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Pregnancy Diet: Do's And Don'ts: Tips

By Asha Das

Food craving during pregnancy is a common experience that almost all women go through. The taste choices, likes and dislikes for a particular food and other food routines may undergo a great change when you are pregnant. Can you believe that your once favourite chicken will make you irritated even with its smell while you are pregnant? There are many expert explanations available on the basis of various researches that are conducted on this topic.

THIS IS WEIRD: Cravings During Pregnancy

The main causes that are supposed to be the root of pregnancy cravings are the hormonal changes and need of extra nutrients. While some women crave for healthy food, others may crave any unhealthy food that doesn't have anything good to do for health. Some pregnant women even have strange and unusual food cravings. This makes it important for every woman to know the pregnancy cravings do's and don'ts.

Pregnancy Diet: Do's And Don'ts: Tips

Cravings when pregnant is normal, but unhealthy food cravings may do harm to you and your unborn baby. Here, we discuss some pregnancy diet do's and don'ts that may help you to cope up with your cravings when pregnant.

Cravings when pregnant: Do's:

  • Make healthy choices: It is an important point to remember while considering pregnancy diet cravings. If you crave for sugar, opt for fruits instead of ice-cream. If you crave salt make sure that you are not exceeding the limit.
  • Talk with your doctor: If you feel that you are getting addicted to your food cravings, it is better to talk with your doctor. It is common that food cravings lead to an increase in blood sugar and blood pressure, which are not at all safe for a pregnant woman.
  • Take small breaks: Don't have too much of unhealthy food. It is a good idea to take purposeful breaks from taking your favourite foods regularly. This is an important point to keep in mind while considering the dos and don'ts of your pregnancy diet.
  • Satisfy your cravings: If you have food cravings when pregnant, it is better to satisfy your cravings. This will keep you emotionally healthy and will reduce stress and anxiety associated with it. If you crave unhealthy food, remember to limit the amount of intake to a minimum.
  • Skip from unhealthy cravings: You can divert your concentration to something else to escape from unhealthy cravings. When the thought of your favourite unhealthy food strikes you, take a walk, watch a movie, drink some water or make a phone call.

Cravings when pregnant: Don'ts:

  • Don't make it a habit: This is an important point in your pregnancy diet's dos and don'ts. Don't make taking your favourite food a part of routine, especially if it is an unhealthy food choice.
  • No junk foods: It is common that pregnant women start to hate homemade food while they are pregnant. If you are cooking yourself, the chances for this are more. This will direct you to junk foods. But, it is very important to avoid junk food or other processed food during pregnancy.
  • Don't give into unusual cravings: There is a condition known as pica, when you crave non-food items, such as paint chips, laundry starch, or dirt. This may be due to any nutritional deficiency. Don't go before these potentially toxic materials that will do harm to you and your baby.
  • Don't go crazy: Whatever food you crave, remember not to go crazy for it. Limit it to once in a day. Usually, cravings when pregnant will subside once you get back to your normal life after the delivery.

Story first published: Monday, January 13, 2014, 18:47 [IST]
Read more about: pregnancy baby