Sudden desires to eat a certain meal are known as food cravings, and pregnant ladies know it better. Ask most pregnant women, and they will tell you all about the weird cravings they get, even at midnight. They are so common that many pregnant women experience them once confirming their conception using the best pregnancy kit in India.
Cravings might include everyday things like chocolate cake or apples, or they can involve strange food pairings or items you don’t often like eating. When you are expecting, you could have some unusual dietary cravings. Therefore, you may anticipate certain changes in your appetite during pregnancy in addition to physical changes to your body. But why do women have cravings during pregnancy? Here, we will address this question and try to quench your curiosity.
Why Do Pregnant Women Have Cravings?
Cravings can arise at any moment during pregnancy; usually, a few weeks later you get positive signs after embryo transfer. However, they commonly start in the first trimester and peak in the second. Scientists have not fully understood why pregnant women have food cravings.
There are speculations that cravings can be brought on by a dietary deficiency or a greater requirement for specific vitamins and minerals. However, there is no proof that cravings and nutritional deficiencies are related. There are a few basic hypotheses as to why being pregnant alters your taste buds and makes you prefer particular meals.
Numerous factors, like hormones, a heightened perception of taste and smell, and nutritional deficits, might contribute to pregnancy cravings. In addition to food cravings, many pregnant women may experience abrupt dislike or aversion to specific foods with strong flavors.
Food cravings and unexpected food aversions may relate to pregnancy hormone impacts, which can alter how some foods taste and smell. The time when cravings occur most often can also throw some light on the reason for food cravings. Food aversions are more common in the first three months of pregnancy, which is also when the baby is at its most vulnerable developmental stage.
Here are some of the reasons for food cravings among pregnant women in detail.
Changes In Hormone
Significant hormonal changes occur during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. The hormones of pregnancy may alter the sorts of desires you have, much like what takes place when you anticipate your period.
Your sensory perception of food, your sense of smell, and your mood may all be impacted by hormones. So, it can change the kinds of meals you want or don’t want to eat or even smell.
Nutritional Needs
People who are pregnant require more nutrients like calcium and iron. As a result, you can start to want foods that contain these components. The only issue is that your body can mistakenly interpret your need for calcium as a desire for a big bar of chocolate.
Keep in mind to include more nutrient-dense sources of the vitamin you want in your diet along with having your chocolate or other cravings. In terms of calcium, in addition to that well-deserved ice cream, dark leafy greens, seafood, and almonds are all excellent sources.
Survival Instincts
Some of your appetites and dislikes stem from a need to defend yourselves and your developing baby from danger. For instance, a lot of people discover that foods and beverages like coffee and alcohol automatically end up on their lists of things we detest.
As a result of the belief that eating meat increases one’s risk of bacterial infection, many also develop a dislike for it. The majority of pregnant women do not, however, have similar experiences.
Getting Comfort And Support
Many pregnant ladies want comforting meals, including sweets and carbohydrates. Additionally, they could yearn for childhood favorites that bring them joy and affection. You can yearn for the things you often consume when you are not feeling well or when you suffer morning sickness during pregnancy.
Cravings might also result from a sense of need for support and love from your partner and family. You feel more loved when they care for you and bring you what you crave.
Getting A Healthier Diet During Pregnancy
You may crave ice-creams and chocolates but maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for your health and the proper development of the baby. You can fulfill your cravings so long as nutrient-poor items are consumed in moderation and your diet as a whole is healthy and diverse.
You need to consume more of certain nutrients like calcium, folic acid, protein, and iron during the entirety of your pregnancy. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, citrus fruits, meat, beans, and legumes are excellent sources of these nutrients.
Wrapping Up
There is nothing wrong with giving in to irrational cravings, with a few limitations and bearing in mind your dietary requirements. Pregnancy cravings and eating, in general, should be about feeling good, maintaining your health, and caring for your developing unborn child. You may consult a specialist for support if you are having any eating difficulties.