What's up with food aversions and food cravings?

If the sight of salmon has you gagging, or just the thought of a Krispy Kreme donut has you foaming at the mouth, you might be experiencing intense food aversions and/or cravings. They usually start at the end of the 1st trimester, peak in the 2nd trimester, and then typically subside. While food aversions are often associated with nausea, there’s no 100% reason you’re experiencing either. Here are a few possibilities:

Hormones: During early pregnancy when your hormones are raging, you might be inclined to devour certain foods, similar to how you might crave chocolate (or a burger) before your period. 

Heightened senses: Your taste receptors + sense of smell are super sensitive during pregnancy. So a piece kale might seem overly bitter because your taste buds are so plugged in.

Crossed nutritional wires: There might be some truth to the idea that you crave what your body needs and is turned off by what you don’t. This might be why a glass of Sancerre looks like pee. But it doesn’t quite explain why you might get grossed out by healthy foods you loved pre-pregnancy.

A need for comfort (food). You may crave foods that you associate with “comfort.” So if you want that slice of pizza, go for it!