Cravings, specifically sweet cravings are common amongst pregnant women. If you are pregnant and find yourself in this situation, you don't have to worry and more importantly, make sure you allow yourself a treat once in a while. However, sweet foods like cakes, ice cream, cookies, candy bars and most fruit juices are just filled with bad sugar that can cause complications like gestational diabetes as well as excessive weight gain. Hence, you must control your sweet cravings and know the foods to eat when pregnant that can let you give in to your craving while still protecting your health and the health of your baby.

Food cravings are usually caused by certain nutrients that a pregnant woman is deprived of. Hence, if you are craving for junk food you might be deprived of sodium and the same goes for sweets, you might be low or deprived of sugar. But this does not give you the license to have a glazed doughnut or sundae to answer this craving. Sugar is one of the things that you should control throughout your pregnancy to prevent complications with your health.

To prevent food craving throughout the day, start your day with a good and healthy breakfast. When you are pregnant, you should never skip meals especially breakfast and only choose healthy foods to eat when pregnant. If you begin your day fully fueled, you will find that your food cravings will diminish. Also, instead of giving in to those foods high in sugar, choose low-fat and low sugar options instead. If you are dying for a cookie, have an oatmeal cookie or a low-sugar version of a regular chocolate cookie. Instead of a candy bar, your craving can be satisfied with fresh fruits like banana, apples and other fruits that are not just filled with good sugar but are filled with fiber and vitamins like Vitamin C.

When pregnant, it is also advisable to have snacks between meals to provide enough energy and avoid heartburn, fatigue and nausea. But pregnant women should not choose sugar-filled snacks like cake and chocolate bars. There are many alternatives for snacks like fruits, cheese, whole wheat crackers thinly spread with peanut butter. Choices in drinks are usually filled with sugar like soda and fruit juices. You can choose natural or sugar-less fruit juices and instead of a soda, you can mix natural fruit juice with mineral water. Likewise, water is the best drink to have throughout your pregnancy.

Foods to eat when pregnant to control sweet cravings do not have to leave you deprived. You can freely give in but with limitation like sharing a slice of a chocolate cake rather than eating two slices. You can also make your sweet craving healthier like when craving for a chocolate bar, choose the ones with almonds or add nuts to your sundae. And most of all do not over-indulge like eating sweets or cookies everyday.