Food Cravings During Pregnancy
This page will help you find the answers to your questions.
What are food cravings?
They are a sudden, intense desire to eat a specific type of food or non-food items, a condition that affects many women during pregnancy.
Sometimes, a pregnant woman may crave common foods, while at other times she may want to eat foods she had never desired before.
What causes food cravings during pregnancy?
The exact cause of food cravings is unknown, but studies indicate that cravings typically occur during the first three months of pregnancy due to a sharp increase in pregnancy hormones, which may trigger these cravings. After the first three months, hormone levels decrease, and the symptoms gradually fade.
How to manage food cravings? Tips that may help reduce craving symptoms?
It’s okay to give in to your desire to eat certain foods as long as you continue to eat a variety of healthy options.
- Here are some tips that will help you manage strong food cravings:
- Eat healthy, regular meals to help prevent sudden hunger.
- Keep your space stocked with healthy snacks.
- Avoid grocery shoppingGIwhen you’re hungry.
- Choose healthy, low-GI foods that keep you full for longer (such as unsweetened rolled oats, whole-grain bread, baked beans, and fresh fruits).
- Try to get enough sleep, as studies have shown that people who are sleep-deprived tend to crave fast food more than healthy foods.
- Try to stay physically active.
- Drink plenty of water, about 8 cups a day.
Make sure to brush your teeth regularly, twice a day.
When should you see a doctor?
Some pregnant women develop cravings for non-food items such as chalk, clay, laundry detergent, or soap. This condition is called pica. Pica may indicate a mineral deficiency or severe anemia.
If you feel a strong urge to eat non-food substances, you should see a doctor to take the necessary steps.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Do all pregnant women experience food cravings?
No, the body’s response to pregnancy hormones differs from one woman to another, and not everyone experiences food cravings.
Are food cravings present throughout the entire pregnancy?
