Now that you are pregnant, you have probably heard all kinds of things about being pregnant and people have told you stories about eating weird food or having cravings for things.
I want to talk about the different pregnancy cravings that women get and what they mean about your pregnancy.
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Pregnancy cravings & What they mean about your pregnancy
At some point during your pregnancy, you will have cravings for a certain food, even things you never used to eat.
Why does this happen and what does it really mean about your pregnancy and baby? Could this be a sign of a boy or a girl?
I am going to cover all this and more so keep reading!
the most common pregnancy cravings
The most common pregnancy cravings are for sweet, spicy, salty, and sour foods. Here are the top ten foods women crave according to familyeducation.com.
- Chocolate: If you find yourself craving this reach for the healthy dark chocolate, it improves heart health and has a ton of antioxidants.
- Pickles along with Olives and Potato Chips: If you are craving these salty foods it is probably due to the increase in blood volume and a need for more sodium in your diet.
- Eggs: These are a great source of protein and some women crave them, (I don’t personally lol I have to force myself to eat them so I don’t pack on the pounds lol) always make sure they are cooked well so that you don’t run the risk of salmonella.
- Cheese: Your need for more calcium might make you crave cheese unless you have always loved cheese like I do and can’t get enough of it. Make sure to not eat too much or you will gain unwanted weight, try to eat more vegetables and add some cheese to them to satisfy the craving.
- Bacon: Who doesn’t love bacon (unless you are a vegetarian then you probably don’t) some women go for the bacon during pregnancy due to a need for fat and protein. Try not to eat too much of it due to its fatty nature even though it is delicious. You could go for turkey bacon for a healthier alternative.
- Lemons: Some women crave sour food like lemons, lemonade, limes or even raw lemons. These foods are good for you, loaded with vitamin C and may support heart health, weight control, and digestive health according to healthline.com. All things that are needed while you are pregnant.
- Ice Cream: This is a big one for most pregnant women, probably due to the high calcium factor but it can also get out of control if you don’t watch it. Try to stick with frozen yogurt or sherbet to stay on the low-fat side.
- Fruit: You might be craving fruit because it is full of vitamin C, don’t eat too much or you could offset your sugar. Try to stick to a balanced diet if possible to avoid sugar spikes.
- Spicy Food: Many pregnant mommas crave this type of food for some reason or another, it could be the sodium content or the need for something different. If you find that you are going for the spicy food lately just be aware of the side effects like heartburn and indigestion.
- Peanut Butter: You may find that you are craving a peanut butter sandwich or have the urge to eat it out of the jar. If this is you, you might need vitamin B or more protein in your diet. To offset eating a lot of peanut butter pair it with healthier foods like celery or apples.
pregnancy cravings & gender
Some people say that certain cravings will tell you if you are having a boy or a girl. If you want sweets and dairy products, it is a girl. If you go for salty and spicy it is going to be a boy.
I haven’t found these to be true at all, with my son I went for the salty, spicy and sweet stuff and with my daughter, I went for the spicy and salty foods along with dairy.
That’s why we say it is an old wives tale, you could eat chocolate cake your whole pregnancy and still end up with a boy!!
There is no science behind this that proves it is actually true!!
The Meaning behind your pregnancy craving
If you find yourself craving a lot of unhealthy foods or have an abnormal appetite for things like bacon and cheese, talk to your doctor.
You might be missing something in your diet that your body is trying to compensate for by wanting this kind of food.
A lot of pregnancy cravings come from a nutritional deficiency so it is important to bring these up with your doctor if they are getting weird or you simply can’t stop eating a certain food.
Try to maintain a balanced and healthy diet throughout your pregnancy. This can be hard when you get a craving for something but by mixing it with something healthy you will be able to keep the balance going.
You don’t want to pack on the pounds and have trouble losing it after you have your baby. In reality, being pregnant doesn’t necessarily mean eating for two.
For more information on what to eat during your pregnancy, you may find this article to be helpful.
unusual pregnancy cravings
You may have heard about women eating toilet paper or chalk, these are unusual and can be dangerous cravings.
These cravings are called Pica meaning that you are craving substances with little to no nutritional value. These are less common in pregnant women but can be seen in children according to americanpregnancy.org about 25-30% of all children have this.
If you do have this during your pregnancy it could mean that your body is missing some vitamins and minerals. Some of these cravings could be dangerous depending on the substance and they could block your body from absorbing nutrition it needs.
If you do have these cravings talk to your healthcare provider about it so that they can go over your health records and keep tabs on your Iron and vitamin and mineral levels.
Final Thoughts on pregnancy cravings & what they mean
Pregnancy cravings could start anytime during your pregnancy but do tend to peak around your second trimester.
Some cravings will linger throughout your whole pregnancy or well into your third trimester which is very normal.
If you get strange cravings or have concerns always call your doctor or mention it at your next visit.
Some women never get unusual cravings and this is totally normal if it doesn’t happen to you.
You may have aversions to certain food the whole pregnancy and you can thank your lovely hormones for this. The smell and texture of food can change for you and cause it to be unappealing.
Know that all of this will pass when you have your sweet bundle of joy, it doesn’t last forever momma!!!
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