Pregnancy is an exciting time for parents, but it can also bring about cravings. These can range from mundane to bizarre.
Expecting a baby causes hormones to go wild. As a result, mothers can find themselves yearning for the cliche pickles and ice cream combination. However, pregnancy cravings can be weirder, with women consuming things they never imagined. This can include food and even non-food items, also known as pica cravings.
When Do Cravings Typically Start?
According to The Bump, pregnancy cravings can start at any time, but many women experience them in the first trimester. This is due to the surge in hormone levels, and foods you never cared for may suddenly seem irresistible.
Common Theories Behind Cravings
Pregnancy cravings are widely misunderstood, but theories exist to explain them. According to Northwestern Medicine, the increase in human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) hormones, estrogen and progesterone causes your sense of taste and smell to sharpen, making you crave certain foods.
Unexpected Craving Examples
Pregnant women can experience unexpected cravings, some harmless, some dangerous. Examples include peanut butter and pickles, chocolate-covered bacon, pickles with ice cream, soap and ice, raw garlic and fruit, dirt and starch and spicy food with ice cream.
Peanut Butter and Pickles
According to Baby List, pickles are one of the most common foods women crave during pregnancy. Although they’re usually paired with ice cream, pickles and peanut butter are a weird mix. This non-conventional pregnancy craving isn’t considered cliche by many moms.
Chocolate-Covered Bacon
Some women crave chocolate-covered bacon during pregnancy due to its sweet and salty contrast. It’s believed that the increase in blood flow causes a desire for more sodium. Chocolate is also a common favorite regardless of pregnancy status.
Pickles with Ice Cream
Pickles and ice cream give you a mixture of juicy and salty and cold and sweet. According to WebMD, women raised to believe that this combination is associated with pregnancy are likely to crave it when expecting. This is heightened for those who consider pickles and ice cream to be comfort foods.
Soap and Ice
Some women crave the odd combination of soap and ice during pregnancy. Consuming the former can be dangerous, but the latter is safe. Soap and ice cravings may indicate an iron deficiency.
Raw Garlic and Fruit
Although strange, raw garlic and fruit is a common pregnancy craving due to hormonal changes. Both are also healthy: the former boosts the immune system and cardiovascular health and the latter aids digestion and has anti-inflammatory properties, vitamins and minerals.
Dirt and Starch
One of the weirdest yet common pregnancy cravings is dirt and starch. According to the American Pregnancy Association, women have the urge to eat these substances when they lack certain vitamins and minerals from normal food.
Spicy Food with Ice Cream
Spicy food with ice cream doesn’t exactly mix, but it’s a common pregnancy craving. Women who enjoy a little spice may want it more due to the burst of hormones in their bodies, and ice cream is a favorite treat. The dessert can also soothe the heat of spicy food.
Non-Food Cravings: A Peek into Pica
Non-food cravings are common for some women during pregnancy. It’s crucial to understand what pica is and typical non-food items craved and consumed.
What Is Pica?
According to the American Pregnancy Association, pica is a craving for non-food substances. Although rare, some women develop this issue when expecting a child. It’s unknown what causes pica cravings, but some theories indicate that iron deficiency is the culprit.
Common Non-Food Items Craved
The most common non-food items pregnant women crave are clay, dirt and starch. Others are coffee grounds, ice, mothballs, soap and toothpaste.
Nutritional Insights from Food Cravings
Pregnant women experience food cravings for various reasons. Nutritional insights include hormonal influences and possible deficiencies.
Hormonal Influences
Pregnancy increases estrogen and progesterone to help a fetus develop. This surge in hormones causes a sharper sense of smell and taste as well as food cravings. It can also cause women to eat things they would otherwise avoid.
Possible Nutritional Deficiencies
According to the World Health Organization, pregnant women experience possible nutritional deficiencies crucial for their developing babies. This includes vitamin A, folate, iodine and iron. Pregnancy can cause women to crave foods and even non-foods rich in these nutrients.
Managing Bizarre Cravings Safely
If you’re pregnant, there are ways to manage bizarre cravings safely. They include making healthier choices and consulting with healthcare providers.
Making Healthier Choices
Even if you only crave sugary treats or salty junk food snacks during pregnancy, healthier choices can better benefit you and your baby. For example, if you’re craving chocolate, consider having an apple with a drizzle of honey. If you want a salty snack, a handful of raw almonds is nutritious and satisfying.
Consulting Healthcare Providers
If you find yourself experiencing pica cravings during pregnancy, it’s best to consult with healthcare providers. A doctor can evaluate you, determine whether you have any nutritional deficiencies, give you advice and provide treatment. Don’t shrug off weird cravings because they might be harmful to you and your baby.
Psychological Factors Behind Cravings
Psychological factors apply to pregnancy cravings. They include emotional comfort and food and social and cultural influences.
Emotional Comfort and Food
Food is often a source of comfort, so pregnant women turn to it to soothe difficult emotions. Emotional eating isn’t always physically or psychologically healthy. Pregnancy cravings can cause a mom to make poor food choices.
Social and Cultural Influences
Pregnancy is associated with “eating for two” in many cultures. Women might eat the wrong foods or eat twice the normal amount. However, according to Medline Plus, most only need 300 more calories during pregnancy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is the Strangest Pregnancy Craving?
Non-food items like dirt, chalk and charcoal are among the strangest pregnancy cravings.
What Is the #1 Pregnancy Craving?
Ice cream is the top pregnancy craving.
What Are Weird Cravings During Pregnancy Called?
Weird pregnancy cravings are called pica, which encompasses non-food substances.
What Are Some Typical Cravings of Someone Who Is Pregnant?
Some typical pregnancy cravings are ice cream and pickles, peanut butter, spicy food, red meat, fruit and cheese.
