We’ve all heard about those peculiar pregnancy cravings that some women get. Odd combinations such as pulled pork on vanilla ice cream and even pizza and icing have been revealed as some of the strange foods that women gravitate towards when pregnant. Whilst not all women get these funny pregnancy cravings and some don’t get cravings at all, it still begs the question – what causes us to crave different foods and flavours whilst pregnant?
The pregnancy supplement experts over at Vitabiotics Pregnacare aim to get to the bottom of this with their latest survey. The infographic below shows some of the interesting things the research revealed about women’s pregnancy cravings.
It is thought that pregnancy cravings are your body’s way of telling you that you’re missing certain nutrients; however, this can differ from person to person. Below, are some of the main cravings that women experience during pregnancy and what they actually mean.
Salty snacks
Salty foods such as chips, fried chicken and burgers were among some of the most popular pregnancy cravings in the Vitabiotics survey. In fact, many women gravitate towards salty snacks whilst pregnant, but what does this mean?
If your body isn’t getting enough sodium from your diet, you may feel the need to take on more salty foods whilst pregnant. In addition to this, you have a high blood volume when you’re pregnant, which is another possible reason why you lean towards saltier foods.
However, it’s important to be careful with your salt intake as this can affect your blood pressure.
Sweet treats
Sweet foods such as chocolate, boiled sweets and fruit were by far the most popular food type that women crave during pregnancy. This could be because your body often experiences lower blood sugar levels than normal while pregnant. Therefore, your body ‘needs’ the extra sugar intake to compensate for this.
Spicy flavours
Craving spicy foods is another common theme for pregnant women, coming in at number 7 on the list of the top 20 pregnancy cravings!
One theory for why some pregnant women crave spicy foods is that this is because hot foods make you sweat, which subsequently helps cool you down. Sweating and keeping cool can be a struggle for pregnant women, therefore, this could explain why spicy foods look more appealing during pregnancy.
If you’re experiencing pregnancy cravings, it’s always a good idea to listen to your body’s needs and try and see what could potentially be missing from your diet. However, if you’re craving any strange like dirt or dish soap, it’s always best to contact your doctor to see if there is something else causing your cravings!
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