How to Curb Pregnancy Cravings

There are many theories as to why women have such strong cravings during pregnancy, the most common being hormonal changes and a deficit of nutrients in the body. Regardless of the reason, expectant mothers want to watch their health for the baby's sake, and that includes stopping craving for unhealthy foods.

Instructions

1. Help your body to maintain blood sugar levels, as fluctuating levels can trigger cravings, particularly for sweets and simple carbohydrates, like fried foods and junk foods. Make sure that you eat plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables and healthy protein, avoiding sugary and processed foods.

2. Drink a cup of green tea when pregnancy cravings become strong. Green tea is rich in a number of antioxidants and vitamins that the body may be craving. Additionally, drinking warm fluids often helps the body to feel full and satisfied.

3. Include more soy milk in your daily diet, particularly if you are craving high calcium dairy such as cheese, milk and ice cream. Not only will soy help to curb your cravings, it will help you baby to develop with strong teeth, nails and bones.

4. Speak to a doctor or nutritionist about taking B-complex vitamins, which are among the greatest vitamin deficiencies in the United States. B vitamins are necessary for the metabolism of simple sugars and carbohydrates and hunger can be affected when a deficiency is present.

5. Curb a sweet tooth with raw honey, fruits or frozen yogurts; however, stay away from artificial sweeteners. You may think that artificial sweetener is better for you and the baby; however, they exacerbate cravings for a number of foods. Artificial sweeteners are found everywhere, so watch labels carefully.

6. Enjoy some of the foods you are craving, in moderation, as they may be telling your body that you need something that food provides. It is never healthy, particularly while pregnant, to overeat on ice cream, fried foods or chocolate. However, many women find themselves craving items that can be eaten in moderation to curb that desire, such as fruit, spices or even a small piece of chocolate.

Tips & Warnings

• Because vitamin supplementation changes during pregnancy and one expectant mother to the next, never self-prescribe any medication while pregnant, even vitamins.