregnant women start craving particular foods in the first trimester – the cravings are at their peak during the second trimester. The last three months tend to see a decline in the cravings.  

According to medical experts only a few cravings stay on post-delivery. Most women noticed that the cravings are not consistent throughout and the wants change on a daily basis.   

What are food aversions? 

When you cannot stand a particular type of food, food that you probably once relished it is called a food aversion. This is the complete opposite of a craving. These aversions are as random as cravings and start around the same time. According to Frontiers in Psychology, you do not start to hate food due to morning sickness or pregnancy nausea – pregnancy food aversions have nothing to do with it. It is as random as the cravings with no real explanation for it.  

For instance, meat which is a staple diet for many women in the U.S.A. tends to be the most hated on when they are pregnant. The sight and smell of raw meat, smells associated with the cooking of meat, and the texture of the final meat dish can be too much for pregnant women to handle.  

A probable reason why meat is disliked is that meat carries bacteria that can make both the mother and the baby sick. This is what makes meat such an unappetizing option.  

What does one commonly crave?    

There is no real explanation for what one craves – it is mostly harmless and sometimes strange and funny.  

Pregnancy craving lists encompass all the flavours – salty, sugary, sour and bitter foods.  

Craving sweets in pregnant women is very common – sweet pregnancy cravings list include sugary things such as candy, dessert and ice cream.  

Yogurt pregnancy craving, sour cream pregnancy craving and cream cheese pregnancy cravings are among popular dairy cravings.  

Other pregnancy wants include craving starchy carbohydrates, craving fruits and vegetables, fast food such as pizza, burgers and Chinese.   

A supplements brand, Pregnacare conducted a survey and found that in the UK craving fruits, craving chocolate and craving ice during pregnancy were the most common.  

People also find themselves loving and craving the weirdest food combinations like pickles and ice cream, hot Cheetos and yogurt, hot sauce on peanut amongst some other combinations that no one in their right mind would opt for. 

Do your pregnancy cravings require medical attention?  

As long as the cravings are edible and do not involve drugs and alcohol you are good to go. However, sometimes cravings can involve a desire to have soap, dirt and other inedible items which can prove to be harmful.  This indicates that you may have pica which is a potentially poisonous condition and requires immediate medical attention. 

It has been noticed that very few pregnant women tend to crave alcohol or drugs, however the danger to the baby is too grave for anyone to give in. Seek professional help to help you abstain from giving in to these cravings.  

Take charge of your cravings 

If you find yourself craving fatty foods very often, you need to monitor how much you actually consume.  Medical experts say that if you occasionally give in to high-salt, high-fat, and high-carbohydrate cravings, it is not a big deal as mostly these cravings won’t last too long.

Read through our article on what you should eat during pregnancy to stay healthy and drinks that help you stay hydrated. 

However, if that is all your body is craving it can lead to weight gain beyond the optimal pregnancy weight and lead to gestational diabetes which is problematic for both you and your baby.  

So, go ahead enjoy that pickle and ice cream, enjoy those fries but in controlled quantities. 

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