# Pregnant and craving sugar... what am I missing?



## pumpkinsmama (Aug 20, 2005)

I'm eleven weeks and up until two days ago had been eating pretty well (not a specific diet like raw, vegan, or whole foods, just very balanced, lots of spinach salads). For the past two/three days I have had reallly strong sugar cravings. I even had DH buy me some nerds (I know! I know! More artificial colorings than rainbow brite). Any ideas on what I may be missing in my diet to get these cravings? (I tried other things first, like honey but it wasn't cutting it.)

Also the thought of my usually yummy spinach salad makes me nauseus. I don't like many veggies so that was one of my important sources of lots of vitamins. (I know about the calcium thing, I get plenty with other meals)


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## whoamama (Jan 5, 2006)

Have something sweet and don't worry about it! Seriously, you could drive yourself crazy wondering why, but if your diet is otherwise good, a little sugar won't hurt. After 4. 3 pregnancies, I have figured out that it is best to listen to the cravings, instead of eating 16 different things trying to avoid them, and still having the cravings.


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## ColoradoMama (Nov 22, 2001)

Giving into a craving now and then won't hurt you if your diet is otherwise good! However, if it's really bothering you, maybe you could try making healthier sweets at home and see if that helps. At least you'll feel better about it and since you're making them yourself you can put good stuff in them!


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## homemademomma (Apr 1, 2004)

i agree that there is nothing wrong with eating sweet stuff! try to keep "healthier" sweets around so you dont end up eating crappy junk food (like nerds lol!!!!). you can make your own cookies so you can add lots of good stuff like oats, ground seeds, organic eggs, coconut oil etc, and use all natural ingredients. i make cookies out of fresh ground wheatberries and rye berries, oats, ground nuts and seeds, chocolate chips,with sucanat and plenty of butter or coconut oil and either eggs or bananas and omg they are delish. dense, but so good.

BUT an overwhelming craving for sweets can indicate a lack of protein.


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## newcastlemama (Jun 7, 2005)

*Smoothies* are my answer to the pregnancy sweets attack!
Frozen Fruit-berries, peaches
vanilla soymilk
1T ground fax (omega-3s)
2T probiotic liquid

Sweetner (raw agave) if needed


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## Kari_mom (Jun 1, 2003)

I would up your protein intake if you can. I find I could eat sweets all day when I am pregnant or newly nursing, when what my body is really trying to get is more protien.


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## marieandchris (Jun 6, 2005)

Yes protein...

I found during my very recent pregnancy that every time I craved sweets, it was actually protein I needed. This now has transformed my view of sweet cravings IRL.

However, protein early in pregnancy can be hard because of food aversions. I found that nuts were my best choice in the first trimester, and slowly I was able to eat eggs and meat too. By the end of my pregnancy (well through most of it actually) I ate only raw and slightly cooked veggies and meat/egg/nut protein. I could stomach ANY grains and legumes (and I have a dairy allergy.) -- I actually lost 35 lbs from the beginning of the pregnancy to the end (and my baby was 9 lbs, 4 oz at 41 weeks!)

Good luck to you,
Marie


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