Digesting wild pregnancy cravings with Dr. Adel
Researching the science behind maternal cravings first made the Ada team hungry, confused, terribly curious, and then satisfied. A craving is defined as a strong urge for foods that are more specific than mere hunger and very difficult to resist.
In a bid to better understand why pregnant women request ‘cheese and lemon’ or ‘chocolate spaghetti’ and other marvelously strange combinations, we turned to NHS General Practitioner and Ada clinical lead, Dr. Adel. He addresses expressions he often hears from pregnant women and shares the potential risks of consuming food mothers may think they want.
“It’s not me; it’s the baby!”
A common myth is that expectant mothers crave certain foods because the baby is channeling the need for nutrients. One pregnant woman said, “I woke up and suddenly wanted steak with chocolate sauce, I think because they both have iron in them and the baby needs it.” At first glance, this may have some merit — iron is necessary for the production of red blood cells, which is vital to brain development in the womb.
But, argues Dr. Adel, if this natural craving for nutrients were true, we’d see more pregnant women lining up at the salad bar instead of wanting high-fat carbs like burgers and fries. “To my knowledge, there aren’t many studies that show a high correlation between food cravings and dietary quality in pregnancy,” says Dr. Adel. In fact, a pregnant friend told us that the last thing she ever wanted was a leafy green salad.
For most women, cravings are most potent in the first and second trimester, which further contradicts the idea that they are a result of nutrient deficiency. Pregnant women do need more nutrients for fetal development like calcium, vitamin A, C, B6, B12, (D if you live somewhere with little or no sunshine) and especially folate throughout their pregnancy but it’s best to absorb them through some supplements, fruits and leafy green vegetables.
“I couldn’t get enough of pineapple juice, but now I can’t stop with fries.”
According to Dr. Adel, “Cravings can be temporal as they change over the course of the pregnancy. In the first trimester, the desire for savory foods is strongest.” Typically, the yearning for sweet foods peaks in intensity during the second trimester. In the third trimester, urges for salty food comes, which explains the affinity towards salty, greasy fries. While we don’t know why these cravings happen, they are quite commonly reported in studies. So, the overwhelming feeling of a very specific taste of food can be perfectly normal.
“Am I overeating? Or not eating enough?”
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) defines excess weight gain in pregnancies as 35+ lbs (16+ kg) in women of normal pre-pregnancy weight. Although, many other factors could also contribute to weight gain during pregnancy like the weight of fluids and placenta.
We’ve often heard that being underweight can have severe effects on the growth of the fetus, but we don’t often understand enough about what overeating can do to its development. There are few empirical research studies on obscure food pairings and pregnancy, but high sugar and saturated fat cravings could lead to weight gain during pregnancy and complications for both mother and child. There is a risk of gestational diabetes, hypertension, and complications in the delivery room.
“Pregnancy cravings can be normal, but the cause is complex and not well understood,” says Dr. Adel. “My main concern is that women will consume too much processed junk food, it won’t benefit the baby. Your baby craves nutrient-dense foods, not empty calories.” For more information on what to eat during pregnancy, visit our resources on Ada’s medical content library:
Foods to avoid during pregnancy
The personal opinions of our writers are their own. All interviewees are trained medical experts, but all information should be regarded as helpful suggestions and not a formal medical diagnosis or advice.
