The female body is capable of doing the most incredible things. Watching your body change and grow to accommodate this precious life within you has got to be one the coolest experiences. Growing life is no walk in the park; it is hard work and has many ups and downs (and trips to the bathroom).
Some things can be similar, but each pregnancy is unique; you cannot fully know what to expect until you’re going through it yourself. Some women experience the typical “morning sickness,” while others get surprised with symptoms like extra-hairy legs or bleeding gums. Even one woman can have very different experiences in her lifetime.
Although not all nine months are super glam, there are so many aspects that are truly beautiful and fascinating. One symptom that women typically experience and actually enjoy are all the weird pregnancy cravings that present themselves at the most random times.
Nothing is more satisfying than eating that juicy cheeseburger you’ve been craving all afternoon. (Well, other than your baby finally entering our world, of course.)
Why Your Body Craves Food During Pregnancy
There are many reasons your body is telling your brain to drop everything you’re doing and get that tropical smoothie you’ve been daydreaming about.
As your body changes inside and out throughout your pregnancy, your hormones continuously fluctuate. Your hormones are in charge of so many functions throughout life, but when your baby moves in, your hormones can get a little… creative.
For example, hormones might be the culprit behind your heightened sense of smell. This can either make you extremely hungry for something incredibly specific or create aversions to a food you once loved.
Your hormones can also communicate to your body that you are deficient in vitamins or minerals by craving a particular food that provides what your body requires to fuel itself and nourish your growing baby. (How incredible is that?!)
Even if you may not know what you’re lacking, your body does. So listen to your body and lean into those cravings; it could be exactly what your body needs.
Weird Pregnancy Cravings
Some cravings can be your typical ice cream sundae, while others are a little more strange and can have you thinking, “Hm, pickle juice with potato chips isn’t my usual go-to, but nothing else sounds more delicious right now.”
First off, when it comes to pregnancy, childbirth, and raising those little tykes, nothing is truly ever “weird.” So, when we say “weird pregnancy cravings,” it’s more like your partner or BFF might find them confusing, but they clearly don’t get it. You’re just built different while you’re building a baby.
Cream Filled Donut Stuffed With Cheddar Popcorn
This weird pregnancy craving is one that an expecting mama shared having throughout her pregnancy, and although the nutritional value may be in question, she sure did get that sugar fix with this one. If you’re feeling a little tired and experiencing low blood pressure, your body can crave sugar or salt to give your body a boost.
Pickles: On and With Everything
By now, we all know pickles are a pregnancy craving staple, but that doesn’t change the fact that this might seem a little strange to those who don’t have a baby on board.
However, pickles are a straight icon for a legit purpose. Pickles are great because they are the perfect snack if you need extra sodium in your diet. These vinegar treats are easy to pack on the go and hit the spot every time.
Chocolate, Chocolate, and More Chocolate
Although this craving usually presents itself regularly even when we’re not pregnant, it can be a continual strong craving throughout pregnancy.
Chocolate contains two vital nutrients, magnesium and tryptophan:
- Magnesium is an essential mineral for pregnant women because it helps keep our nerves and muscles healthy and regulates our body temperature, nucleic acid, protein synthesis, and more.
- Tryptophan is a naturally occurring chemical that produces serotonin in our brain. That’s why chocolate is at the top of every mama’s must-have snack list.
- Chocolate is delicious.
- Got Milk?
Do you crave just a tall glass of cold milk? Old-wives tales swear that drinking milk can relieve heartburn, but if you’re craving milk, your body could need more calcium. This can also be the case if you’re also craving ice cream or other yummy dairy treats.
Fast Food
Here’s a food craving that nearly every member of the human race knows oh so well. If you’re constantly craving fast food, it could be your body’s way of saying it needs more calories or sodium. When pregnant, you need to increase your regular daily caloric intake to fuel your body to keep up with the process of growing as a human being.
Mama, you’re working hard. You deserve those french fries and a double-double burger from In-N-Out. However, if you find yourself wanting a slightly healthier version, try dipping some veggies in some ketchup or make some sweet potato fries in an air fryer.
Red Meat
Are you vegetarian and, all of a sudden, drooling over your co-worker’s double cheeseburger? You are not the first mama to crave red meat during her pregnancy. Red meat is a high-powered source of iron and protein.
Anemia can be common during pregnancy, so getting enough iron is crucial. If you are craving red meat, it could be your body saying, “Pardon me, ma’am. I need more iron and/ or protein, please.” This is a time to reach out to your doc and inform them of your body’s oddly polite request.
Ice
Believe it or not, ice is a common pregnancy craving that women experience. Ice cravings may be linked to the mother possibly having an iron deficiency or needing a bit more iron added to her diet. If you are craving a big ol’ bowl of ice cubes, contact your healthcare provider to see if you have an iron deficiency.
Did Someone Say, Raw Onion?
This strong-tasting unusual craving may give you a nice boost. Onions are a great natural anti-bacterial powerhouse that can help clear harmful bacteria in our bodies.
They are also a wonderful source of vitamins and minerals, as well as fiber and prebiotics. While they tend to make you cry when handling them in the kitchen (or is that the hormones?), onions make up for it with all their fantastic health benefits.
Coffee Grounds
We’re not talking about coffee like a normal cup of joe; we mean the actual grounds before they’re made into a drink. This is another weird pregnancy craving you don’t see every day, but when it pops up, it can offer a helpful clue.
Craving coffee grounds can mean your body might want more iron. This is another craving that could be helpful to seek care from a provider to rule out any deficiencies you could be experiencing.
Peanut Butter
Let’s talk about award-worthy duos. Besides our skin-care duo, our fav pregnancy craving happens to pair amazingly with chocolate — if chocolate had a best friend, it would be peanut butter.
This creamy or chunky spread is delicious on just about anything from apple slices to celery or the classic piece of toast. Not only does it taste so yummy, but it may help calm morning sickness. Some mamas swear by peanut butter toast when nothing sounds or tastes appetizing in those early weeks.
Its protein, fiber, fats, and vitamins make it a fab choice for your midday or late-night snack.
What Are Your Weird Pregnancy Cravings?
These were just a few of the cravings pregnant women have reported, but the list of weirdest pregnancy cravings is never the ending. Cravings can also fluctuate and drastically change throughout your pregnancy. You may dream of peanut butter in the first trimester and then demand fruit all the time in the second and third trimesters.
Even if you’re craving something as “weird” as raw onion, it can all be for a reason. Listen to your body and investigate the potential motivation behind this off-the-menu request. You may just discover that the food you’ve been thinking about nonstop has exactly what your body needs more of.
Whether these cravings are your late-night choice of snack or not, make sure to get all the goodies that you’ve been wanting and possibly needing. Get comfortable in some quality pajamas, and turn on your favorite show. Unwind and relax while you savor every bite of that special something you’ve been craving.
Bodies Talk. We Listen.
If you didn’t previously know that cravings can tend to present themselves as a way our body communicates with us about needing more of certain nutrients, then we are glad you now know. Listening to our bodies to know what’s going on and what it needs is so important, especially during pregnancy.
Let’s talk more about what our bodies are going through and how we can best take care of ourselves and our babies.
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