Weird pregnancy cravings are strong and specific desires for food or non-food items that are very difficult to resist. Understanding what causes for pregnancy craving, when they occur, craving food combinations and how to manage helps you to prevent weird pregnancy cravings in a healthy and balanced way.
What Causes Weird Pregnancy Cravings
Reasons for pregnancy cravings are not fully understood. But there are some suggested causes which are hormonal changes, nutritional deficiency, ingredients in the desired food, and cultural and psychological factors.
Fluctuations of estrogen and progesterone hormones during pregnancy impact on taste and smell and leads to making certain foods and non-food items more appealing. Proper nutrition is critical during the pregnancy to ensure growth and development of a healthy fetus.
Therefore nutrition requirement during your pregnancy doubles and scientists suppose that pregnancy cravings serve as a preventive measure to alleviate nutrition deficiency. But, majority of studies have found pregnant women crave sweets, high-fat and fast foods rather than healthy foods doubting this hypothesis.
Another reason is ingredients in craved food, but many researchers suggest the effect of ingredients in desired food is minimal for pregnancy cravings. Cultural and psychological factors also considered as a cause for this. Cultural norms across countries have a strong impact on pregnancy cravings.
For example, American pregnant women crave for chocolate while Japanese ones craving for rice. Another cause is psychological factors such as conflicting attitudes towards food, and disordered eating behaviors.
When Do Pregnancy Cravings Happen?
Weird cravings often tend to start in the first trimester and become stronger in the second and third trimesters. Weird cravings early pregnancy start as early as the fifth week of pregnancy.
Pregnant women often experience strong cravings for specific foods and non-food items during early pregnancy because placental growth and function causes the hormonal changes more often.
Pregnancy Cravings Weird Combinations
Pregnancy cravings such as ice cream, cheese, Chinese food and burgers are normal. But sometimes pregnancy cravings become weird. Food combinations and Non-food combinations are such pregnancy cravings weird combinations.
Some food combinations include pickles and ice cream, peanut butter and pickles, and cheese and jam sandwiches. Non-food cravings are dirt, clay, paint chips, and laundry detergent.
Weird Pregnancy Cravings Food Combinations
Here, you can find out a list of weird pregnancy cravings you are experiencing as a pregnant mother.
Peanut butter and pickles
This is a weird but good pregnancy craving food combination. While cravings for both salty and savory foods like pickles paired with peanut butter which is enriched with protein is unusual, this combination can be considered safe as well as a balanced diet for a pregnant woman.
Pickles and Ice cream
Even without diabetes, you may experience fluctuations of blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Pickles rich in carbohydrates combined with a cold and sweet food like ice cream is a weird pregnancy craving food combination that pregnant women crave as a respond to this problem.
Cheese and Jam Sandwiches
A sandwich make with fruit jam, cheese and bread is also a craving food combination among pregnant women that balances the salty cheese with the sweetness of jam. Craving for this food combination could be due to its unique taste or personal preference for these ingredients.
Pasta with Ketchup
Pregnant women have a strong desire to eat pasta only with ketchup as the sauce. This is a simple, but a weird food combination that gives an oddly satisfying taste with carbs and the sweetness of ketchup.
Chocolate-Covered Bacon
This is a salty and sweet food combination that pregnant women crave for. Although this sounds weird, crispy and savory bacon combines well with a sweet chocolate coating gives you a surprisingly delicious meal.
Healthy Tips for Weird Food Cravings Pregnancy
You may find these weird cravings to be a fun part during your pregnancy. But, if you experience cravings for weird foods and non-food items that are harmful to your and your baby’s health, then you have to visit your doctor as soon as possible.
You can manage weird food cravings pregnancy by eating healthy meals, drinking lots of water and avoiding deprivation. Plan your day with smaller meals with lean meats, vegetables, whole grains and snacks with low-fat dairy and fruits every few hours.
You can choose foods higher in fiber content such as whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables for your meal and snacks. You can be mistaken thirst for hunger.
Therefore drink plenty of water throughout the day. You can manage cravings by getting enough sleep, taking calcium supplements and getting regular physical activities also.