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During pregnancy, some people may change their eating habits. Researchers have come up with a basis to explain this problem is related to hormones. The phenomenon of pregnant women craving for sour, sweet, and salty foods is similar to that of women with decreased appetite at different stages of the menstrual cycle due to hormones.1. Issues surrounding women's appetite during pregnancy
Some theories suggest that cravings for sweet or salty or sour foods during pregnancy may be an adaptation of the body. Because, when you crave milk, it means the body needs calcium supplements; Or when you crave fruit can signal an additional need for vitamin C. In fact, fruit, milk, and dairy products (as well as chocolate and savory snacks) are quite common during pregnancy.Women's taste preferences change throughout pregnancy and these changes can affect what foods are selected for the daily diet. For example, scientists suggest that people's tendency to crave sweets during pregnancy may be due to the increased calorie needs of the body during pregnancy.
Research conducted by Dr. Valerie Duffy (at the School of Allied Health at the University of Connecticut in Storrs) suggests that women:
Prefer sourness in the second and third trimesters compared to the first trimester. or before pregnancy. Like a preference for sweets, a preference for sour will help women have a more varied diet later in pregnancy so they get enough calories. Cravings for sour foods also seem to explain classic pickles cravings. Furthermore, since fruit is often a combination of sweet and sour, it also explains why fruit is the most common food that women eat during pregnancy. Salty cravings increase during pregnancy, including foods like potato chips and pickles. During pregnancy, a woman's blood volume increases, so this change in appetite may be related to a greater need for sodium. There is more bitterness in the first trimester. Scientists suspect that being able to sequester bitterness during pregnancy is an evolutionary defense, since many poisonous plants and fruits have a bitter taste. Dr. Duffy agrees that this change in taste helps warn pregnant women against consuming toxins, such as alcohol, during a critical period of fetal development. Interestingly, bitter-tasting foods often subside by the third trimester, when the crucial stages of fetal development have ended.
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2. The problem of weight gain during pregnancy
Appetite changes that perhaps begin as a true biological or physiological need before excessive food intake can backfire, are particularly common in developed countries. Deborah Bowen at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle says the body's changes allow you to eat enough for proper weight gain but can also cause you to overeat. Just one candy bar or box of ice cream can make you gain too much weight, not to mention eating candy all day has no nutritional benefits. And excessive weight gain can increase your risk of gestational diabetes and high blood pressure.An average weight woman needs to gain 11 to 16 kg during pregnancy, that would equate to about 300 additional calories per day. If you find yourself craving sweets excessively, try to choose foods that are sweet but still nutritious, such as fruit.
Here are some healthy and satisfying alternatives to unhealthy cravings:
Instead of ice cream, try lemon ice cream, juice, Popsicles or low-fat frozen yogurt. If you're craving donuts or cakes, try whole-grain bagels or jam toast. Instead of french fries, try baked potato chips, cookies, or microwaved popcorn. If you can't stop thinking about chocolate, just eat a few squares instead of a whole bar or just chocolate milk. Instead of soda, drink some flavored mineral water or juice mixed with mineral water. Besides, when you want a cake, cookie, or cake, try low-fat banana bread or zucchini.
Nếu bạn không thể ngừng nghĩ về socola, hãy thử ăn một vài viên thay vì cả thanh, hãy cố gắng hạn chế lượng socola
3. Psychological cravings
Some researchers suggest that cravings aren't related to nutritional deficiencies, but that they're merely cravings. After all, if someone is craving protein, why not reach for lentils and sardines. Both of these foods provide ample protein, maybe even more than beef and bacon? It's worth mentioning that pregnant women tend to crave specific foods, not every food in a group.It is likely that these cravings are the result of biological as well as psychological and environmental influences. Dr. Bowen said the messages women receive during pregnancy, specifically about what foods they should eat, can lead them to eat or drink more of those foods. So if you're advised to add more milk to your diet, that could trigger cravings for more milk or ice cream than usual.
4. Certain types of food
There are certain foods that tend to make you nauseous or worse. According to studies, meat is the most common aversion. Fessler explains that meat and other animal proteins, including eggs and seafood, are more likely to carry foodborne illnesses. So, by evolution, women may be inclined to avoid them.For many women, not only the taste but also the taste of food causes an aversion. In fact, there is some evidence that pregnant women have a more sensitive sense of smell due to hormonal changes, and this affects their cravings for and which foods to avoid.
What if you have an unusual appetite? If you find yourself craving non-food items, such as paint chips, starches or dirt, don't indulge, as many of these have the potential to be toxic to you and your baby. Let your doctor know if you have cravings other than food; In some studies, pica has been linked to nutritional deficiencies.
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