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Being pregnant is enough of a roller coaster ride without adding something like food cravings, right?

Well, the sad truth is 85% of women suffer at least one extreme food craving during their pregnancy.

Some of these cravings don’t even seem to make sense.

And chances are, after you’ve had your baby you won’t be able to fathom why in the world you ever wanted to eat that!

Following are some of the more unusual pregnancy food cravings and what they mean…

 

#1 – Non-edible things.

One of the worst types of food cravings is something called Pica.

This type of craving is for ice and / or other very strange substances such as laundry starch, or even cigarette butts.

Having this sort of cravings has been linked to the mother needing more iron in her diet.

 

 

#2 – Chocolate

Many alternative medicine practitioners believe that the pregnant woman who is craving chocolate has a deficiency of B vitamins.

Here are 10 healthy ways to get your chocolate fix.

 

#3 – Red meat and steak fat

Pregnant women who are craving red meat and steak fat are thought to be doing so because they are high in Vitamin B6 — which is important for red blood cell growth for the baby.

 

#4 – Pickles

Ever wonder why you were craving pickles when you were pregnant?

Most likely, your body needed more salt.

Salt helps to hold water in your body, and it’s really important in keeping the fluids going between you and your baby.

 

#5 – Ice cream and yogurt

Many women cannot stomach milk or cheese during pregnancy, but their baby needs calcium to grow and be healthy.

So, the body’s way of making sure the baby gets enough calcium is to make it crave ice cream — or even yogurt.

Women craving ice cream and pickles together probably have a salt and calcium deficiency.

 

#6 – Cranberry juice and other fruits

Doctors think that when a pregnant woman craves cranberry juice or other fruits it’s because she may be deficient of Vitamin C.

Fortunately, since both are good for you whether you are pregnant or not, drinking the juice and eating more fruits is a good idea.

 

Must read: Pregnancy Food Cravings And What They Mean