Why would a pregnant woman have a craving to eat coal?

We can’t metabolise Coal as food, that is, use it for energy. It has a lot of carbon obviously but we need our carbon in glucose, which is in bread, sugars, fruits and milks. I read there’s something like a coal pill for a certain medical condition, but it’s pretty rare.

Just another irrational pregnancy craving like coins or rubber.

Pica, the craving and/or eating of non-food items, is sometimes attributed to iron deficiency anemia. It isn’t necessarily that the person obtains the necessary nutrients from the stuff they are eating, it just causes the bizarre cravings. Other common cravings are for ice chewing and paper. I don’t know that this is the definite answer to the pregnancy and coal connection, but it might apply.

Thank you guys, I myself couldn’t find any beneficial nutrients in coal, so its likely an irrational craving due so some other deficiency.

Here’s what the BBC said about it a few years ago. It could be the texture and the smell rather than the taste.

@flutherother , good find thank you.

Yep, I’d say she needs help.

yea thanks @snowberry , very informative.
Wish we could negative vote.

Is her last name Webber by any chance.

Do you mean coal (the fossil fuel) or charcoal (burnt wood)? There are charcoal supplements, which I have taken on occasion to ahem clean out the system. In other words, I can understand why people (not just pregnant people) would want charcoal, but I do not understand why anyone would suck on fossil coal.

Some pregnant women do crave clay, though, so maybe that is similar?

Maybe those women actually want to eat spicy barbecued food… mmm.. or maybe simply barbecued without any seasoning. (because that’s edible and has a flavor of the coal too)

I have heard of women wanting to eat soil when pregnant as well. Although I cannot remember where I heard this. In any case it is just hormones being kind of wacky and causing weird cravings.

I believe we humans are not all that different from most animals. Their instincts are quite sharp and accurate, this can be seen on how a house cat might eat certain types of grass to help either coughup hairballs or to digest food. Or Amazonian parrots which will travel for hundred of miles to eat certain clays rich in rare minirals… When pregnant, womens senses are hightened and they are much more in tune with their bodies then perhaps any other time in their lives. I believe their cravings are driven by their bodies need for trace minirals and vitamins needed for the fetus’ development at various stages.

It has nothing to do with being pregnant and having “weird pregnancy cravings”.

A person generally craves a “non-food” because something is missing in their diet. For quite a while, my grandmother was wanting to eat dirt. She was in her 60’s and far from being pregnant. Her doctor put her on iron pills and told her to crunch ice chips until the cravings went away.

hi all im a 28 year old 32 week pregnant lady (this is my 3rd pregnancy) i am one of the people that just can not seem to quench my desire to eat coal (the fossil fuel) ive ate approximately 30 pieces in the last few weeks i had the same craving with my other son who is just about to turn 8,with my daughter it was sandstone.
i am a vegetarian also any ideas why im doing this?

I’d say that you are low in some nutrient. The problem is that you’re filling that need with something that is full of toxins, and can/probably will affect your baby in some way. You need to find out what that is. You also need to be taking all your prenatal vitamins, and probably a supplement of whatever the missing nutrient is.

As for exactly what the nutrient(s) are, explain the problem to and ask your doctor.

Iron might be a good guess (see the above answer).