When Do Pregnancy Cravings Start (and What Do They Mean)?

Pregnancy cravings are a common, almost universal, fact of pregnancy. If you went from never thinking about pickles to needing them immediately, then you know pregnancy cravings. Pregnancy cravings can range from very specific (chips, cheesecake, or cold grapes) to downright strange (pickles wrapped in bacon). But what actually causes pregnancy cravings, and what do they mean? 

What are pregnancy cravings?

Pregnancy cravings are intense, sometimes unusually specific desires for particular foods or drinks. They’re different from just feeling hungry; hunger makes you want food, while a craving is a desire that is more specific and urgent.

Some people crave foods they loved pre-pregnancy, while others suddenly crave foods they rarely or never ate previously. Often there’s no real rhyme or reason to a craving—it just happens. And of course, just as you might experience pregnancy cravings, it’s also common to experience food aversions too—a disgust for foods you previously couldn’t get enough of. 

When do pregnancy cravings start?

Why do pregnancy cravings happen?

Pregnancy cravings are influenced by a combination of things (including some listed below) so there’s no single explanation to why they happen.

Cravings can be influenced by:

• Changes to hormones, taste, smell, appetite, and energy

• Previous food experiences

• Cultural and psychological factors

Because pregnancy changes the way foods taste and smell (thanks hormones!), certain foods may suddenly become more appealing or make previously loved foods completely unappetizing. Eating behaviours in pregnancy are a part of the broader physiological changes of pregnancy. 

There is also a reward component to cravings. Highly palatable foods—think sweet, salty, creamy, or crunchy foods—activate certain brain pathways that affect pleasure, comfort, or motivation. Fulfilling pregnancy cravings can bring emotional and physical comfort in a time of change and stress.

It’s tempting to think that a pregnancy craving is your body’s signal for a specific nutrient, but the research doesn’t support the connection. While nutrient-specific cravings can occur, pregnancy cravings don’t reliably correspond to a lack of nutrients any more or less during pregnancy. (Which means you shouldn’t necessarily be alarmed that your cravings indicate anything specific to your health.)

What are some of the common and more unusual cravings in pregnancy?

Meat and protein

Steak, burgers, chicken, eggs, and other protein-rich foods can be common pregnancy cravings due to their savoury, filling, and satisfying qualities. During pregnancy, your blood volume increases by about 50%, so it is important to get enough Iron, B12, and protein to support this big change. And these nutrients are commonly found in animal products. Low iron levels can result in symptoms like feeling short of breath, low energy, and feeling lightheaded, so make sure your healthcare provider is aware of these symptoms if you experience them.

Dairy

Dairy products like milk, cheese, yogurt, and ice cream are all cold, creamy, often sweet, sometimes savoury, and a combination of protein and fat. AKA, they’re delicious and comforting. Dairy contains nutrients which are important in pregnancy, including Calcium, protein, and sometimes Iodine and Vitamin D.

Pickles

Pickles are a stereotypical pregnancy craving because they are so intensely flavoured while being salty, sour, acidic, and crunchy. For someone experiencing nausea or food aversions, having a cold, crisp pickle may be the only thing you can stomach.

Chocolate

The combination of sweetness, fat, and a rich texture is satisfying and comforting. Just choose chocolate with a higher cocoa content (like dark chocolate) which can provide antioxidants, fiber, and minerals like Iron, Magnesium, and Copper. And remember, cocoa naturally has caffeine (keep your total daily caffeine intake below 200 mg).

Peanut butter

The combination of peanut butter’s creamy texture, saltiness, fat, and protein content make it particularly appealing and satisfying. As pregnancy progresses, energy and nutritional requirements increase and foods like peanut butter can be more satisfying when paired with a carbohydrate like toast or fruit.

Spicy foods

When foods that once tasted good seem bland (another common pregnancy symptom), a spicier flavour may be satisfying because of the sensation from capsaicin, a compound from chili peppers that creates the heat. But be warned—spicy foods can make heartburn or reflux symptoms worse, so limit or avoid them if they trigger symptoms.

Sugar and fruit

It’s common to have a sweet tooth throughout pregnancy, and desserts in moderation can fit into a balanced pregnancy diet. Whole fruit is always going to be the most nutritious bet to satisfy a craving, but other sweet treats in small amounts are okay, too. Just remember that pregnancy changes the way your body regulates blood sugar and insulin. 

A sweet tooth on its own does not mean you have gestational diabetes, but it can increase your risk for dysregulated blood sugar. If you’re concerned about your blood sugar, an oral glucose tolerance test and bloodwork screen for blood sugar issues happen about midway through pregnancy.

Carbs

Choose a variety of complex, fiber-containing carbohydrates (like oats, beans, and sweet potatoes). Pair them with protein and fat when possible for steady energy, mood, and hormone production.

What can pregnancy cravings mean?

The majority of the time, a pregnancy craving does not necessarily mean you’re lacking specific nutrients.While it can be true that you have a craving when your body requires more iron, Calcium, Magnesium, or other nutrients, food cravings do not reliably identify deficiencies (you likely need bloodwork for that). Sometimes, a craving is just a craving.

A craving that typically means something is called Pica which is an urge to eat things that are not food like ice, chalk, clay, dirt, or cornstarch. Pica is different from usual pregnancy cravings, but it can occur during pregnancy and is associated with nutrient deficiencies, specifically Iron. If you develop a persistent urge for things that aren’t food, let your healthcare provider know so the proper investigations can be run since some of these pica-related cravings are harmful to you or the pregnancy.

What about a prenatal vitamin?

Pregnancy increases the body’s need for vitamins and minerals, which is why a prenatal vitamin is so important. A high-quality prenatal vitamin helps you get supportive nutrients at the therapeutic doses needed during pregnancy (and that are hard to get from diet alone). 

Your prenatal vitamin can’t replace a balanced diet (though it can help fill nutrient gaps) and it won’t change your pregnancy cravings—only time can do that. 

Focus on the bigger picture by eating nutrient-dense foods, taking a prenatal vitamin, and speaking with your healthcare provider if you are struggling to eat or drink enough or have concerns about your nutritional status.