Preparing for the birth of a child can be exciting. Many women become thrilled with just the IDEA of being pregnant. Planning how to announce your pregnancy, showing off your cute belly, and perusing the aisles of baby stores are just some of the exciting moments to prepare for. But one thing that you can’t plan for is pregnancy cravings.
Why Do Pregnancy Cravings Happen?
When a woman becomes pregnant, her body starts to prepare for the arrival of the new baby. To do this, her hormones start to shift, notably with a surge of estrogen and progesterone in the first trimester. These hormonal fluctuations are the culprits behind uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, also known as morning sickness. And of course, they’re also responsible for another pesky little side effect: pregnancy cravings.
Weird and Unusual Pregnancy Cravings
You may have heard that pickles are a common pregnancy craving. This is true, but scientists and doctors aren’t exactly sure why. Many attribute the craving to a decreased salt sensitivity, however others argue that it happens due to an increase in blood volume.
Aside from pickles, there are many other weird snack attacks that some women experience. In an episode of the classic television show ‘I Love Lucy,’ star Lucille Ball can be seen feasting on sardines with ice cream and chocolate sauce. And in ‘The Great,’ Catherine the Great (Elle Fanning) has a hankering for dirt, rose petals, and corroded nails.
Okay, maybe pregnancy cravings aren’t always THAT extreme, but they do exist. Take a look at what some of your faves craved while they were expecting.
Cardi B
Craving salty snacks when you’re pregnant isn’t uncommon. Pickles are a popular pregnancy craving because they’re sour, salty, and crunchy. But chips are another salty and crunchy snack that lots of pregnant women enjoy.
And it seems that rapper Cardi B would certainly agree. In a 2018 Twitter post, she shared her snacking obsession while pregnant with her first child, Kulture Kiari Cephus.
I hate red Doritos but for some reason i want red Doritos with sour cream and cheese and guacamole 😋😋OMG i want it Soo bad but i already ate my limit of junk food today
— Cardi B (@iamcardib) July 4, 2018
She writes, “I hate red Doritos but for some reason I want red Doritos with sour cream and cheese and guacamole. OMG I want it soo bad but I already ate my limit of junk food today.”
Porsha Williams
Reality TV star Porsha Williams announced her plans to switch to veganism in 2017, calling herself a “baby vegan.” And even though the shift proved challenging, Williams enlisted help from her Instagram followers for recipe suggestions and product recommendations.
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The “Real Housewives” star began to make strides in her journey and even posted some vegan meals she cooked. But when she became pregnant with her daughter Pilar Jhena McKinley, all bets were off.
On ‘Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,’ Williams sat down to discuss a new change in her diet: ham. She says, “Girl, I am not vegan anymore. I am full-blown pregnant, and one of my cravings is ham.”
Kelly Rowland
In an interview with Elle, Kelly Rowland discussed her pregnancy journey, including her beauty regimen and parenting style. She also talked about maintaining her health and fitness with proper sleep and exercise.
But of course, Rowland admits to giving in to the occasional snack attack, too. Her pregnancy craving? Pie. She tells interviewers, “I love cherry pie and chocolate ice cream with peanut butter mixed in it.”
And sometimes snack attacks last a lot longer than a single moment. Instead, the “Fantasy Football” star shares that one of her pregnancy cravings lasted an entire week. She continues, “And I had a week straight where I was obsessed with nachos.”
Beyonce
Is there anything that Queen Bey can’t do? Whether she’s breaking the internet with her pregnancy announcements or consistently topping the charts with empowering playlists, Queen Bey is forever showing the girls how it’s really done.
And even though Beyonce is the G.O.A.T, she’s still super down-to-earth and relatable. So much so that her mother pretty much confirmed it when she shared the “Break My Soul” singer’s totally normal pregnancy cravings.
In an interview with Life & Style at the 2011 Angel Ball, Mama Knowles claimed her daughter’s go-to craving was waffles. And we can’t blame her — they’re sweet and fluffy. Plus, they taste even better with fresh berries or bacon at Sunday Brunch. We stan a relatable queen!
Zoe Saldana
Actress Zoe Saldana is pretty serious about her health and fitness. The 43-year-old recently shared her workout routine as part of her Clean Program journey. And in an interview with Shape, she revealed that she would even try to work out between production filming.
But even the fittest Mom is no match for pregnancy cravings. During her pregnancy with twins Bowie Ezio and Cy Aridio, Saldana admits that she indulged in a rather strange food combination: preserved meats and baked goods eaten TOGETHER.
In an interview with E! News, she says, “You find yourself driving around bakeries, over and over, drive-thrus,” she said. “Like, what am I doing?”
Nicki Minaj
Spicy food is a common pregnancy request that many women have. And fortunately, adding a little extra kick to a meal is also completely safe for them and their baby. This was great news for Nicki Minaj, who divulged her hot and spicy snack attack with her fans in a 2020 Twitter post.
When a Twitter user asked if she had been cooking anything during the COVID-19 pandemic, Minaj, then pregnant with her son “Papa Bear”, shared her hankering for jalapeno peppers.
Absolutely. Steak. Shrimp. Plus my famous cheeseburgers. So good. Been rlly having red meat cravings then salad cravings with extra jalapeños. Ordered Chkn nachos that didn’t come w/jalapeños. Who does that? Wow. https://t.co/8QuYvSanMz
— Nicki Minaj (@NICKIMINAJ) May 7, 2020
She says, “Absolutely. Steak. Shrimp. Plus my famous cheeseburgers. So good. Been rlly having red meat cravings then salad cravings with extra jalapeños. Ordered Chkn nachos that didn’t come w/jalapeños. Who does that? Wow.”
Ciara
Ciara is a popular singer known for her great voice and dance moves. Not to mention, she and her superstar athlete husband, Russell Wilson, are relationship goals. But you can’t have a conversation about Ciara without mentioning her svelt and sexy figure. And apparently, the “Jump” singer is pretty effective at combatting unhealthy pregnancy cravings to maintain it.
In an interview with E! News, she discusses her pregnancy cravings. “I really like water with lemon. Water with lemon has been my thing.”
She also told E! News that she enjoyed eating huevos rancheros or an acai bowl for breakfast in the mornings. But even though she’s always serious about maintaining her #bodygoals, she assured interviewers that she was taking full advantage of her pregnancy cravings. “Honestly, I eat. I love eating. I enjoy it, and I take advantage of it when I’m carrying! So this is like game on. I eat all the food I want to at any time.”
Alicia Keys
Cravings for sweets such as chocolate bars, ice cream, and candy are a common pregnancy symptom. In fact, according to an article from Psychology Today, the most common pregnancy cravings for women in America are dairy and sweets.
And for singer Alicia Keys, truer words were never spoken. She opened up in a radio interview with WBLS about the cravings she experienced while pregnant with her second son, Genesis Ali Dean. She says she longed for fruit, but not just any kind of fruit — roasted fruit.
“I’ve had this strange craving for roasted fruit, like roasted cherries and grilled bananas, and that sounds crazy, but it’s real easy. You put it on the top of the stove, you put it on what you might make a panini on, and you just grill the banana, and it’s amazing.”