Food cravings
About food cravings
Around eight out of 10 pregnant women experience cravings for at least one particular food. Some crave sweet foods while others want more salty snacks, spicy or fatty foods or foods that they would not normally eat. Sometimes the craving may be for much more meat than usual - even for vegetarians.
About food cravings
The cravings are real but it is not clear why they happen. According to some theories, a craving indicates a deficiency in the body such as iron deficiency or the need to have more protein. There is no evidence that there is any link between cravings and nutrient deficiency. Between 50 and 80 per cent of pregnant women also find that they want to avoid some foods they previously
enjoyed - they may find that the smell of some foods becomes unbearable.
If you want particular foods it is usually OK to eat some of that food, but you need to continue to eat a balanced diet despite cravings.
Some women find that they really want to eat things that are not food - but this might be harmful for their own health and that of their baby.
The content of this fact sheet was provided by the South Australian Government's Children, Youth and Women's Health Service. The South Australian Government does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of this reproduction.
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Remember, the information in these information pages is of a general nature only and should not be used or relied on as an alternative to professional care. If you have a particular problem, see your health care professional.
