Food cravings
How can I manage my food cravings?
Strong desires for particular foods, known as food cravings, are often reported during pregnancy and can make it tricky to stick to even the best of healthy eating intentions.
It’s currently not fully understood why food cravings can occur in pregnancy, despite them being a common occurrence. They’re unlikely to be caused by an increased need for calories as they can occur at any stage of pregnancy, and there’s only a small increase in energy requirements during the third trimester.
Managing food cravings can be an important part of managing your weight during pregnancy and preventing excess weight gain.
When a craving strikes, you could try having a smaller amount of the specific food if it’s something that’s high in fat and/or sugar.
You could also choose a healthier alternative – for instance, frozen sorbet or yogurt instead of ice cream, a low-calorie hot chocolate when you need a chocolate fix, or making your own version of chips, curries, or burgers.
You'll find other handy swap ideas here.
