Pregnancy Cravings and Some Lesser Known Facts

Last Updated: February 19, 2024

You are around 10 weeks pregnant and suddenly have the urge to have ice cream. Just chocolate vanilla ice cream? No, you want it topped with pickles! Darn, that must have felt outrageous otherwise but you are carrying and that this seems heaven to you. Watch out: Your pregnancy cravings are in full swing officially.

A food craving is a dish you simply cannot get enough of. The most common pregnancy cravings include chocolate, chips, cakes, cookies, carbs, etc… or even chewing ice, chalk, and many more, yes – pregnancy is its own journey to discover. But why and when do pregnancy cravings start? What can you do about healthy choices for pregnancy cravings?

We have cleared all the nooks and crannies of pregnancy cravings in this article. Stretch your legs because you are about to uncover some weird pregnancy cravings and why they are occurring!

So, What Causes Pregnancy Cravings?

Odd food combinations are common during pregnancy; they will be things you would never try otherwise. Frontiers in Psychology publishes research that said about 50% to 90% of American women have specific aversions and cravings towards food. Medical experts are unsure of why they occur but a possible explanation is that craving for certain foods is a pregnant body’s way of asking for missing nutrients. Especially when you are newly pregnant (initially months that is), your baby is experiencing the growth of its vital features.

Another possible explanation would be that the body craves food to produce more blood for yourself and your baby. Rapidly changing hormones are the next thing to blame as studies have shown that they could influence a woman’s smell and taste by alleviating them extensively. Comfort is the third thing that leads to pregnancy cravings. Yeah, food could be a major stress buster!

When Do Pregnancy Cravings Start?

When you get the good news from your doctor, you will usually think of any food cravings you have had recently. So what week do pregnancy cravings start? Are they as early as the first few weeks into pregnancy? Typically, pregnancy cravings start in the first trimester, peak during the second trimester, and decline during the third trimester. Sometimes, doctors have found that they cease to exist after delivery. You may experience food aversion along with your odd cravings. Research suggests they are not related to each other.

What Happens If You Ignore Pregnancy Cravings?

Well, the answer is subjective. Let’s debate the pros and cons of ignoring pregnancy cravings. Studies have shown clearly those food cravings during pregnancy are a sign of your body seeking nutrients that it lacks to keep yourself and your baby healthy. When you crave a particular food, your body may be needing something in that food. Your taste buds interpret it as a craving for something.

On the other hand, what if you unhealthily indulge in your craving? Does it mean you are consuming loads of that particular nutrient? Is that healthy for the body? The answer lies in the type of food your taste buds and brain thought of as your craving. Studies have shown that the more women gave into pregnancy cravings, the more likely they were to gain weight.

If you are craving chocolate doughnuts or ice cream loaded with fat, your weight will blossom to an unhealthy level leading to gestational diabetes. Unusual weight gain also puts you at risk of preeclampsia and problems with labor and delivery.

Pregnancy Craving for Non-food Items: What is Pica?

Pica is a mental health condition where a person is compulsive enough to consume non-food items such as chalk, cement, mud, etc. Pica during pregnancy is a sign of nutrient deficiency and women with the condition crave non-food things like clay or ice. This eating disorder is diagnosed if the compulsion stays for at least a month. Research suggests that it could be related to anemia. A study based in Ghana showed that women at risk of pica had

A culture or history of eating non-food items
Nutrient deficiencies or poor nutrition

The same study showed that 47.5% of women experienced some form of pica during pregnancy. If you ever find yourself craving non-food items check in with your doctor immediately and get tested for iron deficiency anemia or other nutritional deficiencies such as zinc.

Pregnancy Cravings List: Healthy Food Fixes For Your Cravings

Sl. No.	If you crave	Try eating…
1.	Whipped cream	Ice cold non-fat milk whipped with a hand-held immersion blender
2.	Lunch types of meat	Beef hot dogs, soy Bologna, turkey, or low-fat or fat-free meats
3.	Canned fruits in heavy syrup	Juice, fruit packed with water, frozen unsweetened fruit, or fresh fruits
4.	Sundae toppings	Fresh bananas or berries
5.	Sour cream	Non-fat plain yogurt or non-fat sour cream with herbs
6.	Potato chips	Pretzels, popcorn, or low-sodium, low-fat chips
7.	Sugar-coated cereal	Whole-grain oatmeal or cereal with brown sugar
8.	Cake	Zucchini bread or low-fat banana
9.	Pastry or doughnuts	Whole-grain bagel with fresh fruits jam
10.	Cola	Mineral water with fresh lime or juice
11.	Ice cream	Sherbet, sorbet, or non-fat yogurt

Can You Prevent Food Cravings?

Probably not, but stock up on healthier options so that you can indulge without guilt. Refer to our table above to find the right options for some of the most common pregnancy cravings. For instance, you could keep a fresh supply of yogurt and fruits if you are craving dairy products and sweets (although one or two won’t hurt you!).

When Should a Doctor Intervene?

Some cravings during pregnancy can be fatal. Yes, we do mean all cases of pica because that disorder makes you eat things unfit for consumption. If you ever get a strong desire to eat soap, dirt, clay, or other non-food items during your pregnancy, it’s high time you visited a doctor for treating this poisonous condition.

A very small number of women crave drugs or alcohol during pregnancy. Prenatal substance use is a major health concern linked to fatal fetal and maternal consequences. The most commonly used substance during pregnancy is tobacco, seconded by alcohol and cannabis. Few treatments exist for prenatal substance use but with sufficient psychological and behavioral interventions along with contingency management, it could be brought under safe control.

The Bottom Line: Can Pregnancy Cravings Be Dangerous?

You might want french fries for every meal during your pregnancy but make sure you don’t overdo it. Remember that your pregnant body needs nutrients to survive and the lack of them is what is making you crave certain weird foods. Find out what nutrient is hidden in the food you crave and have an alternative food item such as having a whole grain bagel with fruits when you are craving doughnuts.

Most doctors recommend giving into high carbohydrate, high fat, and high salt cravings but only if they last a short time. However, take note: a regular diet of foods high in chemicals, sugar, or fat is unhealthy and can lead to gestational diabetes, excessive weight gain, and other issues. These problems tend to last long after you have given birth. So beware and maintain a healthy pregnancy diet.

Another major issue with pregnancy cravings is pica, a mental health disorder related to eating non-food items. They eventually hurt your baby and can lead to long-term health morbidities. Studies have shown that with pica, your baby could have

Decreased fetal head circumference
Irritability
Low birth weight
Perinatal mortality
Prematurity
Exposure to chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides, and lead

We recommend that you be cautious and know what’s right and what’s not. If your tummy rumbles a little more than expected, you must quench its thirst while being alert to the choice.

Have a healthy pregnancy!

Pregnancy Cravings FAQs:

1. When do weird pregnancy cravings start?

Your weird pregnancy cravings will begin in your 1st trimester, i.e., as early as 5 weeks into pregnancy. By the second trimester, they are stronger and by the next trimester, they stop. Here are some of the weirdest pregnancy cravings that are typically a sign of pica:

Pebbles

Metal

Ice

Chalk

Clay

Glue

Cloth

Uncooked grains

Ash

Soap

Dirt

Cornstarch

Uncooked rice

Baby powder

Paper

Hair

Paint chips

Strings, etc.

2. Is craving ice during pregnancy okay?

The intense craving to eat ice during pregnancy is a form of pica. The characteristic symptoms of pica are craving for non-food items such as plaster, paint chips, soil, chalk, clay, and more. It is a compulsive eating habit and could be treated with alternative foods that contain the nutrient your body is craving.

3. Can craving sweets during pregnancy be healthy?

Sweets can lead to dental issues and excessive weight gain if you indulge in them unhealthily. But it's okay to give into occasional food cravings during pregnancy as long as you compensate with healthy alternatives.

4. What should you eat if you are craving salt during pregnancy?

Craving salt is your body’s way of asking for more sodium. Here’s what you can do to satiate that need; have

Salted macadamia nuts

Salted guacamole or avocado slices

Veggies chips

Whipped goat cheese dip

Edamame

Olives

Homemade sweet potato chips

Sardines, etc.

5. What does craving spicy food during pregnancy mean?

Spicy food cravings during pregnancy are common. These urges are attributed to factors like compounds in spicy goods, nutrient deficiencies, and hormonal changes. Sudden cravings for spicy food could also mean eating disorders and chronic stress. If it's suspicious, get yourself checked.

6. What happens if you eat only oily food during pregnancy?

Oily food puts pregnant women at a higher risk of serious complications. It leads to hypertension or high blood pressure, various birth defects, and pregnancy-induced hypertension.

7. What foods should you avoid during pregnancy?

Pregnant women have certain food restrictions because they put them at risk of listeriosis. During pregnancy women should avoid

Smoked fish

Deli meats

Both unpasteurized and pasteurized soft cheese

Unpasteurized dairy and milk products

Sources:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4172095/
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01076
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27215835?dopt=Abstract
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5054961/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3915141/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2844535/
http://www.ajtmh.org/content/journals/10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0442;jsessionid=Zd-dQwAA6CgjqrxRWKariw1R.ip-10-241-1-122
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7113508/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1070964/

On behalf of the editorial team at Parenthoodbliss, we follow strict reporting guidelines and only use credible sources, along with peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and highly respected health organizations. To learn about how we maintain content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

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