Almost 90% of Pregnant Women Experience Food Cravings—You’re Not Alone
That sudden urge to eat pickles dipped in ice cream isn’t just a Hollywood stereotype. According to a survey of 2,000 women, 89% had strange food cravings at some point during their pregnancy. This overwhelming statistic proves that if you’re experiencing unusual food desires, you’re in the vast majority. The cravings range from seasonal foods that are completely out of season to bizarre combinations that would make your pre-pregnancy self raise an eyebrow.
The food craving prevalence in this population was 63.8%. Another study found similar results, confirming that pregnancy cravings are an almost universal experience. What’s fascinating is that these cravings varied widely, with some women desiring seasonal foods that were out-of-season at the time. In contrast, others craved unusual food combinations that would make most people raise an eyebrow.
Sweet and Salty Rule the Craving Kingdom
In the current study, the analysis revealed that the most commonly craved food items were sweets and salts. This isn’t just a coincidence—there’s something about pregnancy that makes your taste buds scream for these particular flavors. In a study conducted by the National Institute of Health on 635 women, 39% of them experienced some kind of food craving related to sweet foods, fruits, and dairy.
Food cravings were reported by 39% (n = 635) of women, with sweet foods, fruit and dairy products most frequently consumed. Think chocolate, ice cream, cookies, and salty snacks like chips and pretzels. These aren’t random choices—your body is specifically drawn to high-energy, calorie-dense foods during this time.
When Cravings Peak and When They Fade
If you have pregnancy cravings, they will probably start at the end of your first trimester and get stronger in the second. By the third trimester, they usually start to go away. This timeline isn’t random—it follows a predictable pattern that most pregnant women experience. Most women who have food cravings will have them their second trimester (week 13 to 27 of pregnancy).
Food cravings are present early in pregnancy, with peak frequency occurring during the second trimester. Understanding this timing can help you prepare for what’s coming and realize that the intensity of your cravings will likely diminish as you approach your due date.
The Hormone Connection—Your Body’s Chemical Changes
Hormones can change the way some foods taste and smell. The hormone neuropeptide Y increases in pregnancy. This hormone is also linked to increases in hunger. Your body is essentially rewiring itself, and these hormonal shifts are creating new pathways for what you find appealing.
Pregnancy significantly alters sensory perception, possibly due to changes in secretion of hormones. One possible cause is that hormonal changes in pregnancy can change your sense of smell and taste. Some people notice a strange, metallic taste in their mouth when they’re pregnant. Others have a more sensitive sense of smell and may find they dislike the smell of certain food that they didn’t mind before.
Your Body May Be Trying to Tell You Something Important
Some theories say that cravings help the body make up for nutritional deficiency. For example, you might crave ice cream when you need calcium, or crave fruits when you need vitamin D. You might crave salty food during pregnancy if you need sodium. While this “wisdom of the body” theory sounds logical, the scientific evidence is mixed.
Cravings might also be caused by by your body’s need for more nutrients to help your baby develop and keep you well. For example, it is important that you are getting enough iron, vitamin d and calcium. Cravings could be your body’s way of getting these nutrients. However, the evidence for this statement is weak.
When Cravings Cross the Line Into Dangerous Territory
You should contact your GP or midwife if you crave items that are not food. You may have a condition called pica that can be caused by an iron deficiency and can be a sign of severe anaemia. This is where normal pregnancy cravings become a medical concern. The most common substances craved during pregnancy are dirt, clay, and laundry starch.
A study in 286 pregnant women in Ghana noted that 47.5 percent of the women had some form of pica during pregnancy. The most common items consumed were white clay and ice. The results showed that 57.9% of interviewed women practiced pica, with pagophagia having the highest prevalence (20.4%) followed by sapophagia (8.2%).
The Hidden Risks of Non-Food Cravings
Eating non-food substances is potentially harmful to both you and your baby. Eating non-food substances may interfere with the nutrient absorption of healthy food substances and actually cause a deficiency. Pica cravings are also a concern because non-food items may contain toxic or parasitic ingredients.
If pica in pregnancy is causing you to eat non-food substances, it could be harmful to you and baby. Pica is dangerous because most of the items people crave when they have pica are not food and are toxic to the body. This can lead to pregnancy complications or growth issues for baby.
Your Personality Actually Influences What You Crave
This behaviour may be influenced by personality traits that have been known to be linked with obesity and addiction affecting pregnancy outcomes. This behaviour may be influenced by personality traits that have been known to be linked with obesity and addiction affecting pregnancy outcomes. We identified the prevalence of food cravings and evaluated its relationship with personality traits in pregnant women.
The most common personality trait in this study was conscientiousness (65.5%). This research suggests that your individual personality characteristics might predispose you to certain types of cravings, adding another layer to the complex puzzle of pregnancy eating patterns.
Smart Strategies for Managing Overwhelming Cravings
Strategies used to manage cravings included environmental modifications to limit proximity and availability of craved foods, cognitive and behavioral strategies like distraction, and acceptance through satisfying the craving. The key is finding what works for you personally.
Stay hydrated. Drinking enough water generally helps to control increased appetite. When you crave something, drink a full glass of water and wait for 10 minutes to see if the craving goes away. Manage stress levels. There are several ways you can improve your stress management. First of all, try to maintain a healthy sleep schedule, getting at least eight hours of quality sleep each night.
The Truth About Indulging Your Cravings
Women who have pregnancy food cravings have a slightly higher energy intake than those women who don’t have cravings. This means that giving in to your cravings does typically result in eating more calories overall. Food cravings in pregnancy have been reported to contribute towards an increase in calcium and EI values. Those who craved foods had a higher mean (SD) energy intake [9721 (3016) kJ] (P = 0.002).
On average, you only need an additional 200 to 300 calories during the second and third trimesters. This equates to one extra snack during the day like a cup of yogurt. The reality is that most cravings push you well beyond these modest additional calorie needs.