Pregnant people have an increased need for nutrients such as calcium and iron. As such, you may find yourself craving foods that are rich in these ingredients. The only problem is that your body might take its need for calcium and cause you to crave a giant vat of vanilla ice cream.
Research shows that the most common food cravings in pregnancy include sweets like chocolate, candy and ice cream, and savory carbohydrates like chips and pizza.
“Food cravings often occur to help satisfy emotional needs, such as stress, anxiety and sadness.” What that means is your desire for an extra-large scoop of ice cream could be because that's what you ate as a special treat when you were a kid or how you like to unwind after an exhausting day at work.
What happens if you ignore pregnancy cravings? There is no evidence to suggest that ignoring pregnancy cravings could harm you or your baby, as long as you're eating a healthy and balanced diet. However, if you're concerned, it's best to speak with your health care provider.
Sometimes you might crave common foods such as chocolate cake or apples. Sometimes you might want to eat unusual food combinations or a foods that you normally don't like. Common food cravings include ice cream, chocolate, other sweet foods, fish, dairy products, and fruit.
Ice cream contains protein and fat, both of which our bodies need to help level our moods. On top of that, the amino acids you take in when eating ice cream, such as tryptophan, are known to increase serotonin production. That leaves us feeling calm, satisfied, and well, happy!
Experts suggest eating any foods that contain added sugar and saturated fat, like ice cream, in a moderate and mindful way. In excess, these foods might displace nutritious choices in your diet and increase the risk of chronic conditions like heart disease, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes over time.
Foods to avoid
Deli meats, soft cheeses, pâté and soft-serve ice cream – may contain listeria, a harmful bacteria. Raw or undercooked meats – can give you an infection called toxoplasmosis.
The best ice cream to eat while pregnant
Nightfood Nighttime Ice Cream is the Official Ice Cream of the American Pregnancy Association because it includes more protein plus prebiotic fiber, digestive enzymes, amino acids and a special mineral blend that includes magnesium and calcium.
Some pregnant women are surprised to find they experience a phenomenon called Pica, which is the desire to eat nonfood substances. In these cases, you may crave things like laundry starch, crayons, or dirt.
As Topol suggests, stop eating at least a couple of hours before bed to prevent all that sugar and dairy from ruining your sleep. There's also Nightfood, an ice cream low in sugar and fat and made with ingredients that promote sleep, including magnesium, calcium, and zinc.
Ice cream can help to reduce anxiety
Because ice cream contains milk, it also contains L-tryptophan. L-tryptophan is a type of a-amino acid that helps to reduce the activity of the nervous system. This means it's a natural tranquilizer that can help to reduce anxiety and increase sleepiness.
Ice cream stimulates the brain chemical, Thrombotonin, which is responsible for aiding in sleep, learning, and overall mood well-being. Another brain chemical, Dopamine, is released by brain when you eat ice cream. This chemical is a natural mood booster and is responsible for elation and pleasure.
If you do start having cravings, it'll probably be in your first trimester (it could be as early as 5 weeks into pregnancy). They'll get stronger in your second trimester, and then eventually stop in your third trimester. Cravings come in all shapes and sizes. Some women crave fatty foods like chips.
In general, a craving can signal something is out of balance, but it doesn't always mean you need a certain type of food. A craving might mean you're dehydrated, stressed or lacking sleep. If you crave a snack, and you eat it, but you don't feel any better, your body was never needing that food to begin with.
After devouring the entire cheese plate or pint of ice cream, the best thing that you can do to clear out your system is eat meals rich in anti-inflammatory foods like those on this list. Berries in particular will calm inflammation in the body quickly, between their high antioxidant levels and fiber.
Given that food cravings may be associated with certain nutritional deficiencies, which may impact foetal development, it is possible that cravings and acquired nutrition during pregnancy may impact later development (i.e. child behavioural issues).
Triggered by hormonal changes, pregnancy cravings are an intense compulsion to eat certain foods. Pregnancy cravings create what feels like a nearly irresistible urge to eat particular foods. The cravings themselves can range from fruit and vegetables to seemingly bizarre junk food combinations.