Pregnancy food cravings are common for almost any pregnant woman. Interestingly you will find a vegetarian craving a piece of steak and meat-eaters being turned against any meat. One thing is certain, a lot of to-be-mothers have alternating food preferences for each stage of their pregnancy. At some point during the pregnancy, the to-be-mother will have a craving for a sour taste than in any other stage.
And just like that you will turn and crave for sweets
While some attribute pregnancy food cravings to hormonal issues. Just like women tend to have some food cravings during their menstrual cycles, so it also happens that they get food cravings during pregnancy as well. Others say it’s a lack of nutrients or vitamins in the body. The lack drives pregnant women to crave foods that contain these much-needed nutrients.
It is possible to have the pregnancy food cravings give you hints on what your body actually needs just like you crave for water when you are dehydrated or for milk when your body needs calcium or a craving for fruit when your body needs vitamin C. A cravings for salty foods may indicate a need for more sodium as blood volume and body tissues are increasing in your body.
So do not necessarily think the cravings are bad yet at the same time you need to be careful about what you crave. You don’t want to find yourself binging and gaining weight, falling into depression, and posing some kind of danger to the unborn baby.
Salty food, snacks, fried food, ice cream an all the junk food is wrong and do not even attempt to justify eating it during pregnancy. Actually do not even eat it at all. Instead try something healthier like nuts, chicken, sorbet, mashed potatoes, and non-fat foods.
Some cravings during pregnancy even go as far as a craving for non-edible food items like laundry starch and clay. If you happen to have had or had a craving for these non-edible items then you most probably lack iron in your system and it would be a good idea to talk to your doctor about it.
Take some time to read our article about natural ways to curb food cravings during pregnancy.
You can also visit any forum for pregnant women, where you can share more about your cravings and ear what other women have to say about their pregnancy food cravings.