Pregnancy is one of the most profound bodily changes you will ever go through. And, certainly, practically every portion of your body undergoes some sort of transformation. But before any of this happens—possibly even before you obtain a positive pregnancy test—you’ll notice a significant change in your appetite. When you’re pregnant, there will be meals you used to enjoy that you’ll despise. However, there will be things that you crave—perhaps items you’ve never enjoyed before. You might have an odd urge for a strange blend of things. Pickles and ice cream may be the most renowned pairing, but it’s only the beginning when it comes to strange pregnancy cravings.
Pregnancy cravings start at the end of the first trimester, peak in the second trimester, and then fade as the third trimester approaches. Parents who breastfeed, on the other hand, may develop desires of their own and will almost likely continue to have higher appetites, as both breastfeeding and pregnancy necessitate increased caloric needs.
Hormonal Changes
Pregnancy brings about significant hormonal changes, particularly in the first trimester. Consider it a million times worse than PMS. The hormones of pregnancy may alter the types of desires you have, similar to what happens when you’re expecting your period. Hormones can influence your food sensory experience, perception of smell, and mood, all of which influence the foods you crave.
Sensory Changes
Many pregnant women claim that they turn into bloodhounds during their pregnancy, smelling things from a mile away and getting easily overwhelmed by odours. This can have an impact on the things we want to eat. Strong and pungent-smelling foods might be a complete turn-off. Foods with nice, fragrant aromas, on the other hand, may be more appealing.
Changing Nutritional Needs
Pregnant women require more calcium and iron than non-pregnant women. As a result, you may develop a taste for foods that contain these components. The only difficulty is that your body may misinterpret your calcium requirement as a desire for a large vat of vanilla ice cream. Consume the ice cream! However, don’t forget to supplement your diet with more nutritious sources of the vitamin you’re wanting. Dark leafy greens, nuts, and seafood, as well as that well-deserved ice cream, are excellent sources of calcium.
Survival of the Fittest
Some of our appetites and aversions stem from a drive to keep ourselves and our developing children safe. Many of us, for example, discover that things that would be unhealthy or less healthful, such as coffee and alcohol, readily make their way to our lists of aversions. Many of us also lose our appetite for meat, owing to the belief that eating meat increases the risk of bacterial contamination. These experiences, however, are not shared by all pregnant women!
A Craving for Comfort
Many of us simply seek meals that make us feel good, like sweets and carbohydrates. We may also seek meals from our childhood that remind us of safety and love. We may crave the foods we eat when we aren’t feeling well when we are nauseated during pregnancy.
Cultural Expectations
One of the most fascinating aspects of cravings is how our upbringing influences our preferences for different foods. When it comes to PMS cravings, for example, American women crave chocolate the most, whereas Japanese women crave rice. When it comes to pregnant cravings, the same principles hold true.
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