Pregnancy brings along many changes in our bodies and lifestyles, and cravings are no exception. These cravings during pregnancy can run the gamut from common things like ice cream and pickles to bizarre food combinations. But what about cucumbers? Is craving that normal?
Many pregnant women find themselves craving the salty crunch of a dill pickle, but others want the cool crispness of a plain cucumber. Cucumbers are a healthy, safe option to consume during pregnancy and contain many good nutrients like potassium and vitamin C. It can also help you stay hydrated since one cucumber contains almost a cup of water.
Read on to find out why we may crave certain foods while pregnant, as well as some good recipes to make to sate our cucumber cravings.
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Is it normal to crave cucumber while pregnant?
Pregnancy cravings can pop up at any time during pregnancy and can feature pretty much any kind of food imaginable. Some experts say that your cravings could be linked to nutrition deficiencies. It’s also believed that increased hormones and a heightened sense of smell/taste may also be to blame.
Cucumbers are certainly a healthy option as far as cravings go. There are a lot worse options your body could be demanding.
Since cucumbers are a good source of water, potassium, and vitamin C, your body could lack those specific nutrients. Or maybe your taste buds are just relishing the cool, crisp taste of one.
While cucumbers may not be one of the more well-known cravings of pregnant women, its offspring, the pickle, is so maybe it’s not that uncommon after all.
Is eating cucumbers good for a pregnant woman?
Any pregnant woman knows it’s smart to eat fruits and vegetables. They provide a plethora of nutrients, minerals, and vitamins to help your body grow a healthy, thriving baby.
Cucumbers are members of the Cucurbitaceae family of vegetables and are composed mostly of water and offer nutrients such as potassium, vitamin C, and fiber.
Cucumber Nutritional Information
| Serving Size | Calories | Total Fat | Sodium | Potassium (mg) | Total Carbs (g) | Dietary Fiber (g) | Vitamin A (%DV) | Vitamin C (%DV) | Sugar (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 medium | 30 | 0 | 0 | 420 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 30 | 3 |
While cucumbers may not seem to be the most nutrient-dense vegetable out there, they certainly have their health benefits:
- Contain antioxidants to help stave off heart disease
- Good source of water intake: one medium cucumber yields 7 ounces of water (almost a cup!)
- Low in calories
- Contain lignans that may protect against certain cancers
Some unfortunate side effects of cucumbers can be belching, indigestion, or other stomach issues. If you’ve been eating a ton of cucumbers and notice some digestive issues, you may want to lay off for a while.
Cucumbers can be a healthy addition to a pregnant woman’s diet. A good rule of thumb is to consume vegetables and fruits in an array of colors (think all the colors of the rainbow) to ensure you get a wide array of nutrients daily.
Is eating cucumber good during early pregnancy?
Including cucumbers as part of a well-balanced diet during pregnancy is ideal during every stage of pregnancy.
Your body performs different functions during all nine months of pregnancy but is working extra hard during that first trimester. Your body is growing a baby from basically a clump of cells initially, and the organs and body systems are forming during the first trimester.
Can cucumber cause miscarriage?
There is no science or evidence to support that cucumbers play any part in causing miscarriages in pregnant women.
In fact, cucumbers provide an impressive list of health benefits to pregnant women and their unborn babies.
Other common cucumber cravings during pregnancy
As if craving cucumbers during pregnancy wasn’t odd enough, sometimes your pregnancy cravings can take it a bit further by desiring the combination of cucumber with other ingredients.
Let’s take a look at some of the more common cucumber combinations that may seem appetizing when pregnant.
What about eating vinegar and cucumbers while pregnant?
Vinegar and cucumbers are really not an odd combination. After all, cucumber salad is popular during the summer month and consists of sliced cucumbers, water, vinegar, and a form of sweetener like sugar.
Because pickles are basically cucumbers and vinegar, it’s no wonder this combo is craved during pregnancy as pickles are one of the all-time most craved food during pregnancy.
Check out this cucumber salad recipe to help satisfy your craving.
What about drinking lemon cucumber water while pregnant?
During pregnancy, you are told to keep well hydrated and drink plenty of water. After a while, though, all that water consumption can become a little boring.
If you are looking for a way to spice up your regular ol’ water, consider adding cucumber and lemon slices to add a little flavorful zing. Not only does this refreshing drink help quench your cucumber craving, but it can also be a healthy drink to help with water retention and provide a few vitamins and minerals.
Try this recipe for Spa Water with Cucumbers and Lemon!
Yellow cucumber during pregnancy
Yellow cucumbers usually result from being left to ripen too long on the vine. Basically, the pigment in the skin of cucumbers called chlorophyll starts to fade with age revealing the yellow skin underneath.
When cucumbers turn yellow, they will begin not to taste as good and may even taste bitter, but they will not be dangerous to consume.
Due to your increased sense of taste, you probably will want to avoid yellow cucumbers and stick with firm, green ones.
What does it mean if you crave cucumbers while pregnant?
Old wife’s tales during pregnancy seem to run rampant. While there is no scientific background or reasoning for the tales, it can be fun to see if the old wives’ tales turn out to be true.
The most popular old wives’ tales seem to revolve around predicting the gender of the child. So what does craving cucumbers while pregnant mean?
Does craving cucumbers while pregnant mean it’s a boy or girl?
Craving cucumbers while pregnant as a gender predictor is one of many old wives’ tales on this subject.
Supposedly, if you crave cucumbers while pregnant, you are having a boy! Keep in mind, though, that there is no scientific support for this belief.
Other cravings that seem to point to having a boy are protein, starches, and other veggies. However, if your cravings run more to carbs and sugary foods, it is said you are having a girl.
If you want to learn more, I have a HUGE list of the most common pregnancy cravings just for you!
