Why, exactly, are you craving sour candy, chicken nuggets, and hot chocolate with crushed peppermint at three in the morning when all the stores are closed and you’d rather be asleep?
It’s impossible to know for sure why you’re having common pregnancy cravings. Still, we can make some educated guesses based on the nutrition content of various foods (yes, even chocolate and other treats).
Important caveat: This shouldn’t take the place of medical advice. You should always check with your doctor if there’s a concern and before adding any medications or supplements to your routine or making major dietary changes.
With that said, here are a few of the most common pregnancy cravings and what your body may be telling you.
Cold Crunchy Ice
There’s just something about the crunch, the cold, the clean flavorless chill. Somehow, despite having no real taste of its own, ice is delicious, and it’s one of the top cravings during pregnancy.
Why we might crave it:
You might crave ice for a few reasons. The texture is appealing, and the cold can be very refreshing, especially during a summer pregnancy.
However, your body may also be crying out for hydration. It’s very common to be at least a little dehydrated during pregnancy, and dehydration can increase the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Some women will also crave ice due to an iron deficiency.
Consider this:
Ice isn’t inherently bad for you, although it can be rough on tooth enamel (and pregnancy is already hard on dental health).
If you’d like to limit your ice-crunching, try drinking some water first. If your cravings are excessive, ask your doctor about checking your iron levels (especially if you’re also craving non-foods like dirt or gravel).
Ice Cream, Fudge, Yogurt, Cheese, And Milk
Whether you like your ice cream with or without pickles, it’s common to find yourself in desperate need of ice cream and other dairy products in the wee hours when you’re pregnant. You may even have very specific cravings, like rocky road ice cream with hot fudge sauce and star-shaped sprinkles, yogurt with fruit pieces and granola, or ricotta cheese straight out of the container.
Why we might crave it:
The obvious answer is that we crave dairy products when we need calcium, but it can be more complicated than that.
Milk, for example, tends to be fortified with vitamin D, so your body may associate dairy products with meeting that need. If you’re eating fudge or ice cream with nuts, you could be meeting a need for protein, fiber, or folate. And, depending on your fruit choice, you could satisfy a craving for fiber, vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, iron, or folate.
Consider this:
There’s nothing wrong with a treat. But if you’re getting too much ice cream and fudge in your diet, try the toppings or mix-ins with a glass of milk instead. Or, swap your ice cream (at least sometimes) for yogurt.
By the way, use caution with soft cheeses. If they’re pasteurized, they’re generally considered relatively safe, but otherwise, some can contain bacteria that can be dangerous for your growing fetus. When in doubt, cook it thoroughly, swap it with a hard cheese or a pasteurized version, or check in with your doctor.
Spicy Takis, Hot Cheetos, Salsa, & Other Spicy Foods
Even women who don’t normally like spicy foods might find themselves turning up the heat on snacks and main dishes during pregnancy. Has your tongue taken a turn toward masochism, or is this baby just begging for hot sauce?
Why we might crave it:
There are a few reasons to crave spicy foods during pregnancy.
First, counterintuitive though it may be, Healthline explains that capsaicin, the spicy element in peppers, helps regulate body temperature by turning on the sweat response. If you’re overheating during pregnancy, you may crave hot foods because your body needs to sweat to cool off!
Second, taste buds shift a lot during pregnancy. What’s too hot may suit your flavor preferences more these days.
By the way, peppers are also rich in vitamins (including A, C, and B6) and nutrients like calcium and iron. If you’re going for salsa, you’re also adding the additional vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, magnesium, iron, and calcium in the tomatoes and onions.
Consider this:
The downside of most of these foods is the sodium content. The chips also lack overall nutritional content.
If you’re craving spice but want to limit your intake of sodium and junk food, you could try a low-sodium salsa or a homemade version that’s lower in sodium than store-bought jars. You could also consider adding hot sauce to your chicken or other meat, having a bowl of chili or a taco with fresh meat and vegetables, or adding low-sodium taco or chili seasoning to a soup or stew.
Spicy foods can also trigger heartburn, so indulge in moderation!
Chocolate, Chocolate Milk, Chocolate Everything
Chocolate is delicious, and maybe it’s just something you want all the time anyway. Or perhaps you only like it as an occasional treat. But now that you’re pregnant, have you found that you want it all the time?
Why we might crave it:
Chocolate is not a very good source of nutrition, but it does contain certain nutrients in small amounts, including iron, magnesium, and zinc. Dark chocolate is a better source of these than milk chocolate. Some theories suggest that a magnesium deficiency specifically sets off a craving for chocolate, although there’s no hard evidence.
Chocolate is also sweet and high-calorie. Some cravings for it could be centered on the need for additional energy during pregnancy. Remember that some foods meet those needs more healthily and efficiently than a candy bar!
Consider this:
If you’re constantly craving chocolate, try other foods that are high in iron and magnesium. Spinach, avocado, and nuts are all good sources. Instead of a chocolate bar, try a single square of chocolate alongside these more nutritious options and see if it satisfies your craving.
Potato Chips, Tortilla Chips, & Salt, Salt, Salt
Once upon a time, salt was a rare commodity for most humans. Since our bodies need (a little) sodium, it was a valuable asset when available. These days, we’re far from that ancient reality, but sometimes it seems like our bodies don’t realize that, and still want to consume as much salt as possible at every opportunity.
At this point, most of us would be better off limiting our sodium intake, especially during pregnancy. So, why do we want it so badly?
Why might we crave it?
Are we just harkening back to those ancient ancestors, or is it because our packaged salt these days is supplemented with iodine? It may also be because of blood pressure changes with pregnancy.
Craving salt can also be a sign of dehydration or iron deficiency.
Then, too, it could just be that most of our comfort foods tend to be salty, and pregnancy is when many of us seek comfort anywhere we can find it, especially in our foods.
Consider this:
Unfortunately, nothing is quite the same as salt. However, there are a few ways to limit sodium in your diet and meet your body’s needs.
First, season cooked food with herbs and spices other than salt. You may have to experiment to find flavors you like, but it is doable.
Hydrate! When you crave a salty treat, try drinking a glass of water and waiting a few minutes first to see if that reduces the craving.
Make sure you’re getting enough iodine and iron. Many prenatal vitamins don’t include any iodine, and some don’t have iron (especially if you choose gummy vitamins). Check with your doctor to see if you should use a multivitamin that includes iodine and iron, and pay attention to your blood pressure.
If you must have that salty treat, consider one with some nutritional value, like nuts or vegetables with dip.
Finally, if you are afraid you’re overdoing it, consider low-sodium chips, crackers, and other treats, and practice limiting intake.
Steak, Chicken, Seafood
Some of us can’t get enough steak during a pregnancy- and that’s a common pregnancy craving that can get expensive fast. Then there’s seafood. Salmon, tuna, and shrimp are dancing in your dreams and on your tongue. And chicken. Roasted, rotisserie, nuggets, tenders — well, you get the idea.
Even women who don’t usually care much for meat might crave these foods more during pregnancy.
Why might we crave it?
Protein! Meat, fish, and eggs are all good sources of protein. If all you can think about is a variety of meat dishes, your body may need more protein.
However, they’re all also good sources of iron. Many pregnant women struggle to obtain sufficient iron through their diets alone, and even a daily multivitamin may not solve the problem. If you find yourself craving raw or undercooked meat, ask your doctor about checking your iron levels.
Consider this:
Meat and seafood can be part of a healthy diet and provide essential nutrients. It’s perfectly fine to eat them, with a few caveats.
First, you should not consume raw or undercooked meats or seafood during pregnancy. Also, when eating seafood, you should avoid the options with high mercury levels, including bigeye tuna, marlin, shark, and swordfish. The FDA has a guide to the safest choices, which include shrimp, scallops, Atlantic mackerel, mullet, cod, haddock, perch, and many others.
Aside from that, if you think your meat cravings are excessive, you can try other protein sources, including eggs, beans, lentils, and nuts. Other good sources of iron include spinach, soybeans, tofu, and dried apricots.
If your cravings concern you, always check in with your doctor.
Fruit And Fruit-Flavored Treats
Fruit is a very common pregnancy craving. For some women, especially those in food deserts who rarely have access to fresh fruit or those who don’t usually eat fresh fruit, the cravings might be more fruit-coded than specifically for fruits.
For example, you might crave apple pie, lemonade, or even fruit-flavored gummy candy, or your mouth might water at the scent of lemon furniture polish.
This cannot be emphasized enough: Do not eat nonfoods, and alert your doctor about cravings for nonfoods.
Why we crave it:
Fruits, in general, are good sources of vitamin C, potassium, fiber, and folate. Specific fruits are good sources of many other nutrients. For example, watermelon is a good source of magnesium and is great for hydration, so you may crave it if you’re dehydrated. Mangos are great for beta carotene, and citrus fruits have anti-inflammatory properties.
Fruits are also a source of natural sugar, which your body may beg for when your energy flags.
Consider this:
Fresh fruit is best, followed closely by frozen. Canned fruits are often high in sugars used for preservation and flavor. Fruit juices are also high in sugars.
If your craving is fruit-adjacent, such as for a strawberry milkshake or apple turnovers, use moderation. Have the sweet treat sometimes, but try an apple or some strawberries with a glass of milk other times.
Pizza, Bread, Rice, Cereal & Pasta
Ready to pile on those carbs? You’re not alone. Many pregnant women report not getting enough pizza, pasta, and breadsticks. The good news is that you should actually increase your carb intake during pregnancy. The bad news is that you might need to focus on items that are not necessarily what your common pregnancy cravings are calling for.
Why might we crave it?
Carbs are basically pure energy, and according to a study published in Nutrition in 2024, they should make up about half your energy intake during pregnancy. It’s no wonder you may be craving them more than ever.
In addition, many of the carbs we crave are combined with other nutrients that are important during pregnancy. Pizza, for instance, comes with cheese for calcium, a little vitamin C in the tomato sauce, protein from the meats, and, of course, the benefits of any vegetables. Cereal is usually paired with calcium-rich and vitamin-D-enriched milk, and rice and pasta may be served with a variety of meats, vegetables, and sauces that supply all sorts of nutrients.
Consider this:
The downside is that many of our favorite carbs have a low ratio of calories to nutritional value. Pizza, for instance, can be heavy on grease and light on protein and calcium. The nutritional value of cereal varies widely, and many are loaded with sugar.
So, try to choose more nutrient-dense cereals, and consider whole-wheat breads and pastas. Consider a sweet potato, a quinoa dish, and some lentils or legumes. You can even try making your own with a lower-sodium sauce and lean meats when craving pizza!
Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Spinach, & Salad
Sometimes during pregnancy, you may crave the healthiest foods, even if you aren’t a great fan of vegetables. There’s good news if you’re haunting the garden and produce section.
Why we might crave it:
These vegetables are all packed with nutrients for a healthy pregnancy- vitamins C and K, iron, and fiber. If you’re eating your broccoli with cheese and adding lean meat to your salad, you’re even getting some bonus calcium and protein. (By the way, your body absorbs iron better with vitamin C, so adding fruit or tomatoes to your salad is also a bonus.)
Consider this:
The main downside to a salad is that most of our favorite dressings are high in fats and oils and low in nutrients, which isn’t a big deal as long as you keep it all balanced. One other consideration is bacteria, so be sure to wash your vegetables and that if you add deli meats to your salad, you heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F first.
Aside from that, enjoy!
Forbidden Foods From Sushi To Gravel
During pregnancy, many women crave sushi and sashimi, rare meats, and smoked seafood. Some even crave their meats raw! Soft cheeses are a common craving, and raw cookie dough is a temptation.
For some women, the desire to consume forbidden foods stretches to things that aren’t food, such as dirt, gravel, paper, paint, sand, eggshells, and more.
Why we might crave it:
Craving items other than food can be a sign of pica, a condition related to deficiency in iron or other nutrients. A need for iron may also make you crave uncooked meats and seafood. Even soft cheeses have some iron.
Then, too, simply putting a food off-limits can make it more appealing. (Remember this moment when you find your little one’s secret candy stash in a few years.)
Consider this:
Check with your doctor to see if you need an iron supplement or dietary changes to ensure you get adequate nutrients.
If you’re dying for some sushi, plan a date night for after the baby is born, and in the meantime, stick with options that are cooked and aren’t made with seafood that has higher mercury levels. If it’s made with cooked crab, shrimp, tuna, or octopus, it’s likely to be fine (as long as there’s care to avoid cross-contamination in prep). Vegetable options are also on the table!
Other Reasons Behind Common Pregnancy Cravings
Cravings in pregnancy may be related to nutrient deficiencies or to the body’s desire for the quick energy provided by carbohydrates and sugars.
However, cravings can be driven by many other factors, from hormones and emotions to proximity, flavor, smell, and simplicity.
Why might we crave it?
A bag of potato chips is a more convenient snack when you’re hungry right now than a baked potato or fruit salad. The cookies you used to eat with your mom and siblings on movie nights might be more comforting when you’re sitting up with anxiety about maternity leave than a dish of lean meat and healthy vegetables. Or, McDonald’s might seem impossible to pass up when you drive by and smell french fries.
Consider this:
Don’t make food a moral battleground for yourself. Aim for healthy eating, with reasonable treats, and do your best.
For sudden hunger, try keeping healthy snacks prepared and on hand. You can pre-cut and pre-wash vegetables in a container next to your favorite low-fat dip. You can make and freeze a batch of your mom’s soup recipe for comfort eating.
You can trust yourself and your body, relax, and enjoy your food.
The information provided is for educational purposes only. It should not be a replacement for medical care or advice. This info is not intended to diagnose or replace medical treatment. Consult your doctor if you have any questions about your common pregnancy cravings. If they are experiencing an emergency, contact 911 or transport them to the nearest emergency room.