One user told us she ate a steady diet of pickled onions, which, now her baby's arrived, she can't bear the sight of. Aubergine, particularly on pizza, was another reader's obsession. Many of these cravings seem to come out of nowhere, with a ferocity that is overpowering. The extreme hormonal changes women go through during pregnancy can have a powerful impact on taste and smell. But the bottom line is that no one really knows for sure.
Some experts are skeptical that food cravings can be attributed simply to hormones.
As to what a particular craving signifies, the answer depends on whom you ask. Some nutritionists and healthcare practitioners believe that certain cravings may be meaningful. In fact, a number of US readers reported consuming large quantities of ice during their pregnancies, a craving they had never had before. Some alternative medicine practitioners believe that a craving for chocolate may be triggered by a shortage of B vitamins. Similarly, a craving for red meat seems like a transparent cry for protein.