Do you find yourself suddenly feeling queasy at the thought of the leftover pasta that you could not get enough of the other night? Food aversions are a normal part of pregnancy and the flip side of food cravings. Nearly eighty-five per cent of all pregnant women suffer from food aversions. Food aversion is when the food you normally are able to look at, smell and even taste suddenly sends you running in the opposite direction. They appear in the first trimester and usually trigger that fun part of pregnancy we call morning sickness. Some women find that they disappear by the start of their second trimester right around the same time morning sickness disappears. Other women find that their food aversions stay with them their whole pregnancy and a few women find that foods they developed aversions to throughout the pregnancy stay with them even after they deliver.
Just like with food cravings, your hormones are more than likely to blame for your food aversions. Some experts believe that just as food cravings are your body’s way of telling you that you need a certain food, food aversions are your body’s way of protecting you from eating anything that can harm your baby. This might be why a lot of women report that they experience aversions to alcohol and coffee. The theory is still under debate though because so many pregnant women are turned off by food that is healthy for them and their babies.
Try not to fight a healthy aversion. Consider it a blessing if the mere thought of your normal morning cup of joe turns your stomach upside down. Cutting back caffeine will be a walk in the park for you. The same goes for cigarette smoke. Many women have said that the first clue they had that they were pregnant was the fact that the smell of smoke sent them running. Others say that their first clue they were pregnant was when they had actually felt sick when thinking about having a glass of wine with dinner.
If you find that you have aversions to healthy food, try to work around it as best as possible. Do not force yourself to eat food that you have aversions to. It is not a pleasant experience; instead, try to look for alternatives. Some women find the thought of salad or anything green revolting. If you are one of them, you might be wondering how you are going to get the nutrients and vitamins you need. One alternative is to try and drink some vegetable juice.
While drinking vegetable juice is not the same as eating vegetables it has its benefits when you can’t look at your veggies. You should also try eating different colour veggies like peppers or carrots. If it is a protein like fish and chicken that make you sick, get your protein in other forms. Cheese, yoghurt, eggs and nuts are fantastic protein alternatives. Or you can try and hide your meat in dishes. Stir chicken into a casserole or mix some seafood into a pasta dish. This way you can still get your protein in, and with less of a risk of getting sick.
Just like with morning sickness, do not beat yourself up if you can not eat as healthy as you would like while you are dealing with food aversions. Chances are once you enter your second trimester, they will disappear and you can eat more of a variety of foods.
