Are you pregnant? Do you feel a sudden urge for salty or sour food? Well, pregnancy is not all about aches and mood swings. It is also famous for food cravings. There is a belief that the food that the mother craves tells whether she is pregnant with a girl or boy.
Now that basically has no bearing in reality, but if you do not mind indulging in some fun and humour, you can kind of match the food items you crave for the most with the gender of your unborn baby. Yet, be mindful that prenatal screening is illegal in India. This is simply for some harmless fun!
What Are Pregnancy Food Cravings?
Pregnancy food cravings are impulsive and uncontrollable urges to eat a particular type of food during pregnancy. This food may not be your favorite food before pregnancy, or, more often, it may not remain your favorite after delivery. While some craving can be unhealthy, some cravings can be unusual.
According to studies, 50-90% of women experience some level of food cravings at some point of time during pregnancy. Even though cravings can hit at any point during pregnancy, they more often appear during the first trimester.
Pregnancy food cravings are found to peak during the honeymoon phase of pregnancy – the second trimester. Food cravings during pregnancy decrease as the expecting women enter their third trimester.
Related Reading: How To Stay Hydrated During Pregnancy?
What Causes Pregnancy Cravings?
Strangely enough, many of the pregnancy cravings are found to be unhealthy. More often they tend to crave foods that are high-calorie and high-fat. Only 10% crave healthy food like fruits and veggies. Let’s understand why pregnancy makes one crave for unhealthy and unusual foods.
1. Pregnancy food cravings can be indicative of lacking nutrients
One theory is that the body craves for lacking nutrients. For example, if there is sodium deficiency, the pregnant woman shows an urge to munch on salty crisps.
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Take away: If there is an uncontrollable urge to eat particular food during pregnancy, it means the body is in search of one of the nutrients present in this food rather than all the nutrients in that particular food.
2. Pregnancy food cravings could be hormonal
This is another theory about pregnancy food cravings. During the nine-month journey of pregnancy, the estrogen and progesterone level increases noticeably. These hormones are associated with PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) as well.
Therefore, those who experience cravings during that time of the month have more chances to experience the same during pregnancy.
3. Gender of the baby
This is one of the old wife’s tales concerning pregnancy food cravings. According to this theory, craving particular food during pregnancy can be an indication of the gender of the unborn baby.
There are no scientific theories to support this. Even then, guessing the baby’s gender by analyzing baby bumps, food cravings, pregnancy fatigue, etc still amuses many mothers.
7 Food Cravings When Pregnant With A Girl
Here are 7 food cravings mothers commonly experience when pregnant with a girl. Although not scientifically backed, a large number of women swear by the same and if nothing else, it can only make you laugh and amused.
Not all mothers need to experience this. Be aware that no two pregnancies are alike. But these are the common craving many mothers share in many forums and in the end they delivered a girl.
1. Milk
Craving milk during pregnancy more often indicates you are pregnant with a girl. Milk is considered a complete food. Milk has been known as nature’s most complete food. It contains around 19 out of 22 vital nutrients for a healthy pregnancy.
Related Reading: Drinking Saffron Milk During Pregnancy
Therefore, a craving for milk might indicate a deficiency of some of these essential vitamins and minerals. This includes calcium, vitamin A, vitamin B-12, magnesium, and zinc.
2. Are you craving chocolates? You might be pregnant with a girl!
Chocolates are another set of food items women who are pregnant with a girl hormone long for. In many forums mothers have explained their intense chocolate milk cravings. On the other hand, chocolate craving may be because of a shortage of B vitamins. Chocolates are loaded with B vitamins.
3. Candies
Craving sweets while pregnant indicates you might be carrying a baby girl. At the same time, this can be the body’s way of indicating the need for more calories as well. Craving sweets like candies can also indicate a low blood sugar level.
4. Banana pudding craving during pregnancy
Craving banana pudding during pregnancy is another indication of carrying a baby girl. However, it can also be the body’s way of trying to get an optimum potassium level. Potassium is one of those vital nutrients the body needs for the healthy progression of the pregnancy.
5. Ice cream – scream for a girl!
Ice cream is one of the most craved items during pregnancy (around 50%). And most of the mothers who crave ice cream during pregnancy are found to deliver a baby girl. However, this craving more often indicates low calcium levels as well.
During pregnancy, those who are not even able to stomach milk and cheese would love to dig into that tub of ice-cream
6. Citrus fruits
Many mothers crave oranges during pregnancy. Craving oranges during pregnancy can also be a sign of pregnancy with a baby girl. It may also be an indication of beta-carotene requirement.
7. Fruit juices
If you always have an urge to drink juices throughout your pregnancy, you are more likely to be pregnant with a girl. An intense craving for orange juice or any other fruit juices can be an indication of the body fighting off an infection. Here is a list of drinks to be avoided during pregnancy.
8. Carbs
Craving carbs while pregnant can be a sign of a baby girl on board. It can also be the body’s way to satisfy the increased calorie need during pregnancy.
Conclusion
Even though there is no scientific backup, old wife tales on gender prediction are always interesting. You don’t have to believe and plan according to these pregnancy myths. But, a little guess game could always ease the anxiety to some extent.