Many women experience strong cravings for certain foods during their pregnancy. While some of these desired foods may be healthy, it seems the strongest cravings are typically for the unhealthy foods.
Here is a list of some of the top pregnancy cravings:
Whether it’s sweet, sour, bitter, or salty junk food can be the hardest craving to beat.
2. Fast Food
Whatever fast food restaurant it is that keeps calling your name every time you pass by, it’s probably best to keep on driving.
3. Cookies
Homemade is always a better option than store-bought as long as you do not eat the entire batch!
4. Anything Cold
It is most likely down the ice-cream isle, but luckily there are healthier frozen treats that can satisfy the cold craving.
5. Pickles
Whether it is the salty or sweet pickles you are craving it can be a fun and healthy option to make your own pickled cucumbers at home.
6. Peanut Butter
Whether it’s on bread, bananas, or celery, peanut butter is an easy craving to satisfy in a healthful way.
7. Fruit
Fruit is the best craving to have and the easiest craving to fulfill.
8. Vegetables
It’s probably olives, banana peppers, pickles, or salad, but luckily all vegetables are healthy choices and can be eaten in whatever quantity your heart desires.
9. Milk
Try making a home-made nut or rice milk; which is so easy to make and a great alternative to cow’s milk.
When it comes to cravings it can be helpful to pinpoint what overwhelming ingredient it is that your body is craving, such as sugar or salt. If you have a sweet tooth for example, rather than indulging in cookies or cake you might be able to satisfy your craving with a piece of sweet fruit. Alternatively, if you are craving something salty like chips or peanuts you might be able to satisfy your craving with celery, cucumber, or some other vegetable.
Here are some healthy alternatives for the junk food cravings that you might get during your pregnancy:
Source: BabyCenter
| Instead of | Try |
| Ice cream | Nonfat frozen yogurt or reduced-sugar, low-fat ice cream, sherbet, or sorbet |
| Can of cola | Mineral water with fruit juice or a squeeze of lime |
| Doughnut or sweetened pastry | Whole-grain cinnamon raisin toast or half a small whole-grain bagel with low-fat strawberry cream cheese spread |
| Slice of cake | Low-fat banana nut or zucchini bread, or angel food cake topped with fresh strawberries |
| Sweet, low-fiber cereals | Whole-grain cereal or oatmeal topped with a little brown sugar and cinnamon, raisins, or cranberries |
| Potato chips | Baked potato or tortilla chips, popcorn (plain or sprinkled with popcorn seasonings), or pretzels |
| Sour cream | Nonfat sour cream or nonfat plain yogurt |
| Sundae toppings | Fresh berries, sliced bananas, or crushed pineapple in juice, topped with a sprinkle of coconut or – if you crave crunch – chopped nuts |
| Canned fruit in sugar syrup | Fresh fruit or unsweetened canned or frozen fruit |
| Chocolate | Hot cocoa made with nonfat or low-fat milk – or homemade trail mix with raisins, dried fruits, nuts, and a few chocolate chips |
| Cookies | Graham crackers or other low-sugar cookies with no more than 3 grams of sugar per cookie (add a little peanut butter if you like) |
| Cheesecake or other creamy dessert | Small slices of cheese on whole wheat crackers, low-fat vanilla or rice pudding, or some low-fat cream cheese and a dab of fruit spread on a graham cracker |
