What was the strangest craving you’ve ever had during pregnancy? I have heard of some weird ones.
How about these?
Hot Cheetos dipped in strawberry yogurt. Sauerkraut on peanut better toast. How about craving the smell of rubbing alcohol? Any takers?
So why do cravings happen when you’re pregnant? Well, women are mysterious! Not really, however, there aren’t any specific explanations for these strange cravings, either food or smells. There are a few key players that are likely driving the cravings we feel.
Heading up the list are hormones! The dreaded hormones. The thing that women love to hate because when they are the least bit out of balance, our quality of life heads South. Hormones during pregnancy can heighten a woman’s sense of smell and taste. Cravings can often be compensatory for a primary deficiency. For example, if you are craving ice cream, it could be you are actually deficient in Vitamin D. Your body will do anything maintain homeostasis. What other way could your brain alert you to vitamins and minerals you need?
It would be worthwhile to look a little closer at the foods you are craving and determine what deficiency they could be signaling. Giving in to the food craving is not always the best way to handle it. Often the things we crave are not the healthiest and will cause additional problems if we aren’t careful. Shifting progesterone causes more sodium to be lost in the urine. Intuitively, your body will signal to you, through a craving for salty chips that the sodium needs to be replaced.
It has been found that cravings can also be caused by the environment around us as well as psychological effects. Sometimes, food is nothing more than a dopamine hit! We can also gravitate towards the tastes of those we spend our time with.
What should you do if you find your cravings are extending beyond the normal oddities? You should always visit with your doctor and make sure that you are getting regular bloodwork done to check all your vitamin and mineral levels. This is especially critical if you are craving non-food items like clay, dirt or paper. A craving for non food items is called Pica. This is not normal! Eating items not meant for human consumption can be detrimental to the health of yourself and your baby. It’s important to reach out to your provider.
So, tell us…what are you craving?
