Why Do Pregnant Women Crave Pickles?

Discovery News correspondent Kasey-Dee Gardner explores why women crave bizarre or uncharacteristic foods during pregnancy. Have you ever heard that a craving for a particular food is caused by a nutrient deficiency? I am having a significant cheese pizza craving, so maybe my body is telling me that I need…calcium. Unfortunately, this theory is just a myth.  There is minimal evidence to support the nutritional compensation for deficiencies. The most plausible reason for these strange cravings is the hormonal effects on women during pregnancy which cause shifts in senses, particularly taste and smell. Another possibility for such pregnancy cravings could be due to emotional eating. In many cases, stress affects people’s eating habits.  During the nine-month waiting-game, not only is a woman undergoing physical stresses of pregnancy itself, she has a lot to consider about the delivery process and life once the baby is born. These thoughts may lead women to turn to comfort foods and foods they haven’t had any desire for in recent years. Popular culture also plays a part in such cravings, from TV commercials to the theme of an evening sitcom. What foods did you crave during pregnancy?