You probably must have seen pregnancy cravings in movies and commercials and you think they are too dramatized and blown out of proportion for entertainment purpose. No, cravings are for real. They are no joke. About 50 to 90 percent of pregnant ladies out there are hit with cravings of some sort or the other. That insatiable hunger and mysterious liking of food actually happen. You tend to develop new tastes every day but there has to be an explanation for all this. There are biological reasons for dying to have chocolate frosty or a cheese spread on bread all of a sudden.
Here are some of the common food cravings pregnant women have and the reason behind those mad hankerings:
- Chocolates
Who can ever get enough of heavenly chocolates? Just like ice-creams, chocolates contain empty calories that are known for providing energy really quick. So it shouldn’t come as a surprise that pregnant women crave for sweet things particularly chocolate. It is rightly considered the comfort food. They say you are carrying a girl if you crave for sweet food.
Craving for chocolates can also mean something else. Chocolates are packed with vitamin B and women who are deficient in B vitamins desire for chocolates. You can even fulfil that requirement with flaxseed oil (a healthier alternative for sure) but it is not as tempting as chocolates. Drop in blood sugar can also result in chocolate cravings.
- Salty foods
Are you craving for popcorn, French fries, chicken tenders with extra salt, pickles or crisp? Then you probably have a low level of sodium in your diet. Remember that a high level of sodium is not good for your health as it can lead to high blood pressure. Don’t give into salty food cravings too often. One more reason that you reach out for salty stuff is that you are dehydrated. Make sure you drink ample amount of water. Increased volume of blood is yet another reason to crave for salty food.
- Spicy foods
Spicy foods like hot red peppers, curries and hot wings are yet another common food cravings in pregnant ladies. It is believed that hot foods cause the body to sweat and that in turn cools the body. If you have been pregnant before, you probably know how difficult it is to remain cool. You can add a bit of spice in your food next time to help you cool down. It is also believed that women carrying boys have cravings for spicy food while those carrying girls yearn for chocolates.
- Ice
It might seem strange but some pregnant women love chewing ice. Yes, ice is not even a food and ice just might not seem satisfying for those who have never been pregnant. Somehow, pregnant women don’t seem to get enough of it. Pregnant women suffering from anemia have more tendency of chewing ice as it helps to relieve inflammation of tongue and mouth which happens to be a common symptom of anemia.
- Ice cream
It is during pregnancy that the taste buds become extra sensitive which can explain why we indulge in certain food while developing aversion for others. Craving for ice cream or other dairy products is a sign of low levels of calcium. Pregnant women require high levels of calcium for healthy growth of the baby. Many women are not able to digest milk or cheese which is why they turn to ice cream for a calcium fix. Ice cream is not only light and cooling but also gives fast energy.
- Nonedible food
If you are craving for things that are not food, then you should consult a doctor as you are suffering from a condition called Pica. This condition makes your crave and eat non-food items. It can results in problems for both the baby and the mother. This condition usually hints toward deficiency of iron or other important minerals or nutrient. Some of the nonedible stuff that you might crave for are starch, coffee grounds, dirt, wax, ice and clay.
- Unusual combinations
You must have probably seen pregnant women eating weird combination of foods like olives in ice cream, pickles with peanut butter, fried eggs with mint sauce, tuna with bananas, pickle with ice cream and many others. Nobody knows why pregnant women opt for such strange combinations. However, it is believed that it is simply a body’s conspiracy to provide the baby with a variety of nutrients. Just don’t care about all the frowns you get. Go on and make those crazy combinations.
- Citrus fruits
The sudden change in taste buds makes pregnant women want to shock their tongue which is the reason they crave for sour foods. Tangy citrus fruits or sour sweets are what they reach out for most. Another reason for craving citrus fruits is having low stomach acids. Stomach acid aids in sterilizing the food by breaking it down into proteins. It could also mean that your body is screaming for the vitamins that these citrus fruits contain like vitamin D and vitamin C.
