Yesterday I got an e-mail from a fellow preggo vegan. ”Do you have an advice for good prenatal vitamins?” she asked. I had to think for a minute. As you imagine, I do have an opinion formed on the topic, that is a not a surprise ;). But I had to think on whether I should be sharing my opinion with others, not fully knowing their lifestyle/diet or not, since the answer might get tricky. I also want NO ONE blaming me for following my opinion later.
So, what I am about to share with you is MY opinion based on my research, lifestyle and diet. You can take it or leave it.
(my 4 months baby bump–we are growing!)
You NEED Folic Acid, I Was Told
When I met our new family physician and he learned that we are working on conceiving he immediately told me I should start on prenatals. ”No, thank you,” I said, “I prefer to eat my prenatals.” “But you need folic acid to make sure your child is healthy and won’t develop spina bifida.” ”Worry not, Doc,” I told him, “that won’t be a problem.”
I got a “you are a crazy woman” look from him, but we left it at that. On the day when I showed up to take my pregnancy test with at his office, however, and it was definite that I was pregnant, the conversation came right back up. We had a short battle of wits. He agreed that with my diet I won’t need ANY supplementation, except for folic acid, “just to be safe”. Exasperated, I asked him to schedule labs for me to prove that I don’t need folic acid, although I was considering looking into that option. My labs came with great results–my folic acid levels were great, and… my doctor finally agreed that I should be OK without supplementation.
The Bad Guys in the Bottle
Curious, as I was at that time, I decided to check out a few prenatal supplementation options. I went to the local Whole Foods, got a few brand names, looked at their ingredients and found an intersting thing–most prenatal vitamins had B12 listed on the ingredient list. Different brands, different amounts, but all listed the same form of B12–cyanocobalamin. If you read my B12 articles, then you know that this form of B12 is not optimal for us, and that the Europe and Japan have done away with using it a LONG time ago–you won’t even find it in their supplements. So, taking a prenatal with cyanocobalamin is OUT of the question for me. I prefer to keep up with methylcobalamin injections and sublinguals (all in the same article, just click on the above mentioned link).
Next, I began to look into just the folic acid options, which, as you can imagine, there was almost none–most folic acid is mixed in with other vitamins. I went home and began to do my research. I called a few companies and asked them the same question: “Is your product synthetically derived, or does it have synthetic ingredients in it?” Of all the companies I called, majority said “YES” and some could not even answer my question. Synthetic folic acid? No, thanks! I would rather keep eating the way I am, and double up on my greens. Synthetic vitamins are already known to be harmful to human bodies, and the long term effects have never been properly studies (I see a future post just on this topic 
). I refuse to be a human guinea pig.
Folic Acid in Food
Why settle for synthetic forms of folic acid and harmful B12 cyanocobalamin when there are other options out there? The ones that are safe, natural and which our bodies can easily assimilate?
Natural, unprocessed foods are rich in folate. Take a look at this incomplete list alone:
All dark leafy vegetables such as spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens and broccoli, etc. are rich in folate!
Source: Bailey and Suitor, Journal of the American Dietetic Association , 2000.
* DFE = dietary folate equivalents. Fruits, vegetables, dry beans and nuts do not contain synthetic folic acid.
So, would you rather take a synthetic vitamin with many unknown side effects and some known, or drink a green smoothie, and have a bowl of rice, veggies and beans? Guess which one I prefer?
What About Other Vitamins?
” But what about other vitamins?” you ask.
Glad you asked. God, in his eternal wisdom, made sure that we miss out on nothing when we eat plant foods. The best part is that the way he mixed everything in plant foods becomes superior to any supplement you can find. While some vitamins can become toxic when taken in concentrated forms, we can never overdose on spinach, kale, beans or fruit. The natural foods contain vitamins in right proportions to each other and to what our bodies can assimilate at any given time. While a lot of bottled vitamins go to waste, since our bodies cannot absorb high amounts, or store in our fat cells and drive us crazy later with side effects, natural foods do exactly the opposite. They come in, working in perfect symphony with each nutrient/vitamin they are bound to, they do their work in us, and whatever cannot be used by our bodies leaves as waste material.
Look at this incomplete spinach nutient profile:
Source: whfoods.com
Can you imagine how many bottles of individually extracted vitamins you would have to buy to get the same combination? How much food would have to be wasted just to deliver an extracted few micrograms of Vitamin A? And isn’t it cheaper to eat a bowl of kale than buy a bottle of any of these vitamins?
What about DHA?
“But what about DHA?” you say. ”I was told that fish is the only good source of DHA.”
“Bunch of baloney!” I say! Where does fish get its DHA? Do you think it magically produces it on its own, like we were led to believe that animals can magically produce protein? Animals, just like humans, get their nutrients from plant foods. There is no source of animal nutrients superior to that of plant source. Animals become the medium for omnivores of nutrients they can otherwise get from plant foods. What happens, unfortunately, is that a lot of the original nutrient is lost and wasted while it is going through that medium. So, why not skip the middle “man”?
If you want DHA you have a few options:
- Flax seeds
- Chia Seeds
- Hemp Seeds
- Algae
What Do I Take?
The only supplement I take is the one I cannot derive from my diet–B12. Everything else comes from my diet. I add algae, seeds, sea weeds (iodine source) and occasional maca root powder, to my smoothies. I drink green smoothie daily. I eat 60–80% of my diet in a raw form, leaving cooked portions of it to grains, some root vegetables and legumes. This way I ensure that my growing sprout has no lack of anything he needs to develop and grow. For centuries women have done the same. My Mother bore… ready for the number I never revealed before?–14 kids, having never taken a supplement, yet all of us are 100% fine.
I do make sure to rotate my ingredients: fruit, veggies, grains, etc. at least every day or two. That’s it!
Who Are Prenatal Vitamins For?
Prenatal vitamins are designed for the general population, eating SAD (standard American diet) or diets similar to it, or places where nutrition is scarce. Prenatal vitamins are not made in mind with people eating a folate rich, plant based, unprocessed diet. So, is there some use for Prenatal Vitamins? Yes! However if you do take them, make sure to call the company which makes them and ask about EVERY ingredient on the list. Be educated! Be prepared! And do not take a no for an answer! It’s a multi billion dollar industry, so, don’t let them bully you! Better yet, go make a green smoothie with flax of chia seeds, throw in a spoon-full of dulse and you are on your way to better health.
Best Prenatal Vitamins
I wish all of you great health, and, if you are pregnant, a great pregnancy! And remember, DISCLAIMER: these are my opinions, which come from my research, experience and lifestyle. They also happen to agree with the opinions of a lot of professionals–the movers and shakers in the new Plant Based Nutrition movement. You can take or leave what I said here, after all, you are the one who has to live with that decision
For me the best prenatal vitamins are always only a meal away! They are designed to work with my body and not against it.
Related posts:
- Happy Tears and Midwives {Vegan Pregnancy}
- A Truly Vegan Pregnancy
- Vegan Pregnancy Week 9 (Oy!)
- Out of Pregnancy Hibernation
- Cures and Remedies for Morning Sickness During Pregnancy
Pingback: Vegan Pregnancy Joys & Pregnancy Healthy Recipes